Complaint Review: Instant Passport

Instant Passport, Rip-Off Dishonest Refund Policy and Fee for NO SERVICE, Providence, Rhode Island

Ripped Off by:

Instant Passport
Manager: Ted
11 South Angell Street, Suite 241
Providence RI 02906-5206

I've been RIPPED-OFF by Instant Passport! I applied for a Visa to China and mailed the required forms and passports to Instant Passport, Telephone: (800) 284-2564, Fax: (401) 633-0077, www.instantpassport.com. Among its services, Instant Passport provides assistance in obtaining Visas to individuals traveling overseas.

I mailed my package (Passports, forms, supporting documents, Visa photos, and fees for both me and my 3 year old son) using FEDEX to Instant Passport on Friday, March 11, 2005. The total enclosed fees included a personal check for $118.00 payable to Instant Passport and a $100.000 Wachovia money order payable to the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China (total fees = $218.00).

Instant Passport received my package on Monday, March 14. On Tuesday, March 15, a representative from Instant Passport called me and notified me that there was a problem with both my and my son's application. She said that because the length of our stay was for more than 30 days, we would need Multiple Entry Visas rather than single entry Visas and that we would both have to leave China during our trip - to say Japan - and then re-enter. Such a multiple entry Visa, she informed me, would cost $50 more ($25 each for me and my son). This does not include the cost of traveling outside of China and returning twice! I explained to the representative that I had traveled to China a half dozen times and frequently stay longer than one month and that I had never had to obtain a multiple entry visa.

I told Instant Passport to hold my application while I investigated. I located a company that offered a similar Visa Service as Instant Passport. The manager of this firm informed me that as a family member of a Chinese National (my wife is Chinese) I could obtain an extended stay visa that extended beyond 30 days from the Chinese Consulate.

I called the Instant Passport back with this information and was told by the representative that their firm did not process this kind of Visa because it involved too much paperwork. Frustrated, I asked to speak to a manager and the phone was given to an individual named Ted. Ted told me again that their firm would not process the type of Visa I requested. I then asked Ted to mail my package back to me in the prepaid FEDEX return envelope that I included in the original mailing.

At that point, Ted said that Instant Passport would return all of my documents less the Instant Passport fee of $118.00 I immediately objected claiming that their firm had not provided any service to me. Nevertheless, it was clear that Ted wasn't going to send me back my check and I felt that I couldn't argue my case more forcefully because Instant Passport was in possession of my and my son's Passports and we still needed visas to China! It was a terribly vulnerable feeling and position to be in.

Because time was of essence and I needed my passports back quickly so that I could mail them out to another service and pay this new service a fee (which was FAR less by the way), I told Ted to just put everything in the envelope and mail it back immediately.

When I received the return FEDEX package on Thursday, March 17, I received all of the materials but did not receive the Wachovia Money Order for $100 payable to the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China. It was bad enough for Instant Passport to keep the full $118 fee I paid to them despite the fact that they provided ABSOLUTELY NO service to me.

Now, they also kept my Money Order payable to the China Embassy. I immediately telephoned Instant Passport and asked for Ted. Ted told me that the money order was already in process and that it would take up to two weeks to process my refund. This seemed unlikely since the Money Order was not payable to Instant Passport in the first place.

After about two weeks on about March 31st, I still had not received my Money Order for $100 so I called Instant Passport back. A female answered the phone and I asked her to check on my reimbursement. She opened my file and read to me a note that Ted had inserted into the file that said that their firm should hold the money order until his (my) check cleared. I informed the woman that my check had cleared already the week before and that I wanted my money back immediately. She told me now that it could take up to a month.

On Friday, April 15th, more than a month after Instant Passport received my package; I still had not received my $100 Money Order payable to the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China so I called Instant Passport at about 6:00 PM when I got home from work. The man that answered the phone said that I would have to call back Monday between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM to find out about the status of my Money Order.

At that point, I asked the man to put a note in my file and to stress to Ted that I wanted my $100 money order (which they cashed or are in possession of illegally) returned to me immediately. Today is Saturday, April 16, 2005. I'm out $218 and I received absolutely NO SERVICE whatsoever. I've been RIPPED-OFF by INSTANT PASSPORT. Don't use their service. There are MANY other competing services that can actually provide service at FAR LESS cost.

Daniel
Bonita Springs, Florida
U.S.A.