Passport Renewal Time

For those that may be wondering how long it takes to get your passport renewed I just received mine back. I mailed my renewal application from a Mobile, AL post office to the Philadelphia, PA processing center (USPS Priority Mail) on May 12, 2017. I received the renewed passport in the mail today May 26, 2017. I did not pay for expedited, just the regular renewal fee and it was back to me in exactly 2 weeks.

Thank you! I just sent off my daughter's, and have been wondering. We cruise in 3 weeks, and they are processing it now. We hope to have it back in time, otherwise she will use birth certificate. She just got added to our trip last week, otherwise we would have sent it in earlier, just didn't think she was able to go!

It's always good to have a current passport on hand. You never know when you will need it!

It's always good to have a current passport on hand. You never know when you will need it!

I agree, you never know when you might want to take a last minute trip. Especially if you live near a cruise port. I don't have plans to use mine this year.

Thanks. We need to renew ours before our Aug. trip.

I mailed mine off on April 24th and haven't got it back yet. Called today and supposedly getting ready to be mailed.

Tara

Good to know. I'm up next year.

Thanks for the info.

That is real quick. Mine took about 4 weeks, last year, from Tx.

Filed application April 14. Received new passport in the mail May 19

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We renewed ours this year, it took about 3 weeks. Glad to have that done for the next 10 yrs.

For those that may be wondering how long it takes to get your passport renewed I just received mine back. I mailed my renewal application from a Mobile, AL post office to the Philadelphia, PA processing center (USPS Priority Mail) on May 12, 2017. I received the renewed passport in the mail today May 26, 2017. I did not pay for expedited, just the regular renewal fee and it was back to me in exactly 2 weeks.

We mailed our applications on May 8th and received them on the 25th.

Our son went to the Post Office on May 10th and received his on the 24th.

We did not pay for expedited either.

Of course, I would always assume 8 weeks and just be happy if earlier than that.

I renewed my passport last December and received the new one in less than 2 weeks.

I would allow a minimum of a month just to be safe...

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For those that may be wondering how long it takes to get your passport renewed I just received mine back. I mailed my renewal application from a Mobile, AL post office to the Philadelphia, PA processing center (USPS Priority Mail) on May 12, 2017. I received the renewed passport in the mail today May 26, 2017. I did not pay for expedited, just the regular renewal fee and it was back to me in exactly 2 weeks.

Depends on how many passports they have to process at the time you send it to be renewed.Had to renew my husbands because it didn't have 6 months left after our cruise and it took a month to get back.We we're relieved when we got it in the mail. Note for anyone cruising,check your passport to make sure there is at least 6 months left after your cruise ends, or you will be rejected at the port.It,s the law !!:eek:

Ok I have a question that's kinda related to this post ..... we have to renew our passports in May 2018. If we plan to cruise in April 2018, won't we have to have our passports renewed before that cruise? I think I read somewhere that passports have to be valid at least 6 months after said cruise???

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Depends on how many passports they have to process at the time you send it to be renewed.Had to renew my husbands because it didn't have 6 months left after our cruise and it took a month to get back.We we're relieved when we got it in the mail. Note for anyone cruising,check your passport to make sure there is at least 6 months left after your cruise ends, or you will be rejected at the port.It,s the law !!:eek:

We have less than 6 months left- I guess we will bring our birth certificates, too. That seems silly! If your birth certificates are allowed, wouldn't you think a VALID passport would be better? Even if it expires is 2 months? I put my passport info in, and Carnival said nothing. I have read on other posts that there is no problem as long as they don't expire before the cruise ends.

We have less than 6 months left- I guess we will bring our birth certificates, too. That seems silly! If your birth certificates are allowed, wouldn't you think a VALID passport would be better? Even if it expires is 2 months? I put my passport info in, and Carnival said nothing. I have read on other posts that there is no problem as long as they don't expire before the cruise ends.

I agree with you ! BUT go on the government site and it's written there. They do that just in case you get stuck on an island for some some unforseen problem.If people only take their passport with less than 6 months left after their cruise,it will be rejected at the port.Make sure the birth certificate is a legal one with the raised seal too! Sorry Carnival dosen,t tell people to make sure their passport's are vaild 6 months after the cruise ends.Other cruiselines warn people on their online check in page!!

Ok I have a question that's kinda related to this post ..... we have to renew our passports in May 2018. If we plan to cruise in April 2018, won't we have to have our passports renewed before that cruise? I think I read somewhere that passports have to be valid at least 6 months after said cruise???

 

 

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YES,make sure they are valid for a least 6 months after your cruise ends.If you go on the government website they will tell you that there.So renew them the at least 2 to 3 months before your cruise to avoid delays in getting your new passports! Believe me ,we learned the hard way.Thank goodness we got hubby's passport in time!:eek: That was a very stressful time for us!

