How do I renew my passport?

[rogerwaters]

Sorry for asking dumb questions, I am trying to google information but have a few more questions:

 

1.) When I renew my passport, do they use the same picture or do I have to provide new photos?

 

2.) I see online that my local post office takes photos for passports (with an appointment), so is that the best way to get a new passport & photo (if I need a new photo) in one location?

 

3.) My passport expires in January 2011. I know I still have time to renew, but am I just better off renewing now before the rates go up this Spring? I also will be traveling in December and early January so I most likely will need a new passport before then anyway, since as I said it expires January of 2011.

 

My current passport is the only one I've ever owned, so I never went through the renewal process. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!!! :)

[6rugrats]

Sorry for asking dumb questions, I am trying to google information but have a few more questions:

 

1.) When I renew my passport, do they use the same picture or do I have to provide new photos?

 

2.) I see online that my local post office takes photos for passports (with an appointment), so is that the best way to get a new passport & photo (if I need a new photo) in one location?

 

3.) My passport expires in January 2011. I know I still have time to renew, but am I just better off renewing now before the rates go up this Spring? I also will be traveling in December and early January so I most likely will need a new passport before then anyway, since as I said it expires January of 2011.

 

My current passport is the only one I've ever owned, so I never went through the renewal process. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!!! :)

 

Of course you need new pictures. I would just renew now. If you are an adult, you do not have to go to the post office for a passport renewal. You may want to go here for complete instructions:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html

[Cuizer2]

1) You need to get new (current) photos.

 

2) I'm not a big fan of the post office or any government service. Lots of places provide passport photos for a very reasonable cost.

[newcrew42]

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html

 

Above is the State Department link for renewing your passport in the US. It has all the information. Easy to read and follow.

 

My husband just did his. You can simply fill out the forms on-line and print them off and mail them in.

 

You will need a new photo. Two copies. DH did his at Walgreens for $7 or $8. Quick and painless.

 

You are asked to mail in your old passport.

 

The renewal process took 3 1/2 weeks for us. Mailed priority mail on 2/3 and received priority mail 2/25.

 

We did NOT expedite the renewal.

 

Hope this helps!

[paul929207]

Sorry for asking dumb questions, I am trying to google information but have a few more questions:

 

1.) When I renew my passport, do they use the same picture or do I have to provide new photos?

 

2.) I see online that my local post office takes photos for passports (with an appointment), so is that the best way to get a new passport & photo (if I need a new photo) in one location?

 

3.) My passport expires in January 2011. I know I still have time to renew, but am I just better off renewing now before the rates go up this Spring? I also will be traveling in December and early January so I most likely will need a new passport before then anyway, since as I said it expires January of 2011.

 

My current passport is the only one I've ever owned, so I never went through the renewal process. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!!! :)

1. Yes, you need new photo. Check the instructions, you may need two photos.

2. Check around to see where you can get the best price. In our area in is Walgreens.

3. You can renew at any time, but the new passport will be good for 10 years from the date it is issued. Most countries require your passport be valid for at least 6 months after you enter the country, so you would need a new passport for your trip the end of this year.

[uppitycats]

Passports need renewing because (among other reasons), after 10 years, most people's appearance has changed. That's why kids passports only are "good" for 5 years.

 

You will definitely need new photos. And there are specific requirements for the size and format of photo, so it's not like you can just dig out those new snapshots and send them in...you have to go to a place that understand the requirements and does them properly.

 

I don't understand at all someone's "fear of government" and reluctance to have the post office snap your photo! If that's the only place convenient, then go do it. And you can download the renewal forms on line, take the photos and send it all in yourself (with a fee, of course). Otherwise, look around -- places like Walgreen's used to take passport photos; I'm sure there are other sources.

 

Don't bother with the passport "card". That's only good for land (or boat) travel, not for flying. The passport book is really what you want.

 

You'll send in your old passport too, along with all the paperwork for the renewal, and get everything back in around 3 weeks. Your old passport will have a hole punched through it, so you'll easily spot the difference. :)

[rogerwaters]

Wow! You folks are awesome! Thank you all so much for the great information.

 

Ok, so I was reading about renewing the passport, and I did not know that I had to mail in my old passport. Is that safe? That is the only thing that concerns me. I'd LOVE to fill out the info online, send in photos from Walgreen's (or wherever) but the whole mailing of the old passport scares me. I guess that's why it is suggested using a secure form of mailing?

 

I will not need my passport until July, but then I will also need it for my September cruise as well as for some travel in December & January. So indeed I might be better off taking care of it all now!

[cherylandtk]

If you have a digital camera you can do your own passport photos quite easily using this site: http://www.epassportphoto.com/

 

p.s. Yes it is safe to mail your passport. Take it directly to a post office, not a drop box. If you want to track it, pay for that service, either delivery confirmation or signature confirmation. Make a photocopy of the data/picture pages before you mail it off, and keep a copy of your renewal application until they all come back.

[uppitycats]

Wow! You folks are awesome! Thank you all so much for the great information.

