Brand New & Waiting - I have questions !!!!

[texanandproud]

Hi All

Me - Mailed application Feb 20, 08 - PIN received Feb 20th, April 7th (Today) - Still "Processing Application".
Wife - Mailed application Feb 20, 08 - PIN received April 1st, April 7th (Today) - Still "Processing Application".

I have 4 questions! Would anyone that has spent some time on this forum give me your input on what the answer to these 4 questions might be PLEASE - THANKS for your input!

Well - My wife and I BOTH mailed our applications on Feb 20th 08 and that brings me to my first question. Why is there a huge disparity in the difference in time for when people receive their letter with their PIN Number ??? I received mine around Feb 28th - Only ONE WEEK after I mailed my application and my wife finally received her PIN letter just over a week ago - Well over a month after DPS received our applications!! Have any of you that have been reading these forum posts longer than me figured out why there would be a one month difference in receiving PIN letters from 2 seperate applications that were mailed the SAME day?

Next I bring up question number TWO! Immidiately after receiving my Pin letter I went online and checked the progress (which I have done every day for the past 40 days!) and EVERY single day it says the same thing - PROCESSING APPLICATION. Question 2 is: Is "PROCESSING APPLICATION" the only thing the site tells you until such day as it changes to "Certficate Issued" or some such verbiage meaning that your license is being mailed? What is the point of that? Is this whole big deal about checking the status of your application solely to read "PROCESSING APPLICATION" from the first day you get the Pin to the last day when your license is mailed - Is all that there is to it ??? Ha Ha!

Has anyone read enough of the Waiting Room topics to see if there is any kind of average time that has been figured out - Is it around 2 months like the DPS says or a little faster. Can anyone give me their guess as to what the average wait in 2008 is?

And finally - Is there any insight to be gained from calling DPS and asking a live questionas to the status of your application or does everybody who calls get same generic info when they call?

To recap -

1) Receiving PIN leter in 7 days or 5 weeks from a couple who mailed applications the SAME day. WHY the difference?

2) "Processing Application" - Is that the only info that this big - "Check the status of your application" thing does. Is that all it's about?

3) What is the real average time people wait to get their application approved and license sent - Is it really about a 60 day average?

4) Anything to be gained by calling DPS and inquiring as to the status?

Thanks VERY MUCH to anyone who has some opinion on any of these questions!

Texananproud
Mountain City Texas

[asleepatthereel]

1) Receiving PIN leter in 7 days or 5 weeks from a couple who mailed applications the SAME day. WHY the difference? Noone knows. For some reason, the times are very inconsistant. There doesnt seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. I think that it might have something to do with the order that the packets are pulled out of the mail bag, not nessesarily the order of when they are sent in.

2) "Processing Application" - Is that the only info that this big - "Check the status of your application" thing does. Is that all it's about? The first message will say (if you apply online), "Packet mailed to applicant" when they are processing, you will get your current message, When everything is done, it will say something along the lines of "Application complete, License active" or something similar - I havent reached that point yet. Then another wait for the mailman, which I think although shorter, will be the hardest wait! Also, the website does not seem to be updated on a consistant basis. Some have called in to see whats taking so long, and found out that they are processing the application even though the website doesnt reflect the fact.

3) What is the real average time people wait to get their application approved and license sent - Is it really about a 60 day average? If everything checks out, expect to wait at least 60 days, give or take a week or so. Sorry if the info seems vague, but thats about all I can figure.

4) Anything to be gained by calling DPS and inquiring as to the status? No. You might be able to call and get a PIN, but dont quote me on that. Calling them doesnt seem to speed anything up.

On the bright side, You have discovered a great site and alot of good info can be found here. Welcome aboard My 60 day anniversary is coming up. Checking the website daily!

[seamusTX]

I don't have a lot to add. What goes on at DPS is a mystery. If anyone who works there lurks on this forum, they've never offered information in public.

I've been watching this forum for a couple of years now. It seems sometimes applicants are getting their plastic in a month, and other times (like now) turnaround is going past three months.

I'm inclined to suspect a combination of staffing problems and an irregular rate of receiving applications. DPS processed more than 67,500 applications in fiscal year 2006 (the most recent year for which figures are available). That's about 1,300 a week. But's it's possible that they get 3,000 one week and 500 another. You can see what that would do to processing times.

One thing that bothers me is the number of people who don't get a PIN a month or so after sending their application. Then they call or e-mail DPS and get the PIN a couple of days later. I can't see how that happens.

On the web site, there is something you can see other than "processing application" and "license active." That's "awating response from applicant" (I don't remember the exact wording). That's what you see when they kick back your fingerprint cards or have a similar problem that you have to deal with.

- Jim

[texanandproud]

Thank You both for your responses. - The whole inconsistancy of it all is a sad indicment on our state goverment. In this day of computers and instant background checks, the internet and such you would think that the whole thing would be done in 2-3 weeks max! UNBELIEVABLE! And am I alone in thinking that completing the application correctl. putting the tape in the exact correct place, dotting every i and crossing every t was extremely complicated - My wife and I were not confident that we had done every step EXACTLY correctly. Was that part kinda weird to the rest of you as well ?? !! Thanks Melvin - Mountain City Tx

[Oldgringo]

See CHL Delay - Excuses 0r Quotas? blog on this forum. As of this date, some 100 days since first application mailing, Mrs. Oldgringo has not received her CHL. She has, on the other hand, received several anonymous cryptic , negative and self-serving unilateral e-mails from the DPS in response to her queries.

Makes one wonder who is the taxpayer/customer - don't it?

, Yeah right.

[boomerang]

One of the fingerprint cards goes to the FBI for a background check and DPS has no control over that. There's also a whole bunch of horse hockey about taxes and loans and other stuff that won't show up in NICS. That probably contributes to longer waits and variations in processing times.

Calling DPS is great if you have an actual specific question. Calling to be a squeaky wheel seems to hurt almost as often as it helps.

[Oldgringo]

There are no loan, debt, tax or criminal background issues vis-a-vis our applications. Our complete applications were both mailed seperately on 17 December 2007 (nearly four (4) months ago). I received my CHL in mid-February 2008.

We're God fearin', debt payin' and law abidin' Senior Citizens. The problem/hold-up with her CHL is not with the applicant, the problem lies in Austin, TX!

, yeah right!

[milkcartonkid]

yes, it seems that your wait is intermnible but have faith. I went from Class on 9Dec07 to 10Apr08 plastic in hand. Be patient. and pray that your package isnt missing anything at all. (which is what took me so long)