COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (KDVR) — A Commerce City teen was excited about a beautiful graduation trip to the Dominican Republic this month, but her dream turned into a nightmare when the passport application and documents she filed just seemed to disappear.
Jaedyn Dale told FOX31 she applied for her passport on April 6 and paid for expedited service, but as her departure date approached she got some shocking news.
“They lost my personal information and my documents six days after I submitted the application,” she said. The documents included her birth certificate and forms with her social security number.
Dale worried that time was running out since her trip was scheduled for May 29.
The Problem Solvers stepped in to help, contacting the State Department and the U.S. Postal Service. The staff quickly located the documents.
“I’m just so glad to have it like in my hands. When they handed it to me I made a scene at the post office!” Dale explained.
Tips for getting your passport on time
The Postal Service said that while they work closely with the Department of State, the USPS does not process or issue passports. But they do accept first-time applications and offer products and services for both first-time and renewal passport applications at thousands of Post Office locations across the country.
The Postal Service said discrepancies should be reported immediately. For more information, visit U.S. Passports.
To protect your personal information, the service recommends using a trackable delivery system as outlined by the Department of Homeland Security.
Dale did have a tracking number. She said now she’s ready to celebrate and start making plans for her future.
“I’m really excited to start the next chapter of my life and become a mental health therapist,” she said.
The U.S. State Department reports passports can take 8-11 weeks right now. The wait for expedited passport service is 5-7 weeks.