Passport renewal in a week

[Fern Modena]

No, I didn't ask for an expedite. I live in Southern Nevada. I mailed off my passport for renewal on Monday, 4/21/2008. I sent it Priority, with delivery confirmation, which cost me $5.25 for two passports, pictures, and applications in a padded envelope.

They received the passport Wednesday morning, 4/23/08. They cashed the check Thursday, 4/24/08. I received both passports today, Monday, 4/28/08. one week after I sent them away! Now that's fast service!

Fern

[KevJan]

My 21-year-old son just received his first passport in only 1 week also. We live in Southern Utah, maybe that has something to do with it where you live only about 150 miles away from us. Anyway, ours took about a month a year ago. Congratulations!

[Passepartout]

Isn't that just Soooo much fun!. I loved opening my new passport when I renewed it last fall. Looking at the old one and all the visas in it and remembering the great trips around the world. Can't say I'm all that jazzed about all the pictures and stuff in the new one, but it's sure going to be fun covering them up!

Good Job Fern, hope you have trip after trip after trip planned!

Jim Ricks

[Luanne]

To veer a little off track. Can someone point me to some "easy" instructions on how to renew a passport for a child. Actually the children will be 18 and 20 by the time we get them renewed, but both of them need to be renewed prior to September. We're traveling to Canada in June, so I figured I wait until after we got home from that trip to do it.

[Karen G]

Originally Posted by Luanne

Actually the children will be 18 and 20 by the time we get them renewed, but both of them need to be renewed prior to September.

We recently renewed our 19-year old son's passport. There is a requirement that if the current passport the child holds was issued before he/she turned 16, they have to apply for the renewal in person--can't do it by mail.

Since our son was 15 when his passport was issued, we went to the post office to renew it. We brought two passport photos that we had taken at Sam's Club, but it turned out his face was smaller than what was required. They took another picture at the post office for $10 extra and all the paperwork was submitted there. I think it took about two weeks to receive the passport in the mail.

You can go online at www.usps.com and locate a post office by zip code that handles passport services.

[gorevs9]

Originally Posted by Luanne

Can someone point me to some "easy" instructions on how to renew a passport for a child. Actually the children will be 18 and 20 by the time we get them renewed, but both of them need to be renewed prior to September. We're traveling to Canada in June, so I figured I wait until after we got home from that trip to do it.

All the info regarding passports can be found at www.travel.state.gov

[wekker]

When hubby went to the UPS Store to inquire about photos, they said if the post office rejects it they would charge us to re-take the photo ($15 each time). We decided to go to CVS ($8) but asked first whether or not we could have them redone if the post office rejected them at no additional cost. They said yes. We ended up having them reprinted for my son b/c the photo machine had cut them too small. They re-did it at no extra charge.

[Luanne]

Thanks all for the info about renewal for kids.

[wackymother]

After having a set of photos rejected at the post office, we just started getting all of ours taken right at the post office. The small extra expense is worth it because we don't have to run back and forth to another photographer.

Even at the post office, they often print duds that THEY don't like for some reason (last time the background didn't look white enough for them), and then they take more photos, no fuss, no muss.

[Fern Modena]

I got my photos taken by AAA (for free) at a travel fair. They had a machine that sized the picture before they cut it so it was the right size. I don't know how she knew how to size the head, but she did. When I saw my picture I was afraid it would be rejected, because I was every so slightly turned off forward, but they accepted it. And best of all, I *like* my new picture. It is much better than the one taken ten years ago. I only look about two years older, and look much relaxed. Must be that retirement!

Fern

[Luanne]

Originally Posted by wackymother

After having a set of photos rejected at the post office, we just started getting all of ours taken right at the post office. The small extra expense is worth it because we don't have to run back and forth to another photographer.

Even at the post office, they often print duds that THEY don't like for some reason (last time the background didn't look white enough for them), and then they take more photos, no fuss, no muss.

Thanks for the tip. This sounds like the "easiest" way to go. I checked and our local post office will take care of it, by appointment. I'll let the dds take care of it.

[TheTimeTraveler]

Don't get too comfortable with the recent quick service on recent Passport renewals and initial applications.

The Passport service always seem to go downhill the closer it gets to the summer school vacation time.

This is the time of year when the Passport Office always sees a surge of applications (new and renewals).

Additionally, doesn't one now have to have a Passport to go to Canada and Mexico?

[Fern Modena]

You don't need one as long as you enter the US by land or sea from Canada or Mexico at this time. But you should get one anyway, because if you are on a cruise, for instance, and get ill, and get put off in Canada or Mexico and then have to fly home, you'll need a passport. And there's no wiggle room or exceptions made.

Fern

Originally Posted by TheTimeTraveler

Additionally, doesn't one now have to have a Passport to go to Canada and Mexico?

[Luanne]

From what I can tell it looks like June 1, 2009 is the new date for the requirement of a passport for land travel from Canada and Mexico into the USA.

[wackymother]

Keep reminding me, b/c I have to get one DD's passport renewed right away for a trip we're taking in July!

[Luanne]

Originally Posted by wackymother

Keep reminding me, b/c I have to get one DD's passport renewed right away for a trip we're taking in July!

That's July 2009. Your trip is this year, right?

As long as you go by land you don't need the passport, but you do need birth certificate. We're driving across the border in June, but both girl's passports are still good, so we'll be sure to take them.

[teachingmyown]

We just got back my son's pp today after mailing it out on April 16 (Day after tax day...) so it took two weeks including the postal time.

Two things I learned...
...call for an appointment even if the web site doesn't indicate that the post office you're going to requires it.

...there are two types of passports. One is a "Card" type that only costs $25 but is only good for "foot" crossings, which includes cruises, car trips, etc. The other type is the traditional "book" type which costs $75 but is necessary for "air" crossings.

We used Walgreen's passport photo service for $9 with no problems. Our local post office does not do photos.

Happy traveling, ya'll!

[wackymother]

Originally Posted by Luanne

That's July 2009. Your trip is this year, right?

As long as you go by land you don't need the passport, but you do need birth certificate. We're driving across the border in June, but both girl's passports are still good, so we'll be sure to take them.

No, we're going to Grand Cayman this year, in July 2008. And the old passport expires while we're away.