Ah - we can’t do such transactions at AAA in my state. But good to know you didn’t need to marriage certificate.
As a side note: my SIL needed to find the PARENTS’ marriage certificate, when getting my MIL set up with the nursing home and Medicaid funding. I gather she got it, somehow. And presumably there are legal records in the state one got married in… though ours was 41 years ago, so who knows how long that would take to get.
The one time I’ve ever had a pat-down at security was 14 years back, when they had just installed the newer scanners at the airport. First off, I tried to smuggle several Kleenex in my pants pocket.
Then apparently my cellulite looked dangerous - I got patted down between my thighs and my knees. Nope, lady, that flab won’t hurt anyone but me.
We were conditionally approved for NEXUS relatively quickly, but could never find an interview time anywhere. We took the rather drastic step of driving to the closest center, then waiting an hour as a walk-in to converse with the reception clerk. She told us that this site only opens the online NEXUS appointment slots on two days a month at 9:00 AM and they’re usually filled by 10:30. This information appears nowhere that we could find online, so it was worth schlepping there for teh secretz. We were able to make appointments for 3 months later even though the site wouldn’t advance on my laptop so we had to quickly log out my lovely wife after she finished and log me in on her machine. I can’t even remember if we managed to get appointments on the same day or if we’ll be enjoying two trips to the center.
ETA: As a more brownish person than the pink US standard, I was frequently patted down, searched, and sometimes sequestered before many flights before I got Global Entry. Now the rate seems about average.
So - and correct me if I’m being unreasonable - this doesn’t tell them something? You know, like maybe they need to open up more appointment slots and publicize what they are doing? 
Oh, well done for being proactive!
I like to wear baggy clothes with baggy pockets when i fly. As a result, i get patted down approximately every time i go through the cartoon people reader. Baggy pockets aren’t a problem with metal detectors, and when i get to use that lane (usually, now that i have global entry) I’m rarely patted down.
I’m sure that brown people are hassled more often than those with lighter skin. My father used to sometimes fly with an Arab friend pre 9/11, and he used to get strip searched somewhat frequently. But there are other things that trigger extra security checks, including really boring things like my travel shirts.
Totally reasonable, but they’d have to hire more officers, which has been a big issue for the Trusted Traveler Programs even before COVID reduced staffing. I believe I’ve mentoned that it took over a year to get my Global Entry renewal.
I got the darker complexion of my dads side of the family and my sister got the “can’t look anymore white” of my mom’s side. We had to fly together soon after 9/11 and the Patriot Act but before TSA procedure became standardized. Considering I had longer hair and a full beard you could be forgiven for thinking my name was something like Abdul ibn Rachim. I go through TSA no problems whatsoever. My sister is stopped by TSA, given the third degree - Where are you going? Why? Where were you born? &c. The also made her drink her Starbucks (you could get liquids past TSA then) to make sure there were no explosives or chemicals in the cup. Meanwhile me and my TSA guy are standing there together watching and laughing.
Further anecdatum: I turned in my (non-expedited) application at a local post office on 8 October. I checked the State Department website on the 12th, and was told it was too early but that I could sign up for email notification. I got an email on the 23rd that my application had been approved and I could expect the passport book (I didn’t opt for a card) by 2 November. It arrived yesterday (the 28th). So as has been said earlier, the State Department does indeed seem to have its act together.
ETA: One nice, if kinda nitpicky, thing is that they accepted the apostrophe (actually a single quote) in my last name. Most computers — or more specifically, most applications that are written for computers — don’t like that because unless provided for a single quote in a text string confuses databases.
On Sept 26, my wife and I went with my son to the Sapporo consulate to review in person as he’s under 16. Both parents have to appear.
The passport came today, October 30th. Considering they have to send it back to the States, not too bad.
Rant warning:
My last encounter with first world customs and excise was in 2003. I was in London and heading back to South Africa.
