Passport facility open, but nobody's coming

[DainBramaged]

A new federal regional passport facility opened Monday in Detroit with fanfare, ready to issue passports for people with urgent plans to travel within 14 days.

There’s only one problem: The agents have little to do because nobody can make an appointment yet.

The U.S. State Department appointment system doesn’t list the Detroit facility as an option either on its Web site, www.travel.state.gov, or on its telephone appointment line (877-487-2778.)


Appointments are required for processing at the new facility, but since Monday, “We are taking people as they walk in,” said Carolyn Kieffer, acting director. “We’ve had a few. It’s a soft opening right now.


“It’s a little gem that people don’t know about.”


This morning, a Free Press visit to the facility at 211 W. Fort St. (at the corner of Washington Boulevard) in downtown Detroit found a sparkling office ready to go, but no customers. There is no sign outside the building and just an 8 1/2 x 11 print-out stuck to the wall inside showing the right elevator to get to the facility on the second floor.


In the long run, the office will be a boon to Detroit. With 10 employees right now, it has the capacity to have 50 employees, Kieffer says.


In addition, the new agency eliminates the need for travelers with urgent passport requests to go all the way to Chicago.


http://www.freep.com/article/20090320/BLOG20/90320032



:sarcasm:


Detroit (22% unemployment) and passports just don't seem to fit.

[enlightenment]

1. As long as they're sitting there with nothing to do,

they could process my renewal . . .

[Hello_Kitty]

2. Good for them anyway!

Hopefully, all that investment in Michigan in science and technology will pay off and people will come. Hell, if someone offered me a job there, I'd go. Why, I'd be Yooper!