Passport Advice
Parent Q&A
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first-time adult passport
–Feb 22, 2024This feels like a stupid question, but I can't figure out how to get a first-time adult passport. We aren't allowed to do mail-in because it's first time. We can't go to a passport acceptance facility because we're not traveling soon. I can't make an appointment via the USPS website - it just doesn't work. I click on a date that's supposed to be available and nothing happens. We've been to walk-in hours at the Oakland Post Office and the Alameda Post Office. No one showed at both places. A clerk told us that the woman who handles the applications was out for two weeks at both locations. But, it was one woman's 5th time waiting for the walk-in hours with no luck! Orinda and Lafayette post offices are listed as having walk-in hours. Does anyone know if this is actually true? Or have another suggestion?
Feb 22, 2024Problem with my legal name for Real ID and passport
–Mar 29, 2023My parents put one name on my birth certificate, but then never used it. They preferred my "nickname," which in my father's ancestral country is a common nickname for my "official" name.
So all my school records, tax records, bank accounts, drivers license, and (expired) passport all reflect my "nickname" as my first name.
My birth certificate and SS card have my "official" name.
Now I need a real id (driver's license expires soon) and I need to renew my passport.
I really don't want to pay $450 to change my first name.
Does anyone have any great advice? Are you unlucky enough to have gone through something similar?
I realize most people would say pay the $450, but it's a lot of money for such an irritating situation. At some point my father told me if you go by another name for a non-nefarious reason for a long time (in my case--my entire life,) it can become your given name? I have a feeling he had no idea what he was talking about.
Mar 29, 2023Canada Passport Photo
–Mar 11, 2022Where can I get a photo taken for a Canadian passport? They have different requirements than US passports so need a place that really knows how to do them. Thanks!
Mar 11, 2022Lawyer to help get German passport
–Dec 1, 2020My mother wants to get her German citizenship and wants a lawyer to help her through the process. It seems pretty straightforward to me as she has her birth certificate, her (German) father's birth certificate, a letter proving he was a German citizen at the time of her birth, her parents' marriage certificate, and I'm sure lots of other documentation. (She would be getting her Festellung der deutshen Staatsangehorigkeit -- confirmation of German citizenship, not applying cold or anything).
Can you recommend a lawyer to help her through the process? A lawyer who speaks English is nice but not necessary.
Dec 1, 2020
I got two separate passport appointments at USPS Lafayette last summer. One for myself because I lost my passport. Then a different appointment for my daughter because she is a minor renewing a passport. I had to click and refresh, and return to their webpage the next day and try all over again, a few times. I think they only release appointments a few weeks in advance, and it helps if you are open to driving. Both times when I went to Lafayette they didn't seem to be taking walk-in appointments, the scheduled appointments were booked solid. You might want to expand the geographical area you are searching, that might help too.
I had to do this recently and was also frustrated that the USPS website was not working. The workaround I used was to go in person to a post office with a self service machine and you can make an appointment from there. Note that not all locations have the self service machines, so suggest looking online first for the ones that do that are closest to you.
I recommend the passport center at Cal. They process millions of them (Cal students) and know what they are doing. My recollection is that the reservation system for the appts is not very good, however. Also, it took about three months for me to get it back. This was in early 2023.
Hi! I just wanted to empathize with the crazy-making experiences you've had booking appts. I'm sorry it's been frustrating. The pain is real. I had luck booking passport appts. here twice for our kiddos: https://calendly.com/alameda-city-clerk/passport-application-appointmen…. You do have to be vigilant about checking the calendar, but I found this to be MUCH more reliable than Post Office options.
Highly recommend the UC Berkeley Passport office: https://recwell.berkeley.edu/u-s-passports/
I just applied for a passport for my child at UC Berkeley. You can't make an appointment but you can sign up online for a "waitlist" that is essentially an appointment. It's super easy. Do a search for UC Berkeley Passports and the office is in the Recreational Sports Facility on Dwight.
The UC Berkeley passport office located in their rec center is AMAZING. You schedule an appt, just make sure you have ALL documentation. Look at the state dept website for info. just go in super prepared. We were in and out in 10 minutes. My kids got their passports in about 3 weeks.
I recommend the passport service at UC Berkeley. We never had issues making an appointment and they are reliable. https://recwell.berkeley.edu/u-s-passports/
You can try looking for an appointment at the Alameda City Clerk's office.
https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/City-Clerk/Passport-Services
We just had an in person appointment at Lafayette Post Office. They had two people who were alternating between scheduled appointments. I don’t know about their walk-in hours but I just navigated in the USPS tool just now https://tools.usps.com/rcas.htm and they have 3 appointments available tomorrow, 10:30, 10:45, and 11:45 and their walk-in hours are 9-10 tomorrow. I agree the site is challenging to navigate. After you select the date in the pop up window you have to scroll down a ways to see appointment times in another inset window. Best of luck!
