US passport on hold

I was born in the US and I am a US citizen. I have lived outside the USA since 1969. As my US passort will soon expire, I applied last month for a new one at the local US consulate. Yesterday I called them and was told that my US passport is "on hold" at the US embassy in the capital city. I am a law-abiding resident of this foreign country, and declare US federal income tax every year. I have been issued new US passports with no problem back in the 1980s and 1990s.Is there any reason that the US passport agency can deny me a new US passport? If that were to happen, I would then become, upon expiration of my present US passport, an illegal alien in this foreign country! Any expert advice would be appreciated. I'm a regular reader of this forum and have been learning a lot about the difficulties experienced by other readers. Thanks!

I was born in the US and I am a US citizen. I have lived outside the USA since 1969. As my US passort will soon expire, I applied last month for a new one at the local US consulate. Yesterday I called them and was told that my US passport is "on hold" at the US embassy in the capital city. I am a law-abiding resident of this foreign country, and declare US federal income tax every year. I have been issued new US passports with no problem back in the 1980s and 1990s.Is there any reason that the US passport agency can deny me a new US passport? If that were to happen, I would then become, upon expiration of my present US passport, an illegal alien in this foreign country! Any expert advice would be appreciated. I'm a regular reader of this forum and have been learning a lot about the difficulties experienced by other readers. Thanks!

Johnny

If you have lived outside USA since 1969 WHY would you then need a passport ? are you a palestinian ? why didn't you try to get a resiedency or passport in the country you are living in right now ?
If you are from one of the countries that america considers as an annemy than I think they have yr passeport on hold for some reasons...you know nowdays they are checking who ever and for any reason.
they were even thinking lately about a new law in the sates which is granting the USA passport only to people who's at least one parent is us citizen.
try to ask why they are having yr passport on hold and if you get no straight good reson than try to check with a good lawyer...
good luck

I was born in US of US citizen parents. I need a valid passport to bear my residence visa in the country where I've lived since 1975. Also need a passport to travel, I want to visit my family in USA. If I became a citizen of the country where I live, then I'd need a visa to visit the USA! MY question, is issuance of a new US passport for US citizens born in the USA of US citizen parents a right or a privilege?

Maybe they just mean they are holding it, for you to pick up. Are you sure they are denying it?? Maybe they don't want to mail it for fear of it being stolen.

did they give any other reason? when you called what exactly did they say

It is your right to get a passport they have no way of denying it. Once you are a citizen (naturalized or born) you are entitled to get a passport. It is not a privilege, it is a right. Unless it is national security risk, they can't deny it. If you are a national security risk then they may.....(you know what!). Ask them why they are holding it? Probably they are just checking with CIA and/or vital records.

I'll call the consulate again tomorrow, thanks for your advice and support.

I think the above post is right, barring some kind of security snafu, you have a right to your passport--they can't leave you over there with nothing! I am sure if you call again you will find out more, maybe you just misunderstood what they said. Let us know what happens, now I'm curious too.

Well, I called the consulate this morning, the person who answered the phone asked me to call back again next week. I hate to be such a neurotic worrier but I am in fact losing sleep over this. The hypothetical question is, what would I do if they don't give me my passport? To whom could I protest?

you are an american citizen, they cannot deny you a passport, especially if you are already overseas. Is the consulate far? Can you go there and talk to someone? That's what I would do. Probably the people you are getting on the phone are entry level people who don't have all the information. I would go there. What country are you in? I would also see if your family in the US can contact a senator or representative and see what they can find out too.