 

Ok, so I was reading about renewing the passport, and I did not know that I had to mail in my old passport. Is that safe? That is the only thing that concerns me. I'd LOVE to fill out the info online, send in photos from Walgreen's (or wherever) but the whole mailing of the old passport scares me. I guess that's why it is suggested using a secure form of mailing?

 

I will not need my passport until July, but then I will also need it for my September cruise as well as for some travel in December & January. So indeed I might be better off taking care of it all now!

 

It is quite safe to mail in your old passport -- using the "secure form of mailing". We sent ours in using priority mail, without any problems.

[sail7seas]

Wow! You folks are awesome! Thank you all so much for the great information.

 

Ok, so I was reading about renewing the passport, and I did not know that I had to mail in my old passport. Is that safe? That is the only thing that concerns me. I'd LOVE to fill out the info online, send in photos from Walgreen's (or wherever) but the whole mailing of the old passport scares me. I guess that's why it is suggested using a secure form of mailing?

 

I will not need my passport until July, but then I will also need it for my September cruise as well as for some travel in December & January. So indeed I might be better off taking care of it all now!

 

 

None of us like sending in our passports. ;)

Sorry, but that is what you must do.

We all worry until our new passport arrives.

 

As mentioned, your passport, for many countries, must be valid for six months past the date you enter the country so seeing what your travel plans are, I'd send it this week. Why mess around? You know you need it....get it done.

 

(We had our photos done at Walgreen's and they provided photos that were accepted by Passport Agency with no issue. They were fast, inexpensive and did what they needed to do to make the approved.)

[luvs2travl]

It is quite safe to mail in your old passport -- using the "secure form of mailing". We sent ours in using priority mail, without any problems.

 

Absolutely safe. We used Priority Mail as well. We had our new passports within 3 weeks and did not ask nor pay for, expedited service. Came back to us in the good ol' US mail with no problems.

 

We had the photos done at Walgreens, and picked up the forms at our local Post Office to fill out. Hey - once every 10 years isn't so bad.....;)!

 

Smooth Sailing!! :)

[rogerwaters]

You are all AWESOME!!! Thank you for the quick responses! Now if only all of you were on my cruise I'd have to buy you all a drink! :D

 

Thanks again! Think I am going to mail it just to save myself the time and hassle and get it taken care of now while I have no out-of-country trips planned these next several months!!!!

[granny6]

We renewed our passports, sent the old ones in with the new information. We received our new passports in less than four weeks, and a couple of days later our old passports came in seperate envelopes, priority mail.

[sealady1]

Wow! You folks are awesome! Thank you all so much for the great information.

 

Ok, so I was reading about renewing the passport, and I did not know that I had to mail in my old passport. Is that safe? That is the only thing that concerns me. I'd LOVE to fill out the info online, send in photos from Walgreen's (or wherever) but the whole mailing of the old passport scares me. I guess that's why it is suggested using a secure form of mailing?

 

I will not need my passport until July, but then I will also need it for my September cruise as well as for some travel in December & January. So indeed I might be better off taking care of it all now!

My advice to you is to go to the post office. They are experienced and knowledgeable about the correct procedure for renewing your passport. They take your photo and print out 2 in the correct size. They have all the forms and can answer any questions you have. It is completely safe to send in your old passport because it has to be signed for on the other end. The whole process takes about 3-4 weeks and costs $75 for the new passport, $15 for the photos and the cost of priority mail postage. I just recently went through this process and it went very smoothly. I, too, was very hesitant to send in my old passport but the day before I received my new one, the old one came back in the mail. It had a couple of holes punched in it but I was glad to get it back because it has sentimental value to me. There are stamps in there from a couple of overseas trips to Japan that I took. Fond memories.

I wish you the best.

Debbie

[compozer]

This was from a month ago so Wednesday they go up. Glad they told us!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

2010 Proposed Passport Fees - 30 Day Public Comment Period

 

 

Proposed New Passport Fees

 

The proposed rule for the new passport fees was published in the Federal Register on February 9, 2010 (Public Notice 6887, Federal Register, February 9, 2010, Volume 75, No. 26, beginning at page 6321). Publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register will be followed by a public comment period of at least 30 days. The public will be notified of the date the new fees will go into effect.

 

View the proposed rule and submit your comment

 

The proposed schedule of fees for passport application services is as follows:

 

Total Cost: $135 for a first-time U.S. Passport Book for adults (age 16 and over)

Total Cost: $110 for U.S. Passport Book renewal (age 16 and over only)

Total Cost: $105 for a U.S. Passport Book for minors (under age 16)

Total Cost: $55 for a first-time U.S. Passport Card for adults (age 16 and over)

Total Cost: $30 for a U.S. Passport Card for adults (age 16 and over) who currently hold a fully valid U.S. Passport

Total Cost: $40 for a U.S. Passport Card for minors (under age 16)

Total Cost: $82 for additional visa pages

The fee for expedited service will remain $60.