The website is just not great, it isn't just you. I was able to snag appts by looking each morning until something I could make popped up. I think they only book 30 days out, so you need to plan ahead. There are also usually random appts that people cancel a day or two ahead of time, if you happen to be totally prepared for your appt you could grab one of those. You can also skip the USPS and go through a passport processing agency who will do all the submissions for you, but that tends to be more expensive by about $100.
I'm sorry this is so hard. Yes, the USPS does handle passport applications, but the system is antiquated and not very efficient. I've gotten passports renewed at our local USPS and even though we arrived at the appointment time, we had to wait a very long time because someone went to lunch, the supervisor wasn't there, etc etc. So your experience as a walk-in is not out of the ordinary. We had good luck at the UC Berkeley Recreation and Wellbeing. We found them organized and easy to work with. Just go directly to the UC Berkeley page (in google, type "UC Berkeley Recreation and Wellbeing Passport" to find the right page) where they will allow you to make an appointment. Looks like they are booking a month in advance. Good luck!
ps. Just out of curiosity I looked at USPS and I think their website is malfunctioning. Sometimes they show open appointments, sometimes they don't. So it's not you. For what it's worth, I was able to see that the Piedmont post office has appointments; I've never been there but it's worth a shot!
UC Berkeley has a passport acceptance office! So much easier to deal with than USPS. You can do a renewal or a first-time passport...
https://recwell.berkeley.edu/u-s-passports/
I recently booked an appointment quite easily at the UC Berkeley RSF Passport Acceptance Center located on campus. https://recwell.berkeley.edu/u-s-passports/
The Alameda County Law Library used to accept applications in the past, but I was not able to figure out if they are currently offering that service (the website offers no appointments and they don't return phone inquiries, so perhaps not).
I’ve gotten mine and my daughter’s at the Pinole post office, which is smaller and usually not terribly busy. They do have one day of walk-in hours but I just checked online and was able to select an online appointment for most of March. One thing that I can see is sort of confusing is that once you select an available day you can’t just choose any time on the list. The available slots will say “Appointment available (15 minutes for one appointment)” next to the time and you should be able to click those.
You can get an appointment to get a passport at UC Berkeley (you don't have to be affiliated with the university). Here is the link to the website where you can make an appointment: https://recwell.berkeley.edu/u-s-passports/
I was able to make 3 appointments for the same day at the San Ramon USPS office online in 12/2023 (although the guy is very inflexible so make sure you have everything) and also made 1 appointment for City Hall of Hayward online in 11/2023.
City Hall in Alameda schedules appointments for renewal passports (at a minimum). Check to see if they process first time passports as well.
There's a super convenient passport center on the Bancroft side of UC Berkeley campus in the rec center. Open to non-students. Appointment required. We've used them several times. Always fast. There is a processing fee in addition to the cost of the passport.
https://recwell.berkeley.edu/u-s-passports/
You can make an appointment here: https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/City-Clerk/Passport-Services we recently scheduled one, it took checking the website a few times but we were able to get one eventually. Good luck, it is truly ridiculous!
It is frustrating, no doubt about it. I would point you to the UC Berkeley passport processing center. Just keep checking it daily for upcoming appointments.
I just used the online USPS appointment system to make an appointment for my husband. Did you try a different browser or device? Annoying but I find some of these websites don't work in x browser but will work in y. I was able to get an appointment the next day, but the next available after that was 2 weeks out. This was at the Piedmont Ave post office. When I went in to mail something the other day they clearly noted that they did NOT have walk in appointments, but the agent was able to pull up the schedule and book someone for an appointment. So if you have time maybe walk in to get the future appointment?
Try the Cal Berkeley Rec center. They have a passport facility there. You make an appointment online so no waiting around. We always go there for our passport needs.
I got passport here at UC Berkeley Rec Center. It was maybe 5 years ago. It was really easy.
https://recwell.berkeley.edu/u-s-passports/
I had a similar problem and even considered going out of state at one point!
Go to the Richmond post office (I wanna say near Kaiser) right when they open. Check-in with them and let them know you don’t have an appointment but would like to take a slot if there’s a no-show.
I did this in 2021. Make sure to have all your documents, photo, and check (for fees) available.
We were able to get our passports at an office at UC Berkeley. It was super easy and this page guides you through all the steps. They don't take photographs so you’ll have to get those elsewhere, but we couldn’t have been happier with our experience. Good luck!
https://recwell.berkeley.edu/u-s-passports/
Hello everyone.
This is the original poster. I really appreciate all the responses - sorry they came from similar experiences. I got a lot of recommendations for the UC Berkeley passport office so will try that next. Again, thanks. It's really heartening to have this community.