J1: I'm such a mess!

Nala

Well 2 of my friends are going on the J1 and I am supposed to be going with them, but my passport is out of date and I've to take out a loan to pay for all the fees. My friends are booking their flights tomorrow, I'm scared I won't be organised in time and either I won't be able to go on their flights or all the places will be filled. Does anyone know how long it will all take. Does anyone have any advice.

Thanks

Nala

AngryBadger

can you ask your friends to wait until you get your passport sorted? Or can you get the money in time to book with them?

seamus

Assuming the J1 is in the summer, then I don't think you have much to worry about in terms of getting a new passport. As it is, if you apply for it today, you'll have it in six weeks at the latest. There is also the passport express service which will get you a new passport in ten days.

Why are you so worried about getting a new passport sorted in time? You can get a loan in a matter of days. Talk to them today or tomorrow and you could have one by Friday. Anyone getting their J1 in now, is booking early, so I wouldn't worry about a matter of days. Ask your mates to hold on.

stevenmu

AIB throw J1 loans at anyone capable of walking in the door and I'd imagine other banks/credit unions are the same. Worst thing that happens is you get a different flight to your friends and meet them over there, no big deal.

Cosine

10 working days.

I had to get my pasport replaced 2 weeks before a trip I was going on :eek: Much as I hate to admit it the gov doesn't seem to drop the ball on this one. Best bet is to get the pasport express but do it now. You need to apply at the nearest GPO

MorningStar

I thoiought as part of the initial application you had to have a valid passport (for at least 1 year) sent in with your application and that you had to buy particular flights from Usit. It sounds like your boned unless they changed all proceedures

StupidLikeAFox

Cosine wrote:

You need to apply at the nearest GPO

Or if ya dont live near OConnell street, a regular post office will do :v:

Cosine

That is also advisable lol I was thinking general post office like my nan calls them.

@morningstar: Mine was out of date when I got my new one, I just needed some form of picture ID and proof of address to show that I was still living in the same place. I used my student ID and a bank statement and it worked out ok.

Oh and pasport photos dont forget those

Nala

well i've sent off the passport, its passport express. i will ask my mates if they'll hold off booking the flights cos they're the only 2 people i know going and i don't want to fly all the way to San Fransicso by myself.

godtabh

Nala wrote:

well i've sent off the passport, its passport express. i will ask my mates if they'll hold off booking the flights cos they're the only 2 people i know going and i don't want to fly all the way to San Fransicso by myself.

Flying to San Fran on your own isnt a big deal these days. I've traveled from Cali via DC via NY to home and not a bother in the world. You'll be fine traveling on your own. Just buy a walk man with lots of batteries!

Supercell

Happened me years ago, was booked to go inter-railing around europe with some friends and discovered a couple of days before that my passport was lost.

Turned up at the passport office and told them my sorry tale, they were amazingly good and I got a replacement passport within 3 days, so ticket was still valid and my holidays were saved!!

Hobbes

Heh I had to go to Germany for work one time with a days notice and noticed I couldn't find my passport. Got a replacement passport within an hour. Should of seen the grilling my luggage+passport got in Germany when he saw the registered date on it.

Nala

Oh and another thing- about the thing where you can get insurance so if you have to repeat any exams you get a free return flight home. I failed one of my January exams but have more exams in the summer. If I told them I only have exams in the summer (and didn't have any in January) would I be able to get this insurance? Is there any way they could find out?

ShiverinEskimo

I got a passport in one day by going to the passport office and waiting. and waiting. and waiting.

Pick a nice day and go to the little cafe across the street. Nice coffee.

Font22

flying on your own is grand. i flew to toronto on my own last summer and it was great. got to sit beside this really nice canadian guy. he was all chat and gorgeous to boot.
hope everything works out for you and enjoy the summer, i guarantee you will have a great time!

tintinr35

Nala wrote:

Oh and another thing- about the thing where you can get insurance so if you have to repeat any exams you get a free return flight home. I failed one of my January exams but have more exams in the summer. If I told them I only have exams in the summer (and didn't have any in January) would I be able to get this insurance? Is there any way they could find out?

i was in new york last summer and two girls i knew has to go home to repeat.
thing is that they knew before they went that they failed one exam and therefore their insurance wudnt cover it and they had to book their own flights!

Nala

tintinr35 wrote:

i was in new york last summer and two girls i knew has to go home to repeat.
thing is that they knew before they went that they failed one exam and therefore their insurance wudnt cover it and they had to book their own flights!

Can you tell them that you've sat your exams and that you don't know your results? Would you still be eligible then?

Nala

tintinr35 wrote:

i was in new york last summer and two girls i knew has to go home to repeat.
thing is that they knew before they went that they failed one exam and therefore their insurance wudnt cover it and they had to book their own flights!

Can you tell them that you've sat your exams but you don't know your results? Would you still be eligible for insurance then?
I'm just scared they'd catch me out.

Tony Danza

Nala wrote:

Can you tell them that you've sat your exams but you don't know your results? Would you still be eligible for insurance then?
I'm just scared they'd catch me out.

I'd say you'll get caught. Insurance companies don't exactly just throw money around.

Nala

that's what i'm thinking. i rang them today and the girl couldn't tell me whether i'd be eligible for the insurance cos i only know my provisional results and have only sat half my exams.

i am trying to decide whether to
(a) Just pay for the return flight home for my repeats (means take out a bigger loan)
(b) Go over after the repeats for a holiday with my friends.