Hints for Avoiding Family Passport Headaches

"I started telling people over a year ago to get their passport applications in," explains Lynn Olivari, the president and owner of Discount-All-Inclusive.com, an online travel service provider. Olivari has heard her share of horror stories when it comes to getting passports. In some cases, her clients were unable to get their passports and had to cancel their trips.

Along with allowing plenty of time to apply, Olivari has found a particular strategy for getting a stalled passport application moving: Contact your local congressional office. Since your local congress people are your connection to Washington (and the federal government offices issue passports), they're who you can appeal to for help changing laws or introducing new government legislation that would affect the region in which you live.

Olivari points out that travel agents can't talk to the congressional office on your behalf, but he or she can get the right number for a person you can speak to if you're having problems getting your passport on your own.