questions about passport

[tarababy18]

i was wondering how long it took to get a passport processed... we're sailing on aug 14th and we were going to put them in this week... would it be better to just keep our birth certificates in our possession and use them on the ship, or should we mail them in for passports?

 

i've never gotten a passport before and i haven't left the country since i was 6 months, other than going to canada...

 

thanks in advanced :)

[JnM]

You should be fine. I was told 6 weeks. Got mine in 2 weeks. You don't need your birth certificate for passports. Just go to the main post office with other ID, SS card, money, and 2 passport sized photos (Sears can do this).

[dms_cruisers04]

You need your birth certificate, you have to send it with the application.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html

[WazAnOkie]

dms_cruisers04 beat me to it. I was copying the same link, you do need a birth certificate (except for a few exceptions....)

 

Some friends we are travelling with recently applied and got theirs back in 3 weeks. They turned in their application at our local Post Office.

[JnM]

Sorry bout that. Guess rules have changed.

[AppleValleyCruisers]

A word of warning though. I would highly, highly suggest that you have two certified copies of your Birth Certificate on-hand. They take one certified copy of your birth certificate and submit it with your application (to the Dept. of State). You'll get it back with your actual passport.

 

Hedge your bets on this one:)

[PlanningToCruise]

You should be fine. I was told 6 weeks. Got mine in 2 weeks. You don't need your birth certificate for passports. Just go to the main post office with other ID, SS card, money, and 2 passport sized photos (Sears can do this).

I got mine in the mail yesterday, it took 3 wks, it was a renewal.

[twostacys]

I agree with all the above. I had mine renewed and it took 3-4 weeks and DH just applied for his. USPS told him they were running about 6 weeks right now.

[cruising3times]

My son just applied for a new passport at the post office, they said they are running six weeks now. some post office branches even take passport photos. we were also told that they are supposed to send the birth certificates back though that does not always happen. my son even had to send his birth certificate in with the app even with his other passport but because he was under a certain age when he got that passport it is like applying for a whole new passport rather than just a renewal.

[Gabsabunch42]

A word of warning though. I would highly, highly suggest that you have two certified copies of your Birth Certificate on-hand. They take one certified copy of your birth certificate and submit it with your application (to the Dept. of State). You'll get it back with your actual passport.

 

Hedge your bets on this one:)

 

Oh my goodness. There is no way I am sending my only certified copy through the mail for the passport:eek:

 

OK. Is this right: It looks like passports are a little under $100 each? But I would get the spare birth certificate certified copies first. It looks like these run about $20. I am looking at $500 for our family of 4. Hmmm maybe I will wait til our next cruise.

[AppleValleyCruisers]

Oh my goodness. There is no way I am sending my only certified copy through the mail for the passport:eek:

 

OK. Is this right: It looks like passports are a little under $100 each? But I would get the spare birth certificate certified copies first. It looks like these run about $20. I am looking at $500 for our family of 4. Hmmm maybe I will wait til our next cruise.

 

Unfortunately, they get you coming and going:( . Maybe do one or two at a time? The other thing to consider, and this is just a thought that I've heard, is that they may go up in $ when they start making them "smart" with a microchip embedded in the passport

[L2J]

Oh my goodness. There is no way I am sending my only certified copy through the mail for the passport:eek:

 

OK. Is this right: It looks like passports are a little under $100 each? But I would get the spare birth certificate certified copies first. It looks like these run about $20. I am looking at $500 for our family of 4. Hmmm maybe I will wait til our next cruise.

 

What are you worried about...they do return them. If you want a passport you have no choice but to send it.

[dms_cruisers04]

Gabs, save yourself the extra hundred and don't worry about the extra BCs. You've got lots of time to get your passports back.

 

Tara, if I were in your position I would just go with the BCs this time. Or get extras before you apply.

[HeidiHo]

I got extra copies of our BC's before applying for the passsports. I just figured we should have the extra copies anyway. That way, we wouldn't be without BC's while the passports were on order just in case we needed them at home for something else. Now we will keep one set of BC's at home and one in the safety deposit box. BTW, my passport took 12 days back in April. My kids took 3 weeks in late May/early June.

[AppleValleyCruisers]

dms_cruisers04 beat me to it. I was copying the same link, you do need a birth certificate (except for a few exceptions....)

 

Some friends we are travelling with recently applied and got theirs back in 3 weeks. They turned in their application at our local Post Office.

