An elderly woman from Texas has been denied the opportunity to get a new passport to visit relatives in Mexico, according to this report from a local ABC affiliate.
The woman, Consuelo DeLeon, is 81 years and says she was born in small town in Texas. However, her birth certificate was filed late, approximately a year after she was born. Although she sent in both her birth certificate and her baptismal certificate, the Department of State refused to issue her a new passport due her family’s delay in filing a birth certificate.
DeLeon’s situation illustrates the importance of applying early for a passport. It also illustrates why it is a good idea to apply with expedited processing, even if you think you have enough time to just pay the regular application fee. Circumstances beyond your control, like those of Ms. DeLeon’s, could cause the State Department to deny your application or to request additional documentation. Mistakes made in the paperwork during the application process can also cause the State Department to turn down your application. The bottom line? The earlier you know there is a problem, the better your chance of being able to fix it before your trip.
A private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com can help. With an expediting service, you get personal service from a trained passport specialist and a checklist to help you avoid mistakes. Plus, you get much faster processing times-depending on the package you order, your application could be processed in as little as 24 hours!
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