Ready to mail our Passport Renewals in

[hugger]

Thought I'd get some input on what other's have done recently when renewing their passport's.

 

I have them ready to go and am trying to decide IF I should mail both of them together or Separately?

 

And, what type of trackable mail service to use? I see that there is a a Priorty Mail flat rate Legal size envelope that comes with free tracking when Requested.

Wondering if it's wise to use and IF I should also request a signature on delivery or IF being it's PO Box where it's sent IF that might DELAY them?

 

Any recent experiences would be appreciated.

THANKS

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

It's been awhile since I renewed passports and ours have different dates so no experience in sending in together. I believe the last time I sent mine return receipt requested and did not track. I also pay the extra $$$ for express service. I don't mind doing that to get a fast turnaround.

[CruiserBruce]

I don't believe the State Department wants them mailed separately. I know they definitely want separate payments for each application. In our case, our last two sets of passports were sequentially numbered, so mailing them together is OK.

 

The basic tracking like you mention is fine.

Edited July 21, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[rkacruiser]

I recently renewed mine. I also used expedited service. I sent the renewal by Priority Mail and did not request a signature upon delivery. Passport renewal was processed speedily and properly. The old passport is returned separately and it did take awhile for it to be returned.

 

I used the Post Office's tracking site for Priority Mail. Interesting to see the tour it took to get from Dayton, Ohio to Philadelphia. Was not direct!

[Scrapnana]

I renewed mine last November. Sent Priority Mail and my new one arrived in 13 days. I did not send it overnight because I was told it would arrive in 2-3 days using Priority.

[Bailey & Sophie]

Last time we sent ours in together. Mine was issued right away and I received it in about 2 weeks. DH had his returned because they didn't like his picture. After getting a new pic and sending it in, his new passport arrived within a week.

Really speedy servive, especially for renewals.

[dobiemom]

This was a few years ago. I sent both our renewals in the same mailing envelope, but put them in separate envelopes (each with our name on the outside) in the "big" envelope. I seem to remember that I had called the National Passport Information Center and they said to do it that way.

[rkacruiser]

Deleted.

Edited July 21, 2015 by rkacruiser
Changed my mind about posting my comment.

[JB&JLG74]

If you are ever thinking of a passport card, it is sooo much easier to do this when you renew your passports. We thought that we would not need cards and did not buy passport cards when we renewed. About a year later, we had a very small window to obtain a visa and during that time we wanted to take a Caribbean cruise. So we decided to get passport cards to cruise on while our passport books were with the visa service. We also use them as our government issued photo ID and keep our Driver's Licenses in our safe.

[sunnygidget]

I just retired from USPS. It would be best to mail separate in a Priority envelope that is cardboard, so pictures will not get creased. That way they both have separate tracking info. Also any problems with the renewal would not get confused with each other, and the proper payment is applied to each one in separate checks. Trust me, I've had problems with my own passport and renewal. Really important to get that tracking.

 

You may also go to the passport web site and type in a little info to see when your passport has been processed and is in return transit with a tracking #, just in case in gets held up somewhere on the return to you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Ours were mailed in separately only because we have different dates.

I got mine back in about 10 days. DH waited about 3 weeks for his.

Never can tell how long it will take.

[PatsyAnne]

My husband was told by the passport agency that even when you expedite, they look at the date you say you'll need it. So I entered a date saying I needed it for Canada in something like 3-4 weeks and had it back in time. I hate not having my passport! You never know when you might have a chance to use it

[aliaschief]

Just a small tip. If you wear transition prescription lenses don't wear them when having your passport picture taken. I did, an application was sent back. They accepted a photo without glasses.

[cruz chic]

I have a question for those posters that live in the USA. When renewing my passport I go to the office in person to do it. Can you do that in the USA or does everyone mail it in ? Thx.

[PatsyAnne]

I have a question for those posters that live in the USA. When renewing my passport I go to the office in person to do it. Can you do that in the USA or does everyone mail it in ? Thx.

 

 

There aren't that many offices in the US (our closest one is in Seattle, a six hour drive), and many won't take you unless you need the passport ASAP. So, most of us mail them in.

 

Our neighbor ended up driving there overnight to get his, and it took him the best part of two days before it was final. (Long and now funny story about being told his old one was damaged and finding the missing photo page in his 3-year old son's room.) He made it to Brazil in time for his grandmother's 90th.