 

I am guessing they went "expedited" at an extra $60 per application?

 

As a frame of reference- We applied for ours on 6/16, and they cashed the check on the 27th. Not that I think this has any thing to do with when we will actually receive them (or does it?), but it is nice to know they are at least starting to do something with the application.

 

PS Walgreen's does PP photo's for $7.50 pp for the two you'll need to submit with the application (at least in MN) Walmart was quoting around $10.95 or $11.95.

[HeidiHo]

PS Walgreen's does PP photo's for $7.50 pp for the two you'll need to submit with the application (at least in MN) Walmart was quoting around $10.95 or $11.95.

 

Those are the same prices at the same stores here in the NW suburbs of Chicago.

[dms_cruisers04]

Those are the same prices at the same stores here in the NW suburbs of Chicago.

AAA does freebies if you're a member.

[MyImagination]

AAA does freebies if you're a member.

 

Depends on the Club in your area. Some charge a fee even if you are a Plus member.

[Gabsabunch42]

What are you worried about...they do return them. If you want a passport you have no choice but to send it.

 

I am worried that I would not get the passport back in time. It is in September. True it is a couple of months away, but I would be afraid to take the chance at this point of having neither a passport or birth certificate when I leave!

 

No biggie, will hold off until we decide to cruise again.

[KruznKel]

I am worried that I would not get the passport back in time. It is in September. True it is a couple of months away, but I would be afraid to take the chance at this point of having neither a passport or birth certificate when I leave!

 

No biggie, will hold off until we decide to cruise again.

Do cities in the states not have passport offices?? We went to the office didn't have to give our b/c's paid the money and our passports were sent.. mine in 7 business days and the SO's in 12 business days..

[VALENTINE CRUISER]

my wife got hers in 4 weeks, she applied in early april. i got mine in 6 weeks, and i applied about a week after her

[Gabsabunch42]

Do cities in the states not have passport offices?? We went to the office didn't have to give our b/c's paid the money and our passports were sent.. mine in 7 business days and the SO's in 12 business days..

 

They do it at one of the post office here, but it is quite far and the hours are during the hours I work, so not real convenient. I would have to take off work, go home get family together, go over there, do all the paperwork, etc. Its just kind of a hassle. It still says 6 weeks or so, so I would have to do that asap for this cruise. I will just settle with my birth certificate and marraige license for this cruise.

[KruznKel]

They do it at one of the post office here, but it is quite far and the hours are during the hours I work, so not real convenient. I would have to take off work, go home get family together, go over there, do all the paperwork, etc. Its just kind of a hassle. It still says 6 weeks or so, so I would have to do that asap for this cruise. I will just settle with my birth certificate and marraige license for this cruise.

yes understandable.. but if you do have a day off take the family and get er done LOL... b/c's are allowed until the end of the year until or if this legislation is put through.. I did all my paperwork so to speak online.. unsure if the states offer that.. but we filled out our passports online printed them out.. it took me all of 10mins to get done when I went to the office...:)

[lws37]

If you go to the link below, you can fill out and print your application at home and save some time when going to the Post Office or Passport Site. This is the official travel.state.gov site (must have Adobe Acrobat loaded). Also, if you have a digital camera and color inkjet or laser printer you can print out your own 2x2 pics. Saves alot of time. I just received my passport Monday and Post Office sent it in on 5/27/05. Just over 4 weeks.

 

https://169.253.2.50/DS11/MainDS11.aspx

[arby70]

We applied for our passports the end of May and got them in 3 weeks. Our passport office was the Seattle branch. We went to our local clerk of courts office to apply and we did have to send a certified (raised seal) copy of our birth certificates with the application. We got that back with our passports which are sent directly to your home. I would not send my only copy of our certified birth certificates off now either; I would wait until later when I didn't have such a tight timeline. We don't sale until mid-October, so I felt very certain that we would get our passports back well before our sail time. It might be easier on the pocketbook to gradually get all your passports. Ours were $97.00 each and our photos were $10.95 for each of us too. All together it's well over the $100. The good news is that they are good for 10 years, so it's really not priced too badly. I would start getting the passports though as soon as you get back from your trip, because I think the passport offices will be inundated with applications due to the new regulations and laws starting at the end of this year. It may take many months to get them, so plan accordingly if you plan a trip outside the country next year. Have fun!:)