Get your passports EARLY!

[BrushedNickel]

Two of our children have expired passports, our cruise is a little more than six weeks away. Almost $400 later, they should (hopefully) have their passports in three to four weeks. Had we waited any longer we may have run into problems...

[Clarea]

I agree, we noticed it took around 5 weeks for our passports to be renewed recently.

[teknoge3k]

We bought our kids passports for our upcoming cruise. We didn't buy them for the cruise since we don't need them, but we plan to go to Canada by car later on and they will need them there. We bought them with regular processing time (no expedited) and received them within 2 weeks of our application. It's really not a long time to wait on them currently. Of course that can change quickly.

[Alturia]

We dropped off our renewal applications on February 25, 2016 and received our new passports March 12, 2016. That was just a tad over 2 weeks from the day we mailed the renewal applications.

[sparks1093]

We bought our kids passports for our upcoming cruise. We didn't buy them for the cruise since we don't need them, but we plan to go to Canada by car later on and they will need them there. We bought them with regular processing time (no expedited) and received them within 2 weeks of our application. It's really not a long time to wait on them currently. Of course that can change quickly.

 

Depends on their ages- if they are under 16 they are allowed to use their birth certificates when returning from Canada by land.

 

OP, I would think that 6 weeks would be sufficient for a renewal but if we had a reason to renew right at that point in time I would probably allow 8 weeks.

[paul929207]

It was about 10years ago that the Western Hemisphere initiative took effect. This resulted in a significant number of people needing passports for the first time. These passports are expiring shortly. Hence, there is expected to be a big jump in renewal requests

[Host Walt]

It was about 10years ago that the Western Hemisphere initiative took effect. This resulted in a significant number of people needing passports for the first time. These passports are expiring shortly. Hence, there is expected to be a big jump in renewal requests

Excellent point. Recent processing seems rather good right now but that's something over which one has no control at all.

 

When our passports pass the 9 year mark we get new photos and renewal applications and start the renewal process. Why so early? Some countries will turn people away if their passports have fewer than 6 months left before expiration. We prefer being sure we won't have any issues if we decide to take a last minute trip.

[sparks1093]

Excellent point. Recent processing seems rather good right now but that's something over which one has no control at all.

 

When our passports pass the 9 year mark we get new photos and renewal applications and start the renewal process. Why so early? Some countries will turn people away if their passports have fewer than 6 months left before expiration. We prefer being sure we won't have any issues if we decide to take a last minute trip.

 

That's great if you have a realistic expectation of possibly traveling to one of those countries before your passport expires. I would feel differently if the unused portion of our passports were tacked on to the renewal, but as yet State doesn't do that. (I am one of those people that will use vice grips to get the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube:o.)

[Host Walt]

That's great if you have a realistic expectation of possibly traveling to one of those countries before your passport expires. I would feel differently if the unused portion of our passports were tacked on to the renewal, but as yet State doesn't do that. (I am one of those people that will use vice grips to get the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube:o.)

I agree. We're in the "40 drops of wine" club where we know that you can get an additional 40 drops of wine by holding the empty bottle of wine over the glass for a few minutes after the last pour.

 

But way back about 45 years ago my wife missed an opportunity to fly to Frankfurt in First Class because her passport would expire about 2 months after the trip and Germany required 6 months.

 

(A friend of hers was a motion picture exec. who had to get a print of a movie in the hands of a German customer on a next day basis and offered my wife the courier assignment. He was not willing to rely on any courier company like FedEx. He found someone else who had a current pqassport.)

[Cuizer2]

Two of our children have expired passports, our cruise is a little more than six weeks away. Almost $400 later, they should (hopefully) have their passports in three to four weeks. Had we waited any longer we may have run into problems...

 

I don't remember paying $200 for my passport and that included my passport card. I think I paid about $135 total about four years ago.

[Keith1010]

If they run into any problems getting them back have them call their congressmen's office.

 

Keith

[GUT2407]

So important to know when it is due for renewal.

