Miami Passport Agency closed until further notice

Flooding forces closure of Miami office, leaving travelers scrambling

MIAMI – The Miami Passport Agency was closed to the public Monday, leaving hopeful travelers unable to make appointments or get passports to leave the country.

A message on the U.S. Department of State's website said the Miami Passport Agency is closed to the public until further notice.

The Omni Center, which houses the agency, "experienced significant water damage" and is closed until while the damage is being assessed and repairs can be made, a Department of State representative said in a statement to Local 10 News.

"Customers with existing appointments will be re-scheduled at a different passport agency," the statement said. "We will work with customers who have applications pending at the Miami Passport Agency to ensure their applications are processed.  We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience to our customers and will make an announcement as soon as the Miami Passport Agency can re-open to the public."

Narezi Garcez, who needs a passport for her baby, said she went to the Miami Passport Agency only to find out that it was closed.

"We asked when it was going to be open. He said, 'By the looks of it, not for a very long time,'" Garcez said. "So I asked, 'OK, where can I get my passport?' (He said,) 'New Orleans, San Juan and all the other states.' So I have to travel to another state to get her passport. It's ridiculous."

Anyone scheduled to pick up a passport or who is in need of expedited passport services is asked to call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 or 888-874-7793 for assistance.


About the Author:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.