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The Passport Game


Wilson

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Feel free to follow along as we play the game of hurry up and wait. Let’s see how long it takes to get our renewals completed. We paid extra for Expedited service and 2 day return mail. $187.56 each

Passports arrived in 28 days!


07/20/2021

Pic taken and paperwork completed 


07/21/2021

Dropped off at the Dallas Main Post Office at noon and sent overnight mail  

07/22/2021

Arrived at Philadelphia Post Office at 10:22 am. However it will not be delivered to the actual Passport PO Box until tomorrow by 6 pm. 
 

07/23/2021

Passport renewal package delivered 

07/26/2021

Checks cleared my bank and now status shows “in process”

08/17/2021

APPROVED and we should receive on or around 08/20! 
 

08/18/2021

Passports arrived!

 

 

1E088A22-5960-4077-ACB7-5A6F6B585E8C.jpeg

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My husband sent his in May (regular service…not realizing the extended backlog). On 6/28, after 150+ phone calls to finally get through, he spoke to an agent. They agreed to expedite it and took the expedite and priority mail fees over the phone.  As of today, it still shows “processing” and his credit card has not yet been charged. ? We have a sail date of 9/11.  Keeping our fingers crossed.  

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Imagine the horror of noticing your minor daughters passport expired about 5 days before sailing?  That was us in 2015, as we thought we had another 5 years but minors expired in 5 not 10 years.  For this situation I was lucky enough that I work in NYC. About $500 or $600 later I had a renewed passport in my hand the following day using a service that somehow was able to turn it around super quick.  Given the environment unlikely such a service e exists today.  Good luck. 

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1 hour ago, JSB_Z51 said:

For this situation I was lucky enough that I work in NYC. About $500 or $600 later I had a renewed passport in my hand the following day using a service that somehow was able to turn it around super quick.  Given the environment unlikely such a service e exists today.  Good luck. 

Exact same thing happened to us, in 2015 or 2016.  There is expedited passport facility in NYC.  Got the passport the following day, and it did not cost $500, though I don't remember how much.  I'm thinking about half that.  Had our flight been the following day (it was a couple days away), they would have done it the same day.

 

Edited to add: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies/new-york.html and it is the $60 expedite fee.  Must be traveling within 72 hrs of appointment.

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14 hours ago, Wilson said:

Feel free to follow along as we play the game of hurry up and wait. Let’s see how long it takes to get our renewals completed. We paid extra for Expedited service and 2 day return mail. $187.56 each
07/20/2021

Pic taken and paperwork completed 


07/21/2021

Dropped off at the Dallas Main Post Office at noon and sent overnight mail  

07/22/2021

Arrived at Philadelphia Post Office at 10:22 am. However it will not be delivered to the actual Passport PO Box until tomorrow by 6 pm. 

Hoping that it is a quick process for you. 

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Sent my application July 12, and paid for expedited and round-trip Priority Mail. My check to the State Department cleared the bank a few days later. Mine would have been a renewal except I lost my current passport and had to report that when I applied. So, not sure how that will figure into the mix. The State Department website still shows "processing." Fingers crossed I get it in time for my December 1 cruise.

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So for comparison's sake, I just did a Canadian passport renewal for my younger daughter, and UK renewals for my wife and older daughter.

For the Canadian passport, I walked into a Service Canada location on July 20. They said that the new passport should be delivered to us by Aug 25. I'll update when I get it.

For the UK passports, I did the application online + sent the digital photo. As there is no rush for these passports, I sent via registered mail on July 22. They are currently in transit to the UK.

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6 hours ago, NC State said:

We renewed on July 7th. We paid extra for expedited service and received them yesterday July 22nd.

@NC State

My husband would say that is because you have great taste in Screen names.  Our daughter just graduated from NC State this past December and my husband has been a fan his whole life. Go Pack! ?

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/6/2021 at 5:50 PM, Sharla said:

My update today- my daughter's passport came, took less than 3 weeks.  We paid for expedited, I wonder what would have happened if we hadn't.

That's awesome @Sharla! Was the online status updated as the process went along? If you registered an email, did you get updates or did passport just appear?

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On 7/23/2021 at 1:27 PM, choose2cruz said:

Sent my application July 12, and paid for expedited and round-trip Priority Mail. My check to the State Department cleared the bank a few days later. Mine would have been a renewal except I lost my current passport and had to report that when I applied. So, not sure how that will figure into the mix. The State Department website still shows "processing." Fingers crossed I get it in time for my December 1 cruise.

I forgot to come back to this thread sooner, but wanted to report that I received my new passport two weeks after I applied paying for the expedited service and R/T Priority Mail. So, it seems worth the cost if you can't wait months. After years in the military and few years as a federal civil servant in my past life, the expedited passport service is the most incredibly efficient thing I've ever seen the government accomplish. ?  My stress level about my upcoming cruises is way down!

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I'll play.

New passport for grandson (9)

Made appointment at local PO for July 20.

I filled out paperwork prior.  Had photo taken at PO and wrote 2 checks.  1 for PO 1 for Dept of State with expedited fees.

My checks cleared in 5 days and by July 26 status was "in process".

August 8th status said "approved" and i should receive in the mail on or around  August 15th. (mmmhmmmm)

That seems crazy fast for a first time passport.

We also did this for my daughter's first time passport on August 4th and no status update yet.  Checks have cleared.

I will report back if we actually get my grandson's passport this weekend.

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On 8/6/2021 at 7:05 PM, Wilson said:

That's awesome @Sharla! Was the online status updated as the process went along? If you registered an email, did you get updates or did passport just appear?

I didn't even have a chance to check the status. The paper we got said to start checking the status in 4 weeks so I never even bothered. It just appeared one day, never got an email or anything.

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9 minutes ago, Pam W said:

My son's came regular mail, no signature required. No email, no notice. 

Thanks! Got an email saying my passport is being printed and I'll get it next week. Just wanted to make sure the mail person doesn't leave it at my door step. 

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UPDATE

Grandson's passport arrived on Monday August 16th.  27 days total from the day we had our appointment at the PO.

Its a new passport, he's never had one before and we did pay the expedite fee.

Can't believe the difference in processing times for a passport.  And there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for the process.

His mother had her appointment at the PO on August 4th and as of yesterday it says processing so we shall see how long it is for her to get it.  she also is getting a first time passport.  I wonder if because he is a child it somehow is a faster process?  

 

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On 7/23/2021 at 3:44 PM, KWong said:

So for comparison's sake, I just did a Canadian passport renewal for my younger daughter, and UK renewals for my wife and older daughter.

For the Canadian passport, I walked into a Service Canada location on July 20. They said that the new passport should be delivered to us by Aug 25. I'll update when I get it.

For the UK passports, I did the application online + sent the digital photo. As there is no rush for these passports, I sent via registered mail on July 22. They are currently in transit to the UK.

My older daughter just got her UK passport today. Application was July 20, mailed from Canada to the UK on July 22, and just received via DHL today (Aug 17). So exactly 4 weeks, which seems pretty good for a non-expidited overseas application.

Meanwhile, my wife's was just approved so I should see it next week.

As for the younger daughter's, nothing yet.

I should also note that HM Passport Office has been emailing every time we've gotten a step further in the process. Radio silence from Passports Canada. Definitely like the UK process better.

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I haven't had a passport for 20 years so went to send mine in and at that time it still said 6-8 weeks.  As it is flying through the air to land on the desk at the passport agency the website now says 18 weeks! My cruise is on Sept 26.  Dummy me did not pay for expedited.  Thankfully per RCCL website as long as I have my certified birth certificate and drivers license I am good. ?  

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