How can I explain to my Grandmom?

My 91 year old Grandmom lives with my parents. The last two summers, I got to spend a lot of time with her, especially one-on-one time as I watched her while they were on vacation.

Now that they are planning another vacation, she wants me to come home to watch her. She is still fairly sharp, but doesn't understand about visas and passports, etc. I tried explaining that I wasn't able to come home because immigration has my passport while I am waiting for my visa. Her answer was to just "Tell them to give it back to you!" and "It's your passport, they can't keep it!" to "Just get on the plane and tell them you lost your passport", "Tell your father - he'll talk some sense into them", and even "Call the police and report them!"

She's no dummy, she just has no clue about all this business. What nice, pat answer could I give her to help this lovely old lady understand why I can't be with her this summer?  It makes me sad. I don't want her to think I am making excuses not to come. I am her oldest grandchild, and, I admit - her favorite. I don't want to hurt her feelings.

Thanks!

What if you just said, "I cannot come now, but I WILL come (place date here), and I love you, and I miss you and I am sorry."

Thanks, Lara.  Oh if only I knew when I *could* go home!   I did tell her I love her and I'm sorry, but she's still grumbling.    Ah well, for being the favorite granddaughter, she forgot my name last week.  She referred to me as "the one with the red hair who rides a bicycle."  She referred to my sister (who sees her several times a week) as "the one with the lipgloss".  Oh my.  

You can tell her that you took her advice and asked for your passport back since it is your property...  but you were corrected and told that passports are actually government property

newcomer link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passport#Passports_as_government_property [nonactive]

You did everything you can but it is out of your hands now 

Ah, good idea. I will try this. Thank you.