Passport set to expire. Government shut down question

[Wine-O]

Can't renew your Global Entry on line.

[grinningimm]

Update:  I received an email from the Passport Agency today confirming that my application was received and that response times for routine processing were still running 4 to 6 weeks.

[breezy_carol]

I send mine in for renewal December 31 and received it back yesterday, January 28.  Never did get any emails.

[steveru621]

OK, so some countries require 6 months before expiration if you fly into the country.  So if I fly in and my passport expires in 7 months I'm OK.  Then I stay for 2 months and now my passport expires within 5 months.

 

The US only cares that you have a valid passport.  The 6 months is just a cushion for the foreign country.

 

I don't believe all of these posts that if you get stranded in a country with a valid passport that expires after you leave, this country will stop you at the airport and not let you fly back to the US?

[3eaglesfam]

I sent my Passports in for renewal Jan 16.  ( Mine expire while on the ship at the end of march).  I tracked it and they recieved it 1/18.  1 Week later I tracked progress and it says 4-6 weeks.  I expect mine back bymarch 1.

 

[lovesthebeach2]

We have a cruise in May that ends in Vancouver. As soon as we get back I plan to renew our passports because we have a cruise to Greece that ends October 30 and our passports expire the following April 17, that’s less than 6 months. I don’t know if I need to but I feel better knowing in case the dates are a problem.

[steveru621]

3 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

We have a cruise in May that ends in Vancouver. As soon as we get back I plan to renew our passports because we have a cruise to Greece that ends October 30 and our passports expire the following April 17, that’s less than 6 months. I don’t know if I need to but I feel better knowing in case the dates are a problem.

 

If you are flying into Greece you only need three months.

[BrandFam4]

We just applied for passports and the turn around time was only 3 weeks for first time passports books and cards. I received an email on every update and the tracking number when they shipped them. You can sign up for status updates on their website.

 

https://passportstatus.state.gov/

Edited January 30, 2019 by BrandFam4
added passport link

[breezy_carol]

20 minutes ago, BrandFam4 said:

We just applied for passports and the turn around time was only 3 weeks for first time passports books and cards. I received an email on every update and the tracking number when they shipped them. You can sign up for status updates on their website.

 

https://passportstatus.state.gov/

I wish had had known that before.  Oh well, I have it back now.

 

[lovesthebeach2]

2 hours ago, steveru621 said:

 

If you are flying into Greece you only need three months.

 

Were flying  into Rome. How can I find out the rules for Italy?

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

 

Were flying  into Rome. How can I find out the rules for Italy?

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

[lovesthebeach2]

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

 

 

Thanks Bob! I’ll get the passports renewed. 

[grinningimm]

I promised an update on my renewal, for those concerned about the (apparently limited) effect that the government shutdown had on processing times.  My renewal application was received on Jan. 21.  I got an email last night (Feb. 11) giving me a US Post Office tracking number, and an anticipated arrival date of Feb. 17 for my passport.  If I have it then, that would be a 27-day turnaround, from arrival at their door to arrival at mine.

 

I did check the tracking number this morning, and the passport has not actually been mailed.  The status was listed as "pre-shipment".

Edited February 12, 2019 by grinningimm

[BrandFam4]

13 minutes ago, grinningimm said:

I promised an update on my renewal, for those concerned about the (apparently limited) effect that the government shutdown had on processing times.  My renewal application was received on Jan. 21.  I got an email last night (Feb. 11) giving me a US Post Office tracking number, and an anticipated arrival date of Feb. 17 for my passport.  If I have it then, that would be a 27-day turnaround, from my door to my door.

 

I did check the tracking number this morning, and the passport has not actually been mailed.  The status was listed as "pre-shipment".

 

It took a couple days for ours to actually show shipped after we got the tracking number email.

[IrishLassie]

We received our renewed passports in about 3 wks. and I had mailed them during the first shut down.  The shut down has nothing to do with that agency, so everybody just mail them in when you want to.  My son did his last year & they got theirs back in about 2 wks. !

[SRF]

On 1/30/2019 at 12:54 PM, lovesthebeach2 said:

 

Were flying  into Rome. How can I find out the rules for Italy?

 

You can also check the web site for the Italian Embassy in the US.

 

The Department of State tries to keep up with the changes, but the Embassy of that country is the more accurate info.

 

If you can't find it on their web site, call them.  You want the Consular section.

[audome78]

On 1/30/2019 at 12:57 PM, Host Clarea said:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Bob, 

 

Thanks for this info. Against all common sense, we booked an MSC cruise from Bari to Venice and Greece, as well as a stopover in Sicily for me to search for Ancestors. 

 

This is quite enlightening. 

[Clarea]

3 minutes ago, audome78 said:

Bob, 

 

Thanks for this info. Against all common sense, we booked an MSC cruise from Bari to Venice and Greece, as well as a stopover in Sicily for me to search for Ancestors. 

 

This is quite enlightening. 

 

Good luck, that sounds like a very interesting trip!

[sandebeach]

I send my passport in for renewal on January 18, using the 2-3 day Priority envelope from the post office. I paid the $15 fee for priority return delivery, but not the $60 fee for expedited processing. I was pleasantly surprised to get my new renewed passport on February 1, so just about a 2 week turnaround time. 

[nivek82]

Thanks everyone for their responses on their passport times.  We are keeping an eye on ours as the post office lost one of ours so we seam to be about a week apart.  Cruising at the end of March and I was getting worried it was going to be too close but if they keep with the times people are showing here should be ok.  (hopeful) 

[Keri's Cruisin']

My friend just got her new passport, non expedited, in 2 weeks.  

[Gheenoe]

It went super fast for me also.

Dropped renewal off at local post office on January 26. with standard 2-3 day shipping. Received passport in my mail box on February 9th. So two weeks mailbox to mailbox for a non expedited renewal.

I also added the passport card that I received on Monday and Yesterday I received my old passport back.

WOW fast service!!

[grinningimm]

Post office tracking now says mine will arrive tomorrow, Feb. 14.

[mayleeman]

On 2/13/2019 at 11:27 AM, grinningimm said:

Post office tracking now says mine will arrive tomorrow, Feb. 14.

Did it?

[grinningimm]

14 hours ago, mayleeman said:

Did it?

Yes, my passport arrived yesterday, 2/14/2019.  So from arrival at their end to my door, turnaround time was 24 days.

 

Note:  I only received my passport.  A notice inside the package said I would receive up to two additional mailings.  One would contain the "proof of citizenship" I had to supply.  I chose to use an expired passport from the 90's.  The second mailing would contain my passport card.  I will post other updates when those items come in.

 

I still am curious whether my specific circumstances actually increased my wait time, given that there was another poster who said they got a new passport in two weeks. But I am quite pleased in the under-4-weeks service I got.

Edited February 15, 2019 by grinningimm