I am getting a passport!

[ActiveTraveler]

Thanks to the U.S. government for deciding to increase the price of passports July 13, I went to my city's main post office to get one. I knew to take my birth certificate but not my checkbook. After learning the U.S. Department of State does not accept credt card payments and photos are cheaper at CVS, I went to the nearest CVS branch and back home with the two-page form to fill out. There was barely enough time to get in line (the post office stopped it at 2:00) for the other steps. Everything went smoothly while I was with another lady, but there was some confusion about fees because she thought I was paying for both me and my mom with one check. Now all I have to do is wait 4-6 weeks to get my passport book and birth certificate back. I will let you know when I get it.

[paul929207]

Congratulations. Traveling is so much easier with a passport

[colomom]

Thanks to the U.S. government for deciding to increase the price of passports July 13, I went to my city's main post office to get one. I knew to take my birth certificate but not my checkbook. After learning the U.S. Department of State does not accept credt card payments and photos are cheaper at CVS, I went to the nearest CVS branch and back home with the two-page form to fill out. There was barely enough time to get in line (the post office stopped it at 2:00) for the other steps. Everything went smoothly while I was with another lady, but there was some confusion about fees because she thought I was paying for both me and my mom with one check. Now all I have to do is wait 4-6 weeks to get my passport book and birth certificate back. I will let you know when I get it.

 

Isn't it awesome? I felt so...official!

 

It also opened up a whole new world...

[ActiveTraveler]

Isn't it awesome? I felt so...official!

 

It also opened up a whole new world.

In the car, in line, and at home, I told Mom we will use them for a cruise in 2013. I said, "Western Europe, here we come!" when I got in the car to leave home the first time. It's so exciting I walked fast from the car to the building every time. So I already can feel it. I told Mom how important saving $70 on a cruise vacation is and that not waiting until it is booked gave us one less thing to worry about after I book it.

[ariawoman]

Thanks to the U.S. government for deciding to increase the price of passports July 13, I went to my city's main post office to get one. I knew to take my birth certificate but not my checkbook. After learning the U.S. Department of State does not accept credt card payments and photos are cheaper at CVS, I went to the nearest CVS branch and back home with the two-page form to fill out. There was barely enough time to get in line (the post office stopped it at 2:00) for the other steps. Everything went smoothly while I was with another lady, but there was some confusion about fees because she thought I was paying for both me and my mom with one check. Now all I have to do is wait 4-6 weeks to get my passport book and birth certificate back. I will let you know when I get it.

 

Last year (around this same time of year) they told me 4-6 weeks and I had it in my mitts in less than 2 I think :-)

[uppitycats]

It seems like it's been about 3 weeks from the time the application is mailed to when your passport will be back in your hands. Have fun on your cruise!

[xxoocruiser]

Thanks to the U.S. government for deciding to increase the price of passports July 13, I went to my city's main post office to get one. I knew to take my birth certificate but not my checkbook. After learning the U.S. Department of State does not accept credt card payments and photos are cheaper at CVS, I went to the nearest CVS branch and back home with the two-page form to fill out. There was barely enough time to get in line (the post office stopped it at 2:00) for the other steps. Everything went smoothly while I was with another lady, but there was some confusion about fees because she thought I was paying for both me and my mom with one check. Now all I have to do is wait 4-6 weeks to get my passport book and birth certificate back. I will let you know when I get it.

 

You can track the status of your application on line : Here's the link to the Official Site to use. Just click on "CHECK APPLICATION STATUS" and follow the instructions.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/status/status_2567.html

[med2cruise]

Just recently had our 2 kids get a passport. Took less than 3 weeks to receive it. We were told 4 to 6 weeks, but it was early.

 

Have a nice cruise!

 

Karen

[ActiveTraveler]

You can track the status of your application on line : Here's the link to the Official Site to use. Just click on "CHECK APPLICATION STATUS" and follow the instructions.

 

"The status of your application will be available within 5-7 days after applying."

Looks like I have to wait a week to check it. :(

[Barry Mc]

Just a word of advice. Since 2006 US passports have included an embedded RFID chip in them. These chips can be read remotely by anyone with an

RFID scanner. Consider getting an RFID blocking cover for your passport. There are folks sitting at the airport with those scanners and would love to get your personal info knowing you're leaving town (or the country) for a week or more...

[sometimesclaire]

Just a word of advice. Since 2006 US passports have included an embedded RFID chip in them. These chips can be read remotely by anyone with an

RFID scanner. Consider getting an RFID blocking cover for your passport. There are folks sitting at the airport with those scanners and would love to get your personal info knowing you're leaving town (or the country) for a week or more...