I agree with you ! BUT go on the government site and it's written there. They do that just in case you get stuck on an island for some some unforseen problem.If people only take their passport with less than 6 months left after their cruise,it will be rejected at the port.Make sure the birth certificate is a legal one with the raised seal too! Sorry Carnival dosen,t tell people to make sure their passport's are vaild 6 months after the cruise ends.Other cruiselines warn people on their online check in page!!

Your information is not exactly accurate concerning the birth certificate. They no longer have to be an original or certified copy. This is the information is directly from the Carnival site:

Traveling with a Birth Certificate and Photo Identification

Birth Certification Information

The following are acceptable:

• An original or copy of a birth certificate issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics
  
• A clear, legible copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified.
  

Here is a link to the page. https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3409

We were very lucky this past winter. We received our new passports in less than a week. Did not pay extra for fast service. Guess they were not busy.

Every year government services take longer to "process," and fees go through the roof. The State Department is no friend of the traveler. They have increased the price to get a passport to $145.00 ($110.00/renewal) and ding you $60 more to do their work in a timely manner.

During the Reagan years, $30. got you a passport, issued on the spot at the Federal Building. Now the LA Federal building still has the passport agency, but you cannot even get into the building without an appointment made weeks in advance. Don't be 5 minutes late or armed guards will keep you outside and tell you to get another appointment.

Under Sec. Clinton her agency made it much more expensive to travel abroad to countries that require a visa. She demanded foreign visitors pay $160.00 per head to apply for a US visa. She kept the money even if a visa was not issued.

Foreign governments responded with similar fees and hoops to jump through for US citizens to visit their countries. China, India, Russia, & Brazil used to issue visa's to US nationals for free. Now we pay amounts similar to what their nationals pay to come here.

I hope Pres. Trump finds the drain plug and reduces some of the money we pay for government services to appropriate amounts. Let congress know how you feel about how government agencies high fees and slack service is no longer acceptable in a great country.

Every year government services take longer to "process," and fees go through the roof. The State Department is no friend of the traveler. They have increased the price to get a passport to $145.00 ($110.00/renewal) and ding you $60 more to do their work in a timely manner.

During the Reagan years, $30. got you a passport, issued on the spot at the Federal Building. Now the LA Federal building still has the passport agency, but you cannot even get into the building without an appointment made weeks in advance. Don't be 5 minutes late or armed guards will keep you outside and tell you to get another appointment.

Under Sec. Clinton her agency made it much more expensive to travel abroad to countries that require a visa. She demanded foreign visitors pay $160.00 per head to apply for a US visa. She kept the money even if a visa was not issued.

 

Foreign governments responded with similar fees and hoops to jump through for US citizens to visit their countries. China, India, Russia, & Brazil used to issue visa's to US nationals for free. Now we pay amounts similar to what their nationals pay to come here.

 

I hope Pres. Trump finds the drain plug and reduces some of the money we pay for government services to appropriate amounts. Let congress know how you feel about how government agencies high fees and slack service is no longer acceptable in a great country.

Ugh as if we don't have enough to argue about on cruise issues you have to bring politics into the mix [emoji33]

I don't know about anyone else but I find these editorial remarks completely inappropriate.

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President Trump is looking for ways to cut costs even further across all government services, which would likely result in renewal times even longer than the four weeks my spouse just waited. I also would not be surprised to see Trump introduce a tiered system, where service for those talking business trips abroad will be given priority over service for folks like us taking leisure trips abroad. If you need something from the federal government, be prepared to employ more and more patience as time goes on. Get your applications in earlier, and steel yourself for more scrutiny.

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

Every year government services take longer to "process," and fees go through the roof. The State Department is no friend of the traveler. They have increased the price to get a passport to $145.00 ($110.00/renewal) and ding you $60 more to do their work in a timely manner.

During the Reagan years, $30. got you a passport, issued on the spot at the Federal Building. Now the LA Federal building still has the passport agency, but you cannot even get into the building without an appointment made weeks in advance. Don't be 5 minutes late or armed guards will keep you outside and tell you to get another appointment.

Under Sec. Clinton her agency made it much more expensive to travel abroad to countries that require a visa. She demanded foreign visitors pay $160.00 per head to apply for a US visa. She kept the money even if a visa was not issued.

 

Foreign governments responded with similar fees and hoops to jump through for US citizens to visit their countries. China, India, Russia, & Brazil used to issue visa's to US nationals for free. Now we pay amounts similar to what their nationals pay to come here.

 

I hope Pres. Trump finds the drain plug and reduces some of the money we pay for government services to appropriate amounts. Let congress know how you feel about how government agencies high fees and slack service is no longer acceptable in a great country.

President Trump is looking for ways to cut costs even further across all government services, which would likely result in renewal times even longer than the four weeks my spouse just waited. I also would not be surprised to see Trump introduce a tiered system, where service for those talking business trips abroad will be given priority over service for folks like us taking leisure trips abroad. If you need something from the federal government, be prepared to employ more and more patience as time goes on. Get your applications in earlier, and steel yourself for more scrutiny.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

It is my understanding that the Passport part of the State Department is funded largely by the fees that are taken in for processing passports.