Edited July 22, 2015 by PatsyAnne

[cruz chic]

There aren't that many offices in the US (our closest one is in Seattle, a six hour drive), and many won't take you unless you need the passport ASAP. So, most of us mail them in.

 

That sucks! Thx for the info. I had no idea. You learn something new everyday:).

Edited July 22, 2015 by cruz chic

[rkacruiser]

I have a question for those posters that live in the USA. When renewing my passport I go to the office in person to do it. Can you do that in the USA or does everyone mail it in ? Thx.

 

All I had to do is to mail it to the office nearest me. No personal appearance needed.

[cruz chic]

All I had to do is to mail it to the office nearest me. No personal appearance needed.

 

Knowing Canada post I think I'd rather appear in person :D.

[DocF]

Thought I'd get some input on what other's have done recently when renewing their passport's.

 

I have them ready to go and am trying to decide IF I should mail both of them together or Separately?

 

And, what type of trackable mail service to use? I see that there is a a Priorty Mail flat rate Legal size envelope that comes with free tracking when Requested.

Wondering if it's wise to use and IF I should also request a signature on delivery or IF being it's PO Box where it's sent IF that might DELAY them?

 

Any recent experiences would be appreciated.

THANKS

 

We renewed our recently/ I sent them in exactly the way you have suggested in your post. I had the letter cerified with return receipt. That is cheap and is quite secure. It took just a bit over 2 weeks for the turnaround, which is quite good. Your mileage may vary.

 

Doc

[Rosethorn40]

I requested, and paid for expedited service (From State Department), and mailed mine via Priority Mail (No signature). Had passport in hand 10-days later. Funny, the State Dept. Web site still had it listed as "In Process" more than 2-weeks after I had received. This was in March of this year.

[rkacruiser]

Knowing Canada post I think I'd rather appear in person :D.

 

 

In the interest of defending Canada Post, I sent a large box of memorabilia from Vancouver to my home in 2012. The person at the Post Office in the underground area from Pan Pacific Hotel was very helpful and assisted me in boxing the stuff I wanted to send.

 

It arrived with no issues! Thanks Canada Post!

[cruz chic]

In the interest of defending Canada Post, I sent a large box of memorabilia from Vancouver to my home in 2012. The person at the Post Office in the underground area from Pan Pacific Hotel was very helpful and assisted me in boxing the stuff I wanted to send.

 

It arrived with no issues! Thanks Canada Post!

 

Yes, but that was one parcel. Living here is quite different. It's also very expensive. There is no way I'd ever put my passport in the mail here. Don't really care if others want to do it in Canada. It's not for me. There really is no reason to do it here if you live in a large city. The passport office is readily available. Canada post has changed a lot since 2012. They are in the process of eliminating home delivery.

Edited July 22, 2015 by cruz chic

[MacThespian]

There aren't that many offices in the US (our closest one is in Seattle, a six hour drive), and many won't take you unless you need the passport ASAP. So, most of us mail them in.

 

Our neighbor ended up driving there overnight to get his, and it took him the best part of two days before it was final. (Long and now funny story about being told his old one was damaged and finding the missing photo page in his 3-year old son's room.) He made it to Brazil in time for his grandmother's 90th.

 

Actually, you can renew your passport at many, many post offices in the USA. That's what we've generally done. But check with the individual post office--not all of them do this.

[Lady Chew]

We just renewed our passports in March.

 

Mailed separately using Priority Mail, no signature required but with tracking nos. Two weeks later, when we checked on the State Dept site, Mr Chew's was "in process" ... mine was not even in the system.

 

So went to USPS to track envelope, and tracking showed it had gone from our local PO to the regional PO to ... nowhere. Uh-oh! We figured it had gotten stuck between the floorboards in a PO truck or had fallen into a sorting machine or something.

 

As we were going back & forth with the PO to find my passport, my new one arrived in the mail! Mr Chew's arrived about a week later.

 

Don't know what the odds are of the Post Office and the State Dept both losing track of a passport ...

[knittinggirl]

On our previous passports, we mailed them in the same envelope. I think we sent in two checks, they cashed both checks. My passport was processed promptly, but they lost DH's. Mail them both certified return receipt.

 

We mailed our passports about 4 weeks ago. Both are in the system, and we're still waiting.