[sparks1093]

I agree. We're in the "40 drops of wine" club where we know that you can get an additional 40 drops of wine by holding the empty bottle of wine over the glass for a few minutes after the last pour.

 

But way back about 45 years ago my wife missed an opportunity to fly to Frankfurt in First Class because her passport would expire about 2 months after the trip and Germany required 6 months.

 

(A friend of hers was a motion picture exec. who had to get a print of a movie in the hands of a German customer on a next day basis and offered my wife the courier assignment. He was not willing to rely on any courier company like FedEx. He found someone else who had a current pqassport.)

 

Now DW is going to wonder why it's taking me so long to pour the wine:D. I wish I knew someone that would make that kind of offer for me (Uncle Sam has been the only one to do that for me and for that kind of travel I didn't need a passport).

[Theredofshaw]

I don't remember paying $200 for my passport and that included my passport card. I think I paid about $135 total about four years ago.

 

+$60/each to "expedite" to 2-3 weeks...:eek:

[paul929207]

I just mailed my renewal yesterday. With regular processing, it was $110 for the renewal.

[Alturia]

We paid $110 for standard renewal and received the new passports in just over 2 weeks. Put the renewal application in the mail 2/25/2016 and received the new passports on 3/12/2026.

[Cuizer2]

+$60/each to "expedite" to 2-3 weeks...:eek:

Ouch! :eek:

[teknoge3k]

Since they're processing rather quickly right now (typically 2 weeks for most), I wonder how much if any, does expedited processing really help?

[BrushedNickel]

This was not a renewal request. They had to get new passports. There is an additional fee to expedite a new passport, hence the total charge of $195 for each.

 

This was just a lesson in never allowing your passport to expire, ever, because it gets expensive.

I didn't pay attention because I have a European passport and the rules and renewal processes are very different. The rest of my family has American (USA) passports.

 

To the poster that mentioned a trip to Germany: You are correct; German customs do not mess around! And neither do US customs. I am separated from my family every time we arrive back into the US, I hope that doesn't happen when we return from our cruise. :o

[anthonyy7]

We recently renewed ours and it took only 2.5 weeks, we did not expedite. Just sent in the regular mail from NV to Philadelphia. You can also track the status online and it will show when it's on the way back to you. I like to wait 9 yrs and not get close the 10 yr mark because alot of countries are strict about the 6 months valid rule.

Edited March 23, 2016 by anthonyy7

[teknoge3k]

Ours weren't renewals either, ours were brand new passports and like I said, it took about 2 weeks with regular processing time. We didn't pay any extra.

[Cuizer2]

I sent a note with my request stating that if I didn't get my passport on time I wouldn't leave the country. I had it back in less than a week.

[dfedorov91]

Massachusetts is slow we applied over two and a half weeks ago and we are still not even in the computer so we can check the status. I called them today and they said I might have to pay the expedited rate if I wanted it for my May 1 cruise

[sparks1093]

This was not a renewal request. They had to get new passports. There is an additional fee to expedite a new passport, hence the total charge of $195 for each.

 

This was just a lesson in never allowing your passport to expire, ever, because it gets expensive.

I didn't pay attention because I have a European passport and the rules and renewal processes are very different. The rest of my family has American (USA) passports.

 

To the poster that mentioned a trip to Germany: You are correct; German customs do not mess around! And neither do US customs. I am separated from my family every time we arrive back into the US, I hope that doesn't happen when we return from our cruise. :o

 

If their original passports were issued before they were 16 then yes, they are handled as new passports and not renewals. It doesn't matter if they are expired or not, the process and fees are the same either way (and an expired adult passport is no more expensive to renew if it is expired, as long as it has been expired less than 5 years).

[ready2cruzagain]

It was about 10years ago that the Western Hemisphere initiative took effect. This resulted in a significant number of people needing passports for the first time. These passports are expiring shortly. Hence, there is expected to be a big jump in renewal requests

Very good point. Our 10 years was up a few months ago. Took 3 weeks to renew then.