U.S. Passport Processing Time

[iuki]

Thought I’d share this with all of you.  Last month I sent both my husband’s and my passport renewal applications, in two different envelopes.  Both checks were processed on September 13.  My husband received his new passport September 29.  I’m still waiting for mine.  When I checked online to check the status, it showed in process.  I know their website states 7 to 12 weeks, but isn’t it interesting that both envelopes were mailed at the same time and checks cashed the same time, but not completed the same time.  There was nothing unusual about my renewal.  Anyone else experienced this?

[cruisecontrol27]

I submitted my passport renewal online on 9/16 and received it in the mail on Monday!  Not sure if I just got lucky, but upon submission I was expecting it in 7-10 weeks, not 17 days later! I did not pay for expedited processing 

Edited October 5, 2022 by cruisecontrol27

[Joseph2017China]

Remember this is a government office, so nothing will ever makes sense.

1. When the envelope is received, it is opened, logged, scanned and checks cashed.  

2. Each one is different

3. Goes into a random pool of items to be processed.

4. Employee takes an item.....from their pool, which might be different from another pool.

5. They "approve" the passport, and the info is sent to the printer plant. 

6. The other documents goes to a mail room and gets it's own life until processed (mailed). 

7. The pool of info, can be delayed because that person went on vacation, went on sick days, or is just plain slow.  Maybe it is the office location.  Maybe it is the weather.  

8. Expediated only means that once received and approved, it only than is expediated (overnight instead of 3 days)

 

[geneticsguy]

Family of 5 here. We submitted 2 renewal passports for my wife and I, and 3 new passports for my 3 kids, literally all the exact same day, at the same local office. We did not rush, as we had plenty of time.

 

* My wife's arrived after 8 weeks.

 

* My 3 kids all arrived within 1 day of each other at about 10 weeks.

 

* My passport arrived almost 12 weeks later to the day.

 

There was zero explanation for the time differences around this. The only power we had was to check the website and see it was still being processed. I would say we were notified fairly quickly that they had been received and were in processing, but there just is no timetable given, especially when not in any kind of rush, and no explanation why my wife's renewal came back 1 month prior to mine even though both of ours were literally mailed together.

[retiredgram]

This is why I am not getting ours renewed until after we return close to the end of Feb. 2023.  We have cruises in Nov., Dec., and Feb. I know Royal recommends having 6 months before passport expires, they expire Mar. 2023. No way can we take the chance new passports will be back on time.  As a precaution, we are also taking our ID, birth certificates and marriage license.

 

We have cruised long enough to know better, but time just snuck up on us. First thing we will do when we return in Feb., is to send for new passports.

 

The last couple times we did check in, I got the statement that Royal recommends 6 months before expiration. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by retiredgram

[kfnesq]

I received mine back within 5 weeks of submission, without expedited processing.  But I htought it was interesting that my old passport didn't come back right away.  I know they send it separate but I assumed a couple days later.  I received the old one back 2 weeks later!  So who knows how it all works.  

[RedSails1968]

My husband and I submitted our applications in the same envelope, one check, and received new ones in separate envelopes, on the same day about 5 weeks later.

[cruise1957]

I mailed ours August 15th. Just got notification that they shipped this week. So that makes  just over 7 weeks for us.

[iuki]

5 hours ago, geneticsguy said:

Family of 5 here. We submitted 2 renewal passports for my wife and I, and 3 new passports for my 3 kids, literally all the exact same day, at the same local office. We did not rush, as we had plenty of time.

 

* My wife's arrived after 8 weeks.

 

* My 3 kids all arrived within 1 day of each other at about 10 weeks.

 

* My passport arrived almost 12 weeks later to the day.

 

There was zero explanation for the time differences around this. The only power we had was to check the website and see it was still being processed. I would say we were notified fairly quickly that they had been received and were in processing, but there just is no timetable given, especially when not in any kind of rush, and no explanation why my wife's renewal came back 1 month prior to mine even though both of ours were literally mailed together.

My hubby apparently had an efficient employee and I didn’t.  😂. Luck of the draw for your family and us.  ☘️

[iuki]

2 hours ago, cruise1957 said:

I mailed ours August 15th. Just got notification that they shipped this week. So that makes  just over 7 weeks for us.

We weren’t even notified that my hubby’s passport was on its way.  😉

[cruise1957]

3 hours ago, iuki said:

We weren’t even notified that my hubby’s passport was on its way.  😉

There's a website where you can enter you info and it will tell you the status. Not much info, but it will let you sign up for notification when they send it out.

 

https://passportstatus.state.gov/

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, retiredgram said:

This is why I am not getting ours renewed until after we return close to the end of Feb. 2023.  We have cruises in Nov., Dec., and Feb. I know Royal recommends having 6 months before passport expires, they expire Mar. 2023. No way can we take the chance new passports will be back on time.  As a precaution, we are also taking our ID, birth certificates and marriage license.

 

We have cruised long enough to know better, but time just snuck up on us. First thing we will do when we return in Feb., is to send for new passports.

