Passport Renewal

[forgap]

We hope to cruise in January, 2022 and my passport was due to expire in June of 2022.  The US passport renewal website guidance said to anticipate 18 weeks for processing once received and an additional 12 weeks due to the slowdown at USPS.  Since I get nervous when my ducks aren’t all in a row, I sent in my renewal application on August 3rd.  I did not opt for expedited service but did opt for express delivery (an additional $18).  Low and behold, USPS informed delivery said the passport is arriving today.  I then checked the status on the state department website and the passport is approved and on its way.  So, it’s official!  Hats off to the passport renewal agency!  I had read some horror stories on line so this was a welcome surprise. 

[fudgbug]

4 hours ago, forgap said:

We hope to cruise in January, 2022 and my passport was due to expire in June of 2022.  The US passport renewal website guidance said to anticipate 18 weeks for processing once received and an additional 12 weeks due to the slowdown at USPS.  Since I get nervous when my ducks aren’t all in a row, I sent in my renewal application on August 3rd.  I did not opt for expedited service but did opt for express delivery (an additional $18).  Low and behold, USPS informed delivery said the passport is arriving today.  I then checked the status on the state department website and the passport is approved and on its way.  So, it’s official!  Hats off to the passport renewal agency!  I had read some horror stories on line so this was a welcome surprise. 

Wow!  You are lucky.  Perhaps after so many complaints helped.  I had to go to our Senator for help with a passport that was paid for expedited service and expedited mail each way.

Edited August 30, 2021 by fudgbug
Added a further explanation

[LvnCruisin]

You are so lucky!! I had to renew my passport in March (wasn't going anywhere this year) and still expediated it, took 2-1/2 months .............................

 

Let's hope it's working well for everyone. My husbands in due to expire next year before our April cruise, I am after him almost daily.

[UUNetBill]

Glad it worked out for you.  I sure wouldn't expect that kind of turnaround on ANYTHING federal right now, and I'm always antsy when my passport isn't current and in my grubby little hand.  Pays to plan ahead, for sure.

[ChucktownSteve]

We mailed our renewal applications Aug 18, a Wednesday.  Sent USPS flat rate Priority which was delivered within two days on Friday.  Still no status but I'd be happy with two months.  Our cruise isn't until Feb so this OP was encouraging. We didn't pay for fast anything but figured we had enough time.  Not getting the new passport only helps keep me from booking a sixth cruise before February.  lol

 

We had a Global entry interview the day before we mailed the passport renewal.  We were approved on the spot . The GE card was received before the week was up.

Edited August 30, 2021 by ChucktownSteve

[UUNetBill]

18 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

We had a Global entry interview the day before we mailed the passport renewal.  We were approved on the spot . The GE card was received before the week was up.

Grrrrr...the GE interviews make me crazy.  My wife reapplies, instant approval. I reapply, I have to go 2 hours out of my way for a 2-minute in-person interview.  Every.  Damn.  Time.

 

What's THAT about?!? 

[Pcardad]

They will do the interview over Zoom - I got the requirement for it as a renewal.

 

[UUNetBill]

54 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

They will do the interview over Zoom - I got the requirement for it as a renewal.

 

Is that a Covid thing, and if so, any idea if that will be an option going forward?

[Pcardad]

I don't know - only that it was an option when they approved my renewal a few days ago.

[NCCruzQueen]

21 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

We had a Global entry interview the day before we mailed the passport renewal.  We were approved on the spot . The GE card was received before the week was up.

 

I applied for my Global Entry renewal in February 2020, along with my travel buddy.  Her's was approved immediately while I had to have a face-to-face interview.  We all know what happened the next month.  So I wasn't even close to an area where an interview could take place.  I continued to look online and found that my interview time was extended, thank goodness.  As I watched the website, I saw the interview locations go down to four in the entire country.  That caused me to call my House Representative in Congress and was told that more people were being hired and to look online often.  The next week, I saw that virtual interviews were available and I got an appointment two days later.  The interview was a quick and friendly experience.  New card came in the mail the next week.  Eighteen months after getting my initial GE reply, I now have my card and less than 4 years until my next renewal.

[briar14]

I did my GE renewal by Zoom, also. My husband’s was renewed with no issues, but alas not mine. It took a few weeks for the Zoom interview option to appear, but once that happened, plenty of times were available. It was easy and my new card  arrived within a week. Ready to leave in a week to board Splendor!

[ChucktownSteve]

I believe the zoom option is only available for renewals.  New applications, if I'm not incorrect, require the F2F interview.  Mine didn't give me the zoom option because this was new.  Our expired TSA precheck didn't qualify for anything.

[LvnCruisin]

Both my husband and I received auto renewals in the mail last December (for me)/ January (for him) - we have to go the airport otherwise so it would be a total pain until we get back to travelling more often. GE is the best money we have spent so far. 

[ronrick1943]

On 8/30/2021 at 2:12 PM, ChucktownSteve said:

We mailed our renewal applications Aug 18, a Wednesday.  Sent USPS flat rate Priority which was delivered within two days on Friday.  Still no status but I'd be happy with two months.  Our cruise isn't until Feb so this OP was encouraging. We didn't pay for fast anything but figured we had enough time.  Not getting the new passport only helps keep me from booking a sixth cruise before February.  lol

 

We had a Global entry interview the day before we mailed the passport renewal.  We were approved on the spot . The GE card was received before the week was up.

