Don't get caught with your pants (passports) Down

[ticketsunlimited]

When cruising starts it's going to come fast and furious.  Passport renewals are still backlogged for months.  Everybody should make an effort to be sure they are up to date and ready to go.  Allot of us think our cruises may get cancelled and you can wait to renew but now is the time to get it done.  My wife and I waited 4 months for ours.  So glad we have them in hand now.  Just a friendly  reminder.

[cruisinghawg]

Greeeeaaaattt DW just mailed her renewal yesterday for our cruise in August.

[not-enough-cruising]

8 minutes ago, ticketsunlimited said:

When cruising starts it's going to come fast and furious.  Passport renewals are still backlogged for months.  Everybody should make an effort to be sure they are up to date and ready to go.  Allot of us think our cruises may get cancelled and you can wait to renew but now is the time to get it done.  My wife and I waited 4 months for ours.  So glad we have them in hand now.  Just a friendly  reminder.

“Fast and furious?” 
I don’t think so. 

[sandebeach]

Also check on your Global Entry. I looked at mine and it expires end of this year. You are able to renew online, which I am doing.  

[smokeybandit]

Are passport renewals really that backed up?

 

I did one in September and it didn't really take any additional time at all, despite the warnings that they were all backed up

[mauraoel]

My mom's took a while but it had to do with needing to re-send her application she forgot to sign it.

 

[Baron Barracuda]

Just now, sandebeach said:

Also check on your Global Entry. I looked at mine and it expires end of this year. You are able to renew online, which I am doing.  

I submitted renewal application in March.  Keep checking but still shows as "in process".  Hopefully will not have to go through interview process again.  They have extended expiration date for current Global Entry holders 6 months.

 

Passport application turnaround currently listed as 10 - 12 weeks.

[ticketsunlimited]

Processing Times

 

COVID-19 Update: May 2021

It may take up to 4 weeks from the day you apply until your application status is “In Process.” During these 4 weeks, your application is delivered to a mail facility, your payment is processed, and your application is scanned and sent to us. If your passport status update says “Not Available,” your application and supporting documents are safely on their way to us.

Our call center is experiencing extremely high call volumes with longer-than-usual wait times. You can check your status online using our Online Passport Status System. 

 

 

The processing times below apply to all passport services.

 

Processing Times

Routine	10-12 weeks
Expedited	4-6 weeks
Expedited at Agency	Must have international travel within 72 hours (3 business days)

[mauraoel]

It didn't even that long when she forgot to sign it.

 

[bouhunter]

51 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

“Fast and furious?” 
I don’t think so. 

That's the first thing I thought 🙂

 

[DCGuy64]

30 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

I submitted renewal application in March.  Keep checking but still shows as "in process".  Hopefully will not have to go through interview process again.  They have extended expiration date for current Global Entry holders 6 months.

 

Passport application turnaround currently listed as 10 - 12 weeks.

Listed as, yes. However, I mailed my old passport in on March 13 for regular processing and the new one arrived exactly 5 weeks and 2 days later. I think the State Dept is just covering itself in case it takes a long time.

[RobInMN]

30 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Listed as, yes. However, I mailed my old passport in on March 13 for regular processing and the new one arrived exactly 5 weeks and 2 days later. I think the State Dept is just covering itself in case it takes a long time.

Yeah, I renewed mine as soon as my June/July cruises were cancelled. Normal processing, and I think almost exactly 5 weeks from the date I mailed my stuff in. Got it back 2-3 weeks ago. 

Global Entry, on the other hand, sucked. We applied (first time applicant, not renewal) at the beginning of Feb 2020 (just before the pandy hit). It was not processed until end of December (or was it first week of Jan?). Interview was mid Feb. So basically over 1 full year! Hopefully they've caught up and no one has that experience.

[erinsmom03]

Speaking of passports...if we are traveling 2 months from when ours expire, do we need to renew before our trip?

[Ashland]

47 minutes ago, RobInMN said:

Yeah, I renewed mine as soon as my June/July cruises were cancelled. Normal processing, and I think almost exactly 5 weeks from the date I mailed my stuff in. Got it back 2-3 weeks ago. 

Global Entry, on the other hand, sucked. We applied (first time applicant, not renewal) at the beginning of Feb 2020 (just before the pandy hit). It was not processed until end of December (or was it first week of Jan?). Interview was mid Feb. So basically over 1 full year! Hopefully they've caught up and no one has that experience.

It took us almost a year for appointments to open for Global Entry (first time). We have our in person interview next week in downtown Los Angeles.

[Yorkvillain]

2 hours ago, ticketsunlimited said:

Passport renewals are still backlogged for months. 

My GF just got her new one back. The whole process took less than 4 weeks. 

[disneykins]

26 minutes ago, erinsmom03 said:

Speaking of passports...if we are traveling 2 months from when ours expire, do we need to renew before our trip?

I think some countries require your passport be good for 6 months after your arrival date, so yes I think you should renew before travelling. 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, erinsmom03 said:

Speaking of passports...if we are traveling 2 months from when ours expire, do we need to renew before our trip?

For cruising? No need to renew early

 

For other types of travel, it depends on your destination

[Ourusualbeach]

3 hours ago, Baron Barracuda said:

I submitted renewal application in March.  Keep checking but still shows as "in process".  Hopefully will not have to go through interview process again.  They have extended expiration date for current Global Entry holders 6 months.

 

Passport application turnaround currently listed as 10 - 12 weeks.

I submitted Nexus / Global entry last December and am still waiting. 

[cruiserking]

I just renewed my passport and also received a passport card. I paid the additional fee to expedite the service and received both passport book and card within three weeks. Better to renew now and beat the rush before everyone and his brother does in a few months. 

 

Jonathan

[DCGuy64]

39 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I submitted Nexus / Global entry last December and am still waiting. 

Wow, I did Global Entry years ago and it was fairly quick. I had to renew about 1-2 years ago, I forget, but it was easy peasy.....

 

 

[Pratique]

I renewed my book and card last month using regular processing. It was only three weeks from the day USPS delivered the application to Passport Services until I had the new ones in my hands.

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Wow, I did Global Entry years ago and it was fairly quick. I had to renew about 1-2 years ago, I forget, but it was easy peasy.....

 

 

It was quick when we first did it...not so much with the renewal.  As long as you submitted paperwork and paid the renewal fee they extended the expiry date by 12 months. 

[gzyteck]

4 hours ago, Baron Barracuda said:

I submitted

5 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It was quick when we first did it...not so much with the renewal.  As long as you submitted paperwork and paid the renewal fee they extended the expiry date by 12 months. 

renewal application in March.  Keep checking but still shows as "in process".  Hopefully will not have to go through interview process again.  They have extended expiration date for current Global Entry holders 6 months.

 

Passport application turnaround currently listed as 10 - 12 weeks.

 

[lazydayz]

Just renewed our passports in March.  Three weeks later, they were in our hands and we did NOT pay to expedite.  

[Sunshine3601]

I just phoned our local passport center beginning of this week to make an appointment for renewal.    they advised renewals must be processed thru mail (unless I have an emergency to leave country and need immediately).    they said the current turnaround is about 12 weeks and pay extra $60 to get in 4 to 6 weeks.     

We are getting our photos tomorrow and will send out with the extra $60 so we will be good to go for our Aug 7th sailing on Vision.      

I kept saying we needed to get renewed and we kept getting busy with work and life, must get it done!