 

Nice tip! I wasn't aware of that. I got my passport in 2004 but just had to renew because of a name change. Thanks for the suggestion.:)

[ActiveTraveler]

What is the RFID chip for it is poses a security risk?

[rocketmom09]

I got mine back in less than 3 weeks! Sent it off about the 22nd of June and received it in the mail this past week. You'll get your birth certificate separately in a few days after you get your passport.

[ariawoman]

What is the RFID chip for it is poses a security risk?

 

The RFID chip contains your name, social, birthdate, etc. It's important stuff. They sell passport cases that block this, or i've also read you can just wrap your passport in aluminum foil to block it from being read.

 

I can't speak to the validity, but it's certainly cost effective to try the foil.

[ActiveTraveler]

I got mine back in less than 3 weeks! Sent it off about the 22nd of June and received it in the mail this past week. You'll get your birth certificate separately in a few days after you get your passport.

 

Was it expedited? I did not order an expedite. Because there was a huge surge in post offices everywhere for the $100 cost, I can't imagine getting mine in less than 4 weeks. If it usually takes only three weeks to get it without an expedite, why do they say 4-6?

[Barry Mc]

What is the RFID chip for it is poses a security risk?

It allows for rapid scanning of passport info instead of having to have a human read each one individually. The problem is that RFID uses passive scanning. That means that the chip stays inert until activated by a remote scanner. The advantage of passive is you don't need batteries in the passport that can die. Unfortunately, it also means anyone with a scanner can read your info. Until the geeks develop a reliable security model, people need to block the scanners - effectively neutralizing the whole reason for the chip in the first place.

 

BTW I bet most of your credit cards have RFID chips as well.

[colomom]

http://www.amazon.com/Travelon-RFID-Blocking-Passport-Case/dp/B001CZP0NO

 

http://www.idstronghold.com/?gclid=CP2ol7ff6KICFQ5vswodTmS4jQ

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-blockkill-RFID-chips/step3/How-to-block-a-RFID-tag/

 

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/security/8cdd/?cpg=cj&ref=&CJURL=

 

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/a7a2/

[Underwatr]

These chips can be read remotely by anyone with an RFID scanner.

The passport data is encrypted and can't be read by "anyone with a scanner." Your passport number is in the data but not your SSN. The passport cover itself has some shielding properties which makes it less readable (i.e., the scanner must very close to the passport) unless it's open.

 

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_passport#Biometric_passport

 

It's more likely that a given passport holder could be tracked using the encrypted data but that's not like someone being able to commit identity theft with an RFID scanner...

[chadsjewel]

I just received my passport yesterday. It took about 4 weeks for me, but I live in a rural area. My hubbys has not arrived yet but is en route. Our birth certificates also arrived yesterday, so you may get those back before, after, or with your passport. The passports are really "pretty" now, if that matters to anyone :P

[Barry Mc]

The passport data is encrypted and can't be read by "anyone with a scanner." Your passport number is in the data but not your SSN. The passport cover itself has some shielding properties which makes it less readable (i.e., the scanner must very close to the passport) unless it's open.

 

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_passport#Biometric_passport

 

It's more likely that a given passport holder could be tracked using the encrypted data but that's not like someone being able to commit identity theft with an RFID scanner...

Given a passport number it is not difficult at all to reverse engineer a great deal of information about a person. As for the encryption, BAC is not particularly strong; being on the order of about 52 bits long. The real counter-argument is an economic one and was nicely summed up in this article. The flaw in their analysis, however, was failing to account for economy of scale. Considering the rise in identify theft cases over the last several years it is not a stretch to think that the numbers will soon favor the effort. The cost to protect yourself better is really just cheap insurance.

[jfaw]

I had to renew my passport (just a name change on it) and mailed it on 6/25/10 and it still says it is processing and it has been about 3 weeks now, so it depends on a lot of variables on how fast you get it back, kind of like the IRS I guess =) Some times you get a quick reviewer and other times you don't!

[Travelcat2]

So very happy to hear that you "get it" -- so many people are afraid to get a passport. . . . . you are definitely doing the right thing (IMO).

[jfaw]

I just got notified today that I should have my passport back by 7/25! So all in all it will have taken about 4 weeks to receive it :D

[cruiseox]

One thing to consider is that if you applied right before July 13 (I did on the 8th), there probably is a backlog of applications. As a result the time may stretch out tp six weeks for a little while.

[bockmm]

Just recently had our 2 kids get a passport. Took less than 3 weeks to receive it. We were told 4 to 6 weeks, but it was early.

 

Have a nice cruise!

 

Karen

I hope that is the case for me. We applied for our 2 kids last week and we leave in 30 days!