When you get your new passports- be sure you go to GE and update the information.

[forgap]

 

19 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

When you get your new passports- be sure you go to GE and update the information.

Thanks for that piece of advice.  I wouldn’t have thought of it!

[ChucktownSteve]

Here's an amazing update.  While the passport renewal applications were placed in their PO Box on Aug 20, I expected it to take two months to begin the processing. Not So. It took two weeks for the checks to clear my account and show up as "in process" yesterday.

 

Wouldn't it be amazing if they're shipped that fast?  Not holding my breath though. lol

[Snackdaddy]

Greetings,

Here's an amazing timeline for our "routine service" passport renewals.

8/2/21--Mailed our renewal applications via USPS First Class

8/6/21--USPS delivered our applications to the National Passport Processing Center, Texas

8/19/21--Applications were entered into the National Passport Processing Center system

8/20/21--Renewal application fee checks cleared

9/3/21--Received our renewed passports

[forgap]

17 hours ago, Snackdaddy said:

Greetings,

Here's an amazing timeline for our "routine service" passport renewals.

8/2/21--Mailed our renewal applications via USPS First Class

8/6/21--USPS delivered our applications to the National Passport Processing Center, Texas

8/19/21--Applications were entered into the National Passport Processing Center system

8/20/21--Renewal application fee checks cleared

9/3/21--Received our renewed passports

Practically a mirror of ours.  I checked my notes and I sent it on 7/31 and received it 9/1…the only snafu was the USPS delayed delivery by two days…..so much for paying extra for overnight delivery!   It sat in Atlanta for two days.  

[DeepFreeze63]

DW mailed her request for passport renewal (expanded book) on 8/27 and received new passport via regular mail on 10/06.

[mj_holiday]

Ref: Renewed passports and GE - at our GE renewal interview the officer told us that we also needed to stopped by a GE office to notify them when we got a  new passport.

 

For GE renewal we did not get an option for virtual interview.

Renewal application submitted in June

DH got approved in 2 days

I got approved in 3 weeks.

 

We went for our interview 3 hours away (we were given an option of waiting until next international flight and do the interview when we reentered the US, we wanted the Pre TSA option working.)

 

Went for our interview in August, we were called in together.

DH got approved that night and card in mail in 2 days.

After 20 days I started calling and finally got a person who told me they could not put a trace on it until 30 days had passed. Finally got approval at 28 days and then got card.

[Catlover54]

Passport renewal delays can certainly put a damper on cruising too much -- to be safe, you may need to find a a three month gap between cruises to dare surrender tour passport.

 

To me it also makes little  sense to offer GE interviews when arriving from your last flight overseas, tired, pushed through long immigration and customs lines, and keen to just get home after being up more than 24 hours.

[Eager2Travel]

Our many thanks Forgap  for your brilliant advice about the passport renewal.  Ours were returned in two weeks.  We were amazed.  Now we need somewhere to go.

Edited October 8, 2021 by Eager2Travel

[ChucktownSteve]

I mailed off our passport renewals on August 20 to TX.  The new ones were issued September 10.  I can't complain.

[pingpong1]

Okay - I need a "warm and fuzzy opinion" from my CC friends....DW's current passport expires on Jun 4, 2022.  We leave on a Panama Canal Cruise out of Miami on Dec 18 (2021).  We arrive back in San Francisco on Jan 5, 2022.  So her passport will expire 5 months (minus one day) AFTER she arrives back in the U.S.

 

We're not having to fly into any foreign country and won't be "showing them" to any immigration officials in the 5 foreign countries we will be stopping in (Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua)  . We board the ship in Miami and get off in San Francisco).  The ship "holds" our passports on the ship the whole time during the cruise (we never take them into town with us).

 

Can anyone see any reason why (at this late juncture) we should take the "risk" (time-wise) of trying to renew her passport in the next 10-weeks before this trip?  Regards 

[DaveFr]

19 minutes ago, pingpong1 said:

Okay - I need a "warm and fuzzy opinion" from my CC friends....DW's current passport expires on Jun 4, 2022.  We leave on a Panama Canal Cruise out of Miami on Dec 18 (2021).  We arrive back in San Francisco on Jan 5, 2022.  So her passport will expire 5 months (minus one day) AFTER she arrives back in the U.S.

 

We're not having to fly into any foreign country and won't be "showing them" to any immigration officials in the 5 foreign countries we will be stopping in (Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua)  . We board the ship in Miami and get off in San Francisco).  The ship "holds" our passports on the ship the whole time during the cruise (we never take them into town with us).

 

Can anyone see any reason why (at this late juncture) we should take the "risk" (time-wise) of trying to renew her passport in the next 10-weeks before this trip?  Regards 

From my Regent invoices:

 

”Passport, Visa and Health Requirements
Regent Seven Seas Cruises requires all travelers, including U.S. citizens, traveling abroad from or to Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Caribbean and Bermuda to have a valid passport. All itineraries require that passports are valid for (6) months beyond the completion of your travel. For information on obtaining or renewing a passport, visit the State Departments website at www.travel.state.gov/passport. Passport Cards or copies of Passports are not accepted.”

 

I suggest that you or your TA contact Regent ASAP to discuss this matter.

 

Dave

 

PS: from what I read online, the six month rule does not apply to reentry to the US.

Edited October 10, 2021 by DaveFr