 

The proposed passport “Schedule of Fees” is based on a Cost of Service Study conducted in June 2009. It’s the most detailed study the Department of State has ever conducted of its for-fee services, and represents a cost correction from the last update of the Schedule of Fees four years ago.

 

Use of Passport Fees

 

Passport application fees are not only used to cover the costs of producing a U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card. Passport fees also cover the costs of providing emergency services for American citizens overseas in crisis situations, such as the current earthquake disaster in Haiti, helping Americans who have been the victims of crime while traveling or living abroad, and providing support to the families of American citizens who have died overseas.

 

Passport application fees enable us to keep up with technology and implement fraud prevention initiatives to protect the United States passport. The security features of the U.S. passport book have received high praise from document security specialists the world over. Investing in new technology to prevent passport fraud is one of our key priorities, and an ongoing initiative.

 

Passport fees fund the expansion of passport infrastructure and service, allowing us to offer more timely service to the traveling public, maintain high standards for adjudication in accordance with US citizenship laws, and provide appropriate attention to fraud vulnerabilities.

 

Over the last five years, the demand for passports has increased to an average of 15 million per year. In FY 2005, we issued 10.1 million passports; peaked at 18.4 million in FY 2007; and expect to issue over 15 million in FY 2010.

 

To increase our presence in underserved areas, the Department has undertaken a systematic expansion of the passport network, particularly in communities affected by the land border-crossing requirements associated with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

 

By the end of FY 2010, we will have 23 agencies providing emergency passport services to the general public, three high-volume application processing centers, and two large-scale document print centers.

 

Passport operations staff has doubled, growing to 3,000 positions since 2005. We added, on average, 30 new jobs at each of our public agencies in Dallas, Aurora (Denver), Detroit, and Minneapolis.

 

Value of the Passport

 

The U.S. Passport Book and U.S. Passport Card for adults are valid for ten years. Passports for minors under age 16 are valid for five years.

 

The U.S. Passport is not just used for travel anymore. It serves as proof of U.S. citizenship and identity for important purposes such as work authorization and eligibility for many Federal benefits.

[donaldsc]

Did you try typing "passport renewal" into Google, going to the very first hit, and following the really difficult instructions?

 

DON

[scottbee]

Sorry for asking dumb questions, I am trying to google information but have a few more questions:

 

1.) When I renew my passport, do they use the same picture or do I have to provide new photos?

 

2.) I see online that my local post office takes photos for passports (with an appointment), so is that the best way to get a new passport & photo (if I need a new photo) in one location?

 

3.) My passport expires in January 2011. I know I still have time to renew, but am I just better off renewing now before the rates go up this Spring? I also will be traveling in December and early January so I most likely will need a new passport before then anyway, since as I said it expires January of 2011.

 

My current passport is the only one I've ever owned, so I never went through the renewal process. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!!! :)

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+do+i+renew+my+passport&l=1

[Treven]

I just renewed mine. I used regular snail mail (both ways & standard processing) and got my new passport & card this weekend. It took 5 weeks from when I mailed in the app & old passport until I received the new one (as well as the original one back). The passport place punches a couple holes in the original one so it can't be used.

[Grannycb]

I just had an Oh No! moment. Our passports expire in August. That means we are within 6 months of expiration. Our next cruise is just over 3 weeks away. GULP! Guess I'll have to find a way to expedite the process.

[njhorseman]

I just had an Oh No! moment. Our passports expire in August. That means we are within 6 months of expiration. Our next cruise is just over 3 weeks away. GULP! Guess I'll have to find a way to expedite the process.

 

Where are you cruising to? The majority of countries only require your passport to be valid for the duration of your visit, not for 6 months after entry.

[Grannycb]

We will be going to the Bahamas first, then on a transatlantic.

[njhorseman]

We will be going to the Bahamas first, then on a transatlantic.

 

You need to check the entry requirements for the specific countries. I've heard that some cruise lines can throw a monkey wrench into the works by requiring ther passport should be valid for six months even if the countries you're visiting don't technically require it, so you might want to check with your cruise line too.

[Grannycb]

Thanks. Looks like I've got some calls to make in the morning.

[oncruisecontrol]

It is quite safe to mail in your old passport -- using the "secure form of mailing". We sent ours in using priority mail, without any problems.

 

 

Even so, it still could get lost in the mail. Unlikely, I know, but what if it actually did get lost? What then? Apply for a new passport as if I'd never, ever had one?

[Aunty Pat]

Most countries require that your passport be valid for 6 months after your scheduled departure from their country. You can check the specific requirements for the countries you’ll be visiting from this US State Department website:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html

 

In case your passport is lost, a color copy of the first 2 pages of your passport will speed up the process of getting a replacement. It is also advisable to scan and email a copy of this to yourself. This way should you lose everything you’re carrying you can retrieve it from anywhere in the world should the need arise.

 

Aunty Pat

 

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCCL - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, Westerdam ‘09 & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ’07

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Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

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Crystal – Serenity ‘09

Pending Cruises:

Oceania – Insignia, June 17, 2010