Passport renewal delay

Joined
Nov 23, 2003
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Location
WA
My passport is going to expire this November so I wanted to renew it before the summer rush. Most new passport applications are done in spring for summer travel. I always did mine in winter so I would get it back faster. They received my paperwork and cashed my check on February 6th. It was showing 6-8 weeks return time. The first time I checked the status it showed 8-11 weeks. I just checked the status last night and it shows 10-13 weeks now. I didn’t pay for the expedite service because 6-8 weeks was fine. Even though you pay the expedited service, your still not guaranteed it will arrive in the 7-9 weeks. The gubmint website even says you‘re not guaranteed a refund if it doesn’t show up in that timeframe. When I renewed my Global Entry, I received my new card within a week, and that was during covid.
 
We were told last year that expedited was now equivalent to the old normal timeframe. We paid for it and they all showed up in about half the maximum time given.
 
Something odd I stumbled upon:
A notice in the local shoppers' paper mentioned passport sign-up day at a larger Post Office.
No special form, photo requirement or fee.
A guy said the "mail bag" was going to be hand delivered by him to Philadelphia (the usual place).
I remember not having any questions or concerns.
Mine arrived in under a week.
That was around 2004.

My wife recalled going to Phillie yourself as the one thing you could do to expedite a passport application.
She also reported hearing about other non-Phillie locations operating; nothing concrete.
 
When I did it back in 2013. I used Fedex to send my renewal to a Pittsburgh office and received it back in a timely matter. They only have two locations to send in renewals now, Philly and Texas. It all depends on what State you live in.
 
Everywhere in the world people suddenly wake up to expired passport and wants to travel. At least in the US if you really need it with an emergency you can get an appointment by driving FAR away to an in person service center to renew if you can book an appointment within 14 days of travel. I couldn't get it same day even when I call, I got an appointment 3 days before I leave and I still couldn't get my passport within the same day (so I have to come back the next day).

Mailing in a passport renewal is great, but for kids you HAVE TO apply a new one in person which is also impossible these days in a post office.
 
Everywhere in the world people suddenly wake up to expired passport and wants to travel. At least in the US if you really need it with an emergency you can get an appointment by driving FAR away to an in person service center to renew if you can book an appointment within 14 days of travel. I couldn't get it same day even when I call, I got an appointment 3 days before I leave and I still couldn't get my passport within the same day (so I have to come back the next day).

Mailing in a passport renewal is great, but for kids you HAVE TO apply a new one in person which is also impossible these days in a post office.
Need to renew the boys passport. Out of curiosity looked at appointments and was only like a week and half out, surprised me. But I know of a place that does walk ins so we'll go that route.
 
Need to renew the boys passport. Out of curiosity looked at appointments and was only like a week and half out, surprised me. But I know of a place that does walk ins so we'll go that route.
You are lucky I guess, they shut down the last walk in post office location that people wait in line since 3am every day. Now you have to try your luck or wait till 14 days before flight, and see if you are lucky.
 
The only way to get a guaranteed receipt is to go to a Passport Agency office, pay the expedite fee, and ask to pick it up in person. I actually did that for my first passport, but back when an appointment wasn't needed and there was no expedite fee. I just needed an itinerary.

I've also had family members get expedited passports at passport agencies after there was an expedite fee. I'll just say there were a lot more people than I remember when I did it decades ago. We ended up waiting about 45 minutes to talk to someone at the San Francisco Passport Agency, even with an appointment. There must have been over 100 others waiting. It was like waiting in line at the DMV. But we were able to pick up the passport the same week. My wife did it once herself, but I had to be there for our kid's. They wanted to see an itinerary or airline reservation too. We were really rushed too because we also needed a visa.

There is the new way to renew online, but there are limitations like when the passport will expire (or that it has expired).
 
The only way to get a guaranteed receipt is to go to a Passport Agency office, pay the expedite fee, and ask to pick it up in person. I actually did that for my first passport, but back when an appointment wasn't needed and there was no expedite fee. I just needed an itinerary.

I've also had family members get expedited passports at passport agencies after there was an expedite fee. I'll just say there were a lot more people than I remember when I did it decades ago. We ended up waiting about 45 minutes to talk to someone at the San Francisco Passport Agency, even with an appointment. There must have been over 100 others waiting. It was like waiting in line at the DMV. But we were able to pick up the passport the same week. My wife did it once herself, but I had to be there for our kid's. They wanted to see an itinerary or airline reservation too. We were really rushed too because we also needed a visa.

There is the new way to renew online, but there are limitations like when the passport will expire (or that it has expired).
You MUST have an appointment now, and their security will not let you in without a proof that you are leaving within 14 days.
 
You MUST have an appointment now, and their security will not let you in without a proof that you are leaving within 14 days.

Yeah - the last time we made an appointment as soon as we could. We were there a little bit late (trying to find parking), but I realized that there was fairly cheap (and an 8 hour max?) meter parking just a couple of blocks away from the San Francisco Federal Building. And security at the office was a uniformed Diplomatic Security Service officer. They were actually quite polite but didn't allow me to bring in a donut that I bought in the cafeteria (no food allowed). Found it interesting that the ground floor security was private for a government building.

The first time I had a fake itinerary, but I guess it's way past any statute of limitations.

They do have the occasional "Passport Day". It's usually on a Saturday where they don't charge for an expedite fee and allow routine passport applications without an appointment. I don't think there's been one for a while.

 
Yeah - the last time we made an appointment as soon as we could. We were there a little bit late (trying to find parking), but I realized that there was fairly cheap (and an 8 hour max?) meter parking just a couple of blocks away from the San Francisco Federal Building. And security at the office was a uniformed Diplomatic Security Service officer. They were actually quite polite but didn't allow me to bring in a donut that I bought in the cafeteria (no food allowed). Found it interesting that the ground floor security was private for a government building.

The first time I had a fake itinerary, but I guess it's way past any statute of limitations.

They do have the occasional "Passport Day". It's usually on a Saturday where they don't charge for an expedite fee and allow routine passport applications without an appointment. I don't think there's been one for a while.


Well technically, you can buy a first class refundable ticket to get an appointment asap and then cancel and refund it.

 
Well technically, you can buy a first class refundable ticket to get an appointment asap and then cancel and refund it.


Yeah - that was legendary (the scam to essentially eat for free), but for just trying to get a passport it wouldn't require a first class ticket. I've flown full-fare, fully refundable coach for business travel.
 
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Sister in law just got hers in 4 weeks, non-expedited. Coworker just applied for one last week but he got expedited, see how long it takes! Wonder if where you are determines how long.
 
Sister in law just got hers in 4 weeks, non-expedited. Coworker just applied for one last week but he got expedited, see how long it takes! Wonder if where you are determines how long.

Depends. I heard backups aren’t as big a deal now because they can just shift the printing to another office. Everything is electronic. Once the passport photo is scanned, the data can be sent to any location for printing.

And the new passport is pretty wild.


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I received it on Friday. So 8 1/2 weeks. The people sending them in now might get them by early June.
 
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