18 replies to this topic

[Moose]

Turns out my normal passport is going to expire the end of this year. I want to get it renewed, but I'm hearing horror stories about 4 and 5 month long waits. I can't be without my passport that long. (Since I have to send in my current one to get it renewed!)

I know that I can go down to a passport office and have it "expedited," but I hate dealing with drones at these places.

Anyone know of any tips for the renewals (again, not a new issued passport, just a renewal.) Maybe a special office to go to? Or if there is a different process for renewals?

Heck, if I knew of a passport office in some other part of the country that wasn't busy, I'd fly there and do it there!

[Fordan]

Turns out my normal passport is going to expire the end of this year. I want to get it renewed, but I'm hearing horror stories about 4 and 5 month long waits. I can't be without my passport that long. (Since I have to send in my current one to get it renewed!)

I know that I can go down to a passport office and have it "expedited," but I hate dealing with drones at these places.

Anyone know of any tips for the renewals (again, not a new issued passport, just a renewal.) Maybe a special office to go to? Or if there is a different process for renewals?

Heck, if I knew of a passport office in some other part of the country that wasn't busy, I'd fly there and do it there!

Planning on going someplace other than Canada/Mexico/Caribbean while it'd be in for renewal? If not, you could rely on the accommodation announced back on June 8 where the US will allow you back in with photo id & proof of passport application (http://travel.state....cbpmc_2223.html).

A friend of mine got his from the passport office pretty quick (couple of weeks, Philly area) using the mail in procedure. I'm not sure if he did the normal processing or expedited processing, though.

I'd probably just send it in now and hope for the best. There are a number of countries that require 6 months of validity on your passport to get in, which if it expires at the end of the year, you're already past. And I don't think you can get an appointment at a passport office unless you're traveling within 2 weeks or need foreign visas.

Edited by Fordan, 10 July 2007 - 12:27 PM.

[gcbryan]

I thought it would take several months as well but I just got mine back after only 2-3 weeks. I just did the mail-in no expedite thing. It goes to Philly I think. A friend of mine just had similiar results. I'd say just go for it.

[Moose]

I thought it would take several months as well but I just got mine back after only 2-3 weeks. I just did the mail-in no expedite thing. It goes to Philly I think. A friend of mine just had similiar results. I'd say just go for it.

You did the renewal (not a new issue?) When did you do it? When did your buddy do it?

If so, where did you get your forms? Where did you send them?

Thanks a bunch.

Edited by Moose, 10 July 2007 - 12:38 PM.

[Fordan]

You did the renewal (not a new issue?) When did you do it? When did your buddy do it?

If so, where did you get your forms? Where did you send them?

Thanks a bunch.

Best place to get the forms is online. For renewal by mail: http://www.travel.st...2/ds82_843.html

You'll end up mailing the form, your old passport, two color pics, and a check into Philly.

[Basslet]

My passport office is out of Philly too. I have to get it renewed before I go to Australia because I don't have the 6 month expiration leeway. People were telling me to spend the extra $60 for the expedited service, but if Philly has a 3 week turnaround without the service I may just give it a try.
thanks for that link. That's pretty cool. Beats going to the damned post office (no offense to postal workers, of course.)

Edited by Fairybasslet, 10 July 2007 - 01:31 PM.

[mantarraya]

There are also a number of business that charge you $100-$150 to stand in line at the primary passport offices. They normally claim they can get you a passport the next day, but now I think they are quoting about a 5-6 day turnaround. I had to use one of these years ago when I had to work out of the country, but had not noticed my passport had expired. They had it to me in 2 days then, which was fine.

[gcbryan]

I thought it would take several months as well but I just got mine back after only 2-3 weeks. I just did the mail-in no expedite thing. It goes to Philly I think. A friend of mine just had similiar results. I'd say just go for it.

You did the renewal (not a new issue?) When did you do it? When did your buddy do it?

If so, where did you get your forms? Where did you send them?

Thanks a bunch.

It was a renewal. I did it about a month ago and just got in back last week. My buddy, I recently found out, did the same thing only about a week before me.

I got the forms online on the government site and it tells you where to send them but it was Philly. I think everyone's goes there. I live in Seattle.

[Fordan]

My passport office is out of Philly too. I have to get it renewed before I go to Australia because I don't have the 6 month expiration leeway. People were telling me to spend the extra $60 for the expedited service, but if Philly has a 3 week turnaround without the service I may just give it a try.
thanks for that link. That's pretty cool. Beats going to the damned post office (no offense to postal workers, of course.)

Last year on my 2nd to last trip to Australia (have family down there, and they all decided to get married at once it seemed), I flew back on May 6, and my passport expired May 14. I don't think they're one of the nations requiring 6 months of validity, although they do require an electronic visa (ETA).

http://travel.state....hures_1229.html specifies the entry requirements of most countries, and usually lists if they require 6 months left on your passport.

[Parrotman]

I just went through this nightmare. It took me nearly 4 months to get my passport back. For you guys that got yours back in a few weeks, you were pretty darned lucky. A friend of mine is still waiting for their passport and it is going on 5 months since they sent it in.

Just remember, once your passport leaves your hands, you are @!&% out of luck for getting it back. In other words, once you mail it you have no choice but to wait for it to come back.

I would not take the chance of sending it if you know for a fact that you will need it back in less than 3 or four months.

There are several passport offices around the country where you can walk in and get it renewed same day.

San Francisco is one and Seattle is another. Don't know from there.

By the way, I got mine back two days before I left for Belize. And trip insurance does not cover your passport not being back in time. I checked....

[divzac]

Moose, I think that I heard that soon the USPS will be able to help with passports. I don't have details but I am sure that someone will jump in and either confirm or deny my ramblings...

[Basslet]

Moose, I think that I heard that soon the USPS will be able to help with passports. I don't have details but I am sure that someone will jump in and either confirm or deny my ramblings...

They do it already. I got my son's passport there when we went to Roatan in 2005.

[DiverBabs]

Turns out my normal passport is going to expire the end of this year. I want to get it renewed, but I'm hearing horror stories about 4 and 5 month long waits. I can't be without my passport that long. (Since I have to send in my current one to get it renewed!)

I know that I can go down to a passport office and have it "expedited," but I hate dealing with drones at these places.

Anyone know of any tips for the renewals (again, not a new issued passport, just a renewal.) Maybe a special office to go to? Or if there is a different process for renewals?

Heck, if I knew of a passport office in some other part of the country that wasn't busy, I'd fly there and do it there!

Hi Moose -

I'll check tomorrow in the office for you. I know I have info in my files. I have the company name and a contact that we use to get our employees passports executed quickly. You do pay a fee - I think the last time (I just did it in May) we paid an extra $150 each but we had them in less than a week. One was a re-newal, the other was a new passport. We have used them several times in the past and they have never let us down that I know of...

[scubachick84]

Hi - Mailed my passport for renewal on March 17th, certified mail. Felt increadibly landlocked with no escape route if needed. Got it back on June 23rd. I would go to the passport office if I were you. There's supposed to be a link on us.gov where you can check on it, but I never got a response.