I was poor, so I walked (walked!) from the East End to Heathrow, around 32km, which is a fair distance, rather than pay a bus or taxi. All the money I had made when working there was back in South Africa, and I had splurged my remaining cash on a Violent Femmes concert that evening. I also took some Ecstacy and smoked more cannabis than I should have.
So 32km for a fit young guy who regulary hikes is fine, but it is pretty tiring. Especially with everything I owned in a backpack.
I was exhausted by the time I arrived (not helped by the hangover) and this fucking customs dude required me to remove my hiking boots. Fuck, dude, it is 03:30 and I just need to find my exit gate and try get a few minutes sleep.
I had long hair, which probably counted against me, but I am as white as white privilege can get. I mean, fuck what is the point of privilege if you can’t even use it?
I still managed to illegally smuggle cheese (forbidden by customs in RSA) home.
When you come off of a long-haul international flight, Global Entry is really nice. Since international flights tend to be gigantic wide-body planes, the regular line for entry can be really long, especially if two or more flights have arrived at about the same time. With GE, you can get through immigration in just a couple of minutes. You might still be waiting for your luggage for a while, but at least then you’re not stuck standing in line; you can wander around baggage claim, visit the bathroom, and so on.
Supposedly you’re not required to carry the GE card with you when you travel, but there have been incidents where the immigration folks were asking people for those cards before letting them get in the GE line, so we just carry ours even though we also have RealID driver licenses (and passports).
“Cheese it, the cops!” LOL
Some of the regular non-pre-check lines have this, too, at least at some airports. Here at Midway in Chicago, I try to get into a security line that goes to the machines with the the big bins (Some Googling tells me these are CT scan machines, and there’s 15 or so airports in the US that are testing this out. I fly into Phoenix a lot, and they have them, so my two most-used airports have it.) So, you have your standard 15"x20" (I think) bin, and there’s another one that is, I dunno, maybe around 20"x30"? If you get that one, that machine does not require you to take your electronic devices out of the bag, and, for some reason, they don’t have you take off your shoes there, either.
If you ever choose to visit Portugal, do so with a very visibly pregnant wife and a two year old.
On arrival: we were ushered straight into the diplomatic queue. So fast. Then, at any tourist attraction, straight to the front of the queue (though we joined the back of the queue). Buying a train ticket? Front of the queue. Visting an animal sanctuary? Front of the queue.
Leaving… ushered into the diplomatic queue, though there was no one in line.
Can I just put a pillow under a large dress? LOL
Or a wife using a cane. Amazing attention to mobility issues in lines and on transit.
Good to know. We have carried our GE cards, but was contemplating not bringing them along for the next trip since no one has ever looked at them.
A couple of times my boarding pass wasn’t coded for TSA Pre, but I was able to take care of it by showing my GE card.
I am convinced it’s all security theater…by bad actors who can’t remember their lines, which is why you never necessarily do the same thing from one airport to another.
I flew, domestic, last week. On my way out I had to take off my belt. On the way back I was fortunate enough to be the first person in a newly opened line. When she didn’t say anything about removing belts, I asked her if I had to take mine off. She stated no & I made some comment about how nice that was as I needed to on the way down, which she acknowledged. When I went thru the spinny scanner one of two people on the other side told me I needed to remove my belt & go back thru again. I told him I was just told that I didn’t when he copped an attitude because he’s hiding behind a blue shirt & tin foil badge & threatened to strip search me. I removed my belt & shut my mouth only because I didn’t have two hours until my flight. How the eff can you get different instrux from two people 15’ apart?
I also think passport cards are handy to serve as backup official ID (such as for air travel) or a situation where you lose your passport when out of the country. I think it would help facilitate getting an emergency passport, more so than just showing up with a copy of my lost passport.
It also is more likely to be accepted overseas for identification since it clearly says United States on it, as opposed to a state-issued driver’s license. Of course passports work too but they are larger and more bulky.