Get off the fence about a passport renewal

[flagger]

New fees go into effect as of July 13th. This represents a $35 rise in the current price.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_5079.html

[BethV114]

New fees go into effect as of July 13th. This represents a $35 rise in the current price.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_5079.html

 

 

Thanks for the info. We know we need to get DD a passport for our Allure sailing in December (she's currently 10 months old). We got her photos done yesterday, but now that we know the fee is going up soon, we're definitely going to try to get an appointment at the post office to have it done next week!:eek:

[jjb415]

Thanks for posting, I am surprised to see that getting extra pages is going from free to $82. I am sure that this post will save some people lots of money !! :)

[mommabean]

This is nice to know. I wasn't due until Nov of this year but due to too many travel plans, I got it done a few weeks ago. I felt like I was wasting 4 or 5 months of my passport by renewing early but now I know it worked out for the best.

 

I got one of those nice little passport cards, too. I'm going to carry it with me when I go off the ship as my photo ID just in case I get left behind. :eek:

 

It felt weird to think how old I'm going to be the next time I have to renew my passport. :(

 

Wow! I save $45 by renewing early. :eek:

 

Gina

[Trainman-2]

I have never understood why so many people avoid getting a Passport. :eek:

[BethV114]

 

I got one of those nice little passport cards, too. I'm going to carry it with me when I go off the ship as my photo ID just in case I get left behind. :eek:

 

 

Since it's only $10 more to get the passport card at the same time as the book, we'll be requesting this when we go next week to apply for DD's passport. I feel like DH and I always take our driver's licenses of the ship with us so we can have some form of photo ID without risking losing our passports, so this way DD can have a photo ID, as well. Just in case. You never know what could happen, right?:eek:

[TPKeller]

FYI, Here is a link to the page with the old fees:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html

 

Here's something to consider:

 

If you are near the end of your current passport validity, you may save a little money in the short term by renewing early (right now) at the old fee. However, since you have no way to know what the fees will be in 10 years, you may not save money in the long term.

 

It appears that 3 years left is about the magic cutoff, that's where it becomes a wash.

 

Examples:

 

If your passport expires in 1 year:

 

Renew now: Cost $75, $7.50 per year, but only 9 new, so $8.33 for each new year.

Renew in a year: Cost $110, $11 per year, all 10 new, so $11 for each.

Total of 11 years until next expiration, $10 per year until next renewal.

 

If your passport expires in 2 years:

 

Renew now: Cost $75, $7.50 per year, but only 8 new, so $9.38 for each new year.

Renew in 2 years: Cost $110, $11 per year, all 10 new, so $11 for each.

Total of 12 years until next expiration, $9.17 per year until next renewal.

 

But for 3 years:

 

Renew now: Cost $75, $7.50 per year, but only 7 new, so $10.71 for each new year.

Renew in 3 years: Cost $110, $11 per year, all 10 new, so $11 for each.

Total of 13 years until next expiration, $8.46 per year until next renewal.

 

 

So... for what its worth, if your passport expires in less than 2 or 3 years, it may be worthwhile to go ahead and renew it early, before the fees go up in a couple weeks.

 

I know this is confusing... I hesitate to even post it... but for what its worth... if you like to toss numbers around, you should be amused for a few minutes. :)

 

Theron

[mommabean]

Since it's only $10 more to get the passport card at the same time as the book, we'll be requesting this when we go next week to apply for DD's passport. I feel like DH and I always take our driver's licenses of the ship with us so we can have some form of photo ID without risking losing our passports, so this way DD can have a photo ID, as well. Just in case. You never know what could happen, right?:eek:

 

This is just how I looked at it. And $10 for the convenient card - good deal. A dollar a year. :)

 

Gina

[TPKeller]

Since it's only $10 more to get the passport card at the same time as the book, we'll be requesting this when we go next week to apply for DD's passport. I feel like DH and I always take our driver's licenses of the ship with us so we can have some form of photo ID without risking losing our passports, so this way DD can have a photo ID, as well. Just in case. You never know what could happen, right?:eek:

Where do you see that it is only $10 more? All the pages I see for current fees seem to say it's $20 more. $95, instead of $75.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html

 

Theron

[mommabean]

Where do you see that it is only $10 more? All the pages I see for current fees seem to say it's $20 more. $95, instead of $75.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html

 

Theron

 

I thought that's what it was, too. It appears you are right....it's $10 LESS then it will be on July 13. :o It IS $10 more for a card for a minor.

 

(All those charts...it's like trying to read an RCI C&A chart. :) )

 

Gina

[TPKeller]

I thought that's what it was, too. It appears you are right....it's $10 LESS then it will be on July 13. :o It IS $10 more for a card for a minor.

 

(All those charts...it's like trying to read an RCI C&A chart. :) )

 

Gina

Ah, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something! :)

 

Theron

[EVALUATOR]

I have never understood why so many people avoid getting a Passport. :eek:

 

I think this is a great post for those planning on getting a passport.

 

However, once the price increases go into effect, the argument against getting passports could be much stronger.

 

A family of 4 without passports would need to fork over $540.00 for passports if they didn't have them. And if they were going on a cruise that did not need them, that is a lot of money.

