Passport Renewal Turnaround Time

[Kteacher]

I’m posting this in case anyone was wondering how long the process of passport renewal was taking these days. Like many, we haven’t really traveled since the beginning of the pandemic. I have two cruises that have been bumped way too many times, but it’s looking like we may finally get to sail again this summer. Checking through documents I realized my passport expired last August. I filled in the online renewal form, got my free photos from AAA, and mailed everything on 2/12/22. I did pay for the expedited service (it’s not that much more, and I wanted to see how long it would take). The website stated 5-7 weeks for expedited renewal, but pleased to say it only took 2 weeks 👍

[zanydoc]

Yes, us too! Except I didn’t know about the free AAA photos. Did you go to a local AAA office for that? Walgreens charged us $13.50 to do the photos, which I thought was a bit excessive.

[Kteacher]

2 hours ago, zanydoc said:

Yes, us too! Except I didn’t know about the free AAA photos. Did you go to a local AAA office for that? Walgreens charged us $13.50 to do the photos, which I thought was a bit excessive.

Yes, I had them done at my local AAA office, no appointment necessary.

[Colorado Buffalo]

I'm just going to bring our birth certs this time since we are on a loop pout of Miami.

[zanydoc]

17 hours ago, Colorado Buffalo said:

I'm just going to bring our birth certs this time since we are on a loop pout of Miami.

That works, too 😊. I just like to have our passports along in case something weird happens and we have to actually permanently get off the ship in some foreign port.

[juhacorno410]

Took our daughters family 3.5 weeks, not expedited about 6 weeks ago.  Told 14 weeks.....

[Rondo]

2 hours ago, juhacorno410 said:

Took our daughters family 3.5 weeks, not expedited about 6 weeks ago.  Told 14 weeks.....

Encouraging news! Ours was received at the processing center 3.5 weeks ago and I am anxious to see how long it takes. We did not expedite. We need it by April 20th, so keeping fingers crossed for quick(or at least normal) turnaround time. 

[ginadcnj]

Yep, I did expedited service also, using a fabulous passport processing center that our nearby university has (open to anyone). Appointment was Feb. 1, got the passport back over a week ago (so about 2.5 weeks). I was apprehensive with an April sail date even given the promise of 5-7 weeks with expedited service, so this was a pleasant surprise!

[Mrcar09]

11 minutes ago, Rondo said:

Encouraging news! Ours was received at the processing center 3.5 weeks ago and I am anxious to see how long it takes. We did not expedite. We need it by April 20th, so keeping fingers crossed for quick(or at least normal) turnaround time. 

My wife had a similar experience, submitted her paperwork around New Years and had it back by the first week in February, so I would say 3.5 - 5 weeks without expediting it. She was told 8-14 weeks when she submitted.

[Rondo]

1 hour ago, Mrcar09 said:

My wife had a similar experience, submitted her paperwork around New Years and had it back by the first week in February, so I would say 3.5 - 5 weeks without expediting it. She was told 8-14 weeks when she submitted.

🤗 Thanks for the added encouraging news!

[Fontaid]

I sent my passport renewal in on Jan. 27 and received my new passport on Feb. 22 (less than 4 weeks). This was via "routine service" as they say. I live in Texas and sent my renewal to the Irving, TX processing center. I don't know why but  the Irving processing center services renewals for people living in California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, and Texas. The Philadelphia processing center services all other states and US citizens living in Canada. Then, to top it off... my new passport was mailed to me (via USPS Priority Mail) from Charleston, SC. It did automatically come with a USPS tracking number. I was pleased with the turnaround time.

[cruiserjt]

My daughters completed their first adult passport in early December. One came back in 6 weeks and a week later we received notification that the picture was slightly tilted and we need to send another. This picture was taken at Post Office and I certainly didn't notice a tilt.  Not much we could do about it though - so we had another picture taken and sent it to the address provided about a month ago.  Thankfully we aren't traveling until April. Birth certificate and Drivers License are ready if needed.  Just proves that it is always best to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

 

[Rondo]

I do sometimes wonder if they might have a problem with the pictures. Always seems to be a negative in the back of my mind to stress about. We shall see.

[Honeyroastedmelnut]

In January, I sent off my US passport for renewal.  Took about 4 weeks to get my new one. Oddly enough still waiting on getting my old one back.

On, Feb 5th, my young (under 5) DS applied for his first passport. I’ll update when I get his back.

[mo&fran]

On 2/26/2022 at 4:25 PM, Colorado Buffalo said:

I'm just going to bring our birth certs this time since we are on a loop pout of Miami.

FYI  , CBP has been using facial recognition instead of an agent looking at your passport.  Customs processing is much faster.

[Wanderer2021]

I went to the post office for my first passport on January 24. They received it February 1 and I received my passport on February 14. I did not pay for expedited delivery. Things are looking up!! 

[Rondo]

Well, tomorrow will be 4 weeks since they received it, so not looking for the 4 week turnaround. I will be happy with an 8 week turnaround. We did send ours to Philadelphia, so might make a difference.

[Tangibelle]

My husband and I both applied for our first PP's on January 25th. I had mine by Feb 18th and my husbands got here yesterday. I got the regular old kind and he got the new fancy "Next Generation" one. I'm wondering if that's why his took a little longer? Still, 3 and 4 weeks was WAY better than 8 or 10. 

[retrieverdad]

22 day turnaround for my renewal

[greenline]

My wife got hers back in 8 days.

[Sunshine3601]

My future DIL mailed her renewal request last week of January and paid the $60 expediting fee and received the new one last week.   little over 3 weeks in total.

[milesed]

My kids' took 5 weeks with no expedited fees paid. It took about 1 more week to get all documentation sent in to be returned. Oddly, the documentation came to our home address and passports came to my work address (this address was never given).

[Rondo]

Extremely odd that they sent it to your work address. 🤔

 

Did anyone check the Passport Status online during the process?  Or provide an email address? If so, did they actually send an email to let you know the new passport had been sent?

[Surfguyxxx]

I had a TA last October, 2021, and applied around June 15.  6 weeks to the day (with expeditated shipping and processing)  is when I received mine.  I'm glad things seem to be progressing faster.  

[Honeyroastedmelnut]

On 2/28/2022 at 9:55 AM, Honeyroastedmelnut said:

In January, I sent off my US passport for renewal.  Took about 4 weeks to get my new one. Oddly enough still waiting on getting my old one back.

On, Feb 5th, my young (under 5) DS applied for his first passport. I’ll update when I get his back.

DS just got his passport … took less than a month.