 

The last couple times we did check in, I got the statement that Royal recommends 6 months before expiration. 

As long as you are sailing out of a US port. Some people traveling overseas to board a ship sometimes forget that the airlines have different rules. And you don't want to get stuck at the airport, unable to get to your ship's embarkation city. 

[iuki]

19 hours ago, cruise1957 said:

There's a website where you can enter you info and it will tell you the status. Not much info, but it will let you sign up for notification when they send it out.

 

https://passportstatus.state.gov/

We did sign up, but were never notified that his passport was on its way.  🤷‍♀️

[jillpra]

Just got mine and my husband’s back! Took 7 weeks from mailing to receipt of it! Not expedited but was mailed priority mail to us.

 

 

[cruise1957]

20 hours ago, iuki said:

We did sign up, but were never notified that his passport was on its way.  🤷‍♀️

Gotta love government offices.

[Ret MP]

On 10/5/2022 at 12:34 AM, iuki said:

Thought I’d share this with all of you.  Last month I sent both my husband’s and my passport renewal applications, in two different envelopes.  Both checks were processed on September 13.  My husband received his new passport September 29.  I’m still waiting for mine.  When I checked online to check the status, it showed in process.  I know their website states 7 to 12 weeks, but isn’t it interesting that both envelopes were mailed at the same time and checks cashed the same time, but not completed the same time.  There was nothing unusual about my renewal.  Anyone else experienced this?

This is not a criticism, just a possibility.  And I haven't read any of the subsequent posts.  So, here goes.  Just because you mailed them on the same day, it doesn't mean that our wonderful USPS kept them together and they arrived on the same day.  I wish you a speedy receipt of your passport.

[cruise1957]

Got ours back today, mailed them on September 15th. So one day shy of 8 weeks.

[jackiel3290]

On 10/5/2022 at 1:47 PM, retiredgram said:

This is why I am not getting ours renewed until after we return close to the end of Feb. 2023.  We have cruises in Nov., Dec., and Feb. I know Royal recommends having 6 months before passport expires, they expire Mar. 2023. No way can we take the chance new passports will be back on time.  As a precaution, we are also taking our ID, birth certificates and marriage license.

 

We have cruised long enough to know better, but time just snuck up on us. First thing we will do when we return in Feb., is to send for new passports.

 

The last couple times we did check in, I got the statement that Royal recommends 6 months before expiration. 

You may not be allowed to travel out of the country with less that 6 months left on your passport.

[TeeRick]

Earlier this year I paid for expedited service and got mine back on Day 15.  It was $60 extra.  Also paid for expedited 1-2 day delivery (extra $18).    So $78 total extra, but figuring once every 10 years so a good value to me.

[Ret MP]

https://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/countries-that-require-six-months-validity-in-a-passport.html

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/18411190/passport-expiry-six-months-countries/

Edited October 9, 2022 by Ret MP

[island lady]

I am renewing mine this coming spring, during one of the only windows I have available.  It does not expire until a year later, but indeed....the river cruise we are taking next fall is requiring the 6 month minimum, which squeaks over that at the end of the trip.   They were quite explicate on that.  

[retiredgram]

13 hours ago, jackiel3290 said:

You may not be allowed to travel out of the country with less that 6 months left on your passport.

All cruises leave from US and return to same US home port. I will be taking our ID, birth certificates and marriage license in case there is a problem.  I will immediately be applying for our new passports on return in Feb. We know this is our fault, but even expedited, we would not have passports back in time.

 

We are not flying, so that will not be a problem.  Would only become problem if we had to get off ship because of illness or accident while in foreign port. Thanks for all comments and advice.

[lcpagejr]

8 hours ago, retiredgram said:

All cruises leave from US and return to same US home port. I will be taking our ID, birth certificates and marriage license in case there is a problem.  I will immediately be applying for our new passports on return in Feb. We know this is our fault, but even expedited, we would not have passports back in time.

 

We are not flying, so that will not be a problem.  Would only become problem if we had to get off ship because of illness or accident while in foreign port. Thanks for all comments and advice.

 

8 hours ago, retiredgram said:

All cruises leave from US and return to same US home port. I will be taking our ID, birth certificates and marriage license in case there is a problem.  I will immediately be applying for our new passports on return in Feb. We know this is our fault, but even expedited, we would not have passports back in time.

 

We are not flying, so that will not be a problem.  Would only become problem if we had to get off ship because of illness or accident while in foreign port. Thanks for all comments and advice.

you are 100% correct on all points. Enjoy your cruise!!

[samiam0403]

I just renewed mine - a year early - and got it back in 2 weeks! I did pay for expedited though. Between a cruise in November, a month in Paris in January, then needing a new passport for our long-term visas for France, it was worth the extra money to ensure it came quickly. The status checker on the state department website was pretty useless though - I signed up for email updates and never received one. My passport went from 'processing' to 'shipped' and then back to 'processing' with no emails.  

[amawells]

I renewed mine online as they just opened that up again, and I also got it back in two weeks, I did pay for expedited, but I thought that was very fast.