[mommabean]

Ah, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something! :)

 

Theron

 

Actually I was the one who was wrong initially. I thought I was paying $1 a year for use of the PP card. OK, so it's $2 a year. :)

 

Gina

[bplazo]

I have never understood why so many people avoid getting a Passport. :eek:

 

I kept putting off getting my passport because I hate getting my picture taken. Finally got my passport a few months ago and now I just need to go somewhere and use it.

[Cindy]

New fees go into effect as of July 13th. This represents a $35 rise in the current price.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_5079.html

 

Well, I'm glad I got ours in the mail last week!:) DH's will expire in December, so it had to be done. I had another 18 months on mine, but I decided to go ahead and renew before the increase, and to get us on the same renewal schedule. I opted to get the Passport Cards as well...they seem like a good thing to take off the ship as photo I.D.

[NCMtnBoys]

Well, I'm glad I got ours in the mail last week!:) DH's will expire in December, so it had to be done. I had another 18 months on mine, but I decided to go ahead and renew before the increase, and to get us on the same renewal schedule. I opted to get the Passport Cards as well...they seem like a good thing to take off the ship as photo I.D.

 

I sent off for mine a week before you did, now waiting for it to arrive. Did not know about the $35 increase back then, but mine expired in February and I need it for an upcoming September Baltic cruise. Wanted to wait as long as possible to renew to make it valid as far in the future as possible. I would venture to guess that when I need to renew it again in 10 years, the fees will have gone up yet again.

[bluegirlum]

I kept putting off getting my passport because I hate getting my picture taken. Finally got my passport a few months ago and now I just need to go somewhere and use it.

 

Are you serious? That's why you didn't get a passport?

 

I have had a passport my whole life, and naively thought everyone else did too until I came on here. I understand the issue of it being expensive, but vanity? Really? I hate having my picture taken too, but wouldn't allow that to keep me from going off to France on short notice! ;)

 

And actually, I don't really understand the cost argument. It's good for 10 years and if you can afford to go on a cruise, I would think that having a passport and the protections and freedoms it allows you is well worth more than $110. If I couldn't afford a passport, I wouldn't allow myself to go on a trip that would potentially require one. That just seems silly to me. Why risk it?

[GottaLuvCruising]

I appreciate notice of the increase! Ours expire next year, so I'm going to go ahead with renewals now.

[harrodsfan]

Thanks for posting, I am surprised to see that getting extra pages is going from free to $82. I am sure that this post will save some people lots of money !! :)

 

That is ridiculous....Glad I just got mine renewed..

[TPKeller]

Thanks for posting, I am surprised to see that getting extra pages is going from free to $82. I am sure that this post will save some people lots of money !! :)

That is ridiculous....Glad I just got mine renewed..

Taking the "if you can afford to cruise, you can afford to get a passport" analogy to a whole new level....

 

If you travel internationally often enough to fill up the 14 pages for stamps, then you probably don't have a problem forking over the $82 for extra pages for even more stamps... :)

 

I'm just saying...

 

Theron

[Maybaybie10]

I think this is a great post for those planning on getting a passport.

 

However, once the price increases go into effect, the argument against getting passports could be much stronger.

 

A family of 4 without passports would need to fork over $540.00 for passports if they didn't have them. And if they were going on a cruise that did not need them, that is a lot of money.

 

Yes- we are in the same boat (pun intended). My whole family of 4 needs passports for our cruise next May and there is no way I can come up with $400 before July 13th, so I guess I'll be one of the ones shelling out $540 down the road. We are technically on a closed loop cruise, but I just feel that we should have passports incase the unthinkable does happen. You just never know. Bummer. :(

[Jimnbigd]

I'm uncomfortable with the current procedure for renewing a USA passport. I have to mail in my current valid passport to renew it. This means there is a period of 4 to 6 weeks when I don't have a passport. There has to be another way, but I know of none. Is there a way you renew but still have a passport in your possession?

[hawkfish]

I'm uncomfortable with the current procedure for renewing a USA passport. I have to mail in my current valid passport to renew it. This means there is a period of 4 to 6 weeks when I don't have a passport. There has to be another way, but I know of none. Is there a way you renew but still have a passport in your possession?

 

Nope - they have to 'decommission' your old one. You do get it back, though. Just be advised it comes under separate cover from your new passport.

 

And as far as the stamps/extra pages go, I've been hard pressed to get stamps lately. Everywhere I've been in the last 5 years has just scanned my book - no stamp given/required. :(

[TPKeller]

I'm uncomfortable with the current procedure for renewing a USA passport. I have to mail in my current valid passport to renew it. This means there is a period of 4 to 6 weeks when I don't have a passport. There has to be another way, but I know of none. Is there a way you renew but still have a passport in your possession?

 

Nope - they have to 'decommission' your old one. You do get it back, though. Just be advised it comes under separate cover from your new passport.

This raises an interesting question. Out of all the millions of passport holders, there must be a few who require frequent and constant use of their passports. How are these exceptions handled?

 

Theron

[akcruz]

There are passport offices in many of the major cities that can get you a passport in a day. You do, of course, have to go stand in line with all of your documents. I believe there are offices in Philadelphia and New York. Know of someone who just recently went through the process in NY, not difficult, just time consuming, but it does allow you to keep an active one in your possession.