US Passport Renewal Experience

[CILCIANRQTS]

On 7/21/2024 at 3:19 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

At any time you wish.  I've had multiple passports renewed years before expiration -- all due to lack of unused visa pages.  Most recent one was only used for six years, the one before for five.  And since you can no longer get pages added after the fact, I highly recommend everyone get the book with the max pages, just to be on the safe side.

 

 

Stamps will no longer be used in the EU.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2024/08/20/european-union-entry-exit-system-passport-stamp/74872344007/#

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Stamps will no longer be used in the EU.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2024/08/20/european-union-entry-exit-system-passport-stamp/74872344007/#

 

You actually believe a government date?

 

😀

[forgap]

Our problem was USPS.  In Atlanta we have a no appointment passport facility.  I went in person with a completed renewal application and paid for priority mail.  It was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia in two days.  Instead, it sat in Atlanta for 10 days.  Once in Philadelphia it was a quick turn around.  This is why our senator launched an investigation into USPS.  Mail routinely goes missing, checks are stolen and “washed”, and some homes don’t get deliveries for weeks.  To top it off, the person who processed the application acted like she hated her job and humanity.  

[mjldvlks]

16 hours ago, forgap said:

Our problem was USPS.  In Atlanta we have a no appointment passport facility.  I went in person with a completed renewal application and paid for priority mail.  It was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia in two days.  Instead, it sat in Atlanta for 10 days.  Once in Philadelphia it was a quick turn around.  This is why our senator launched an investigation into USPS.  Mail routinely goes missing, checks are stolen and “washed”, and some homes don’t get deliveries for weeks.  To top it off, the person who processed the application acted like she hated her job and humanity.  

Obviously I can only speak to our experience. No accounting for USPS corruption in your area. We had no such problems. 
 

Not completely certain I fully understand your comments, but to be clear we completed the applications, attached the photos and packaged them together with the old passports and a check for the fee at home. I then went to the local post office and mailed the package via priority mail. We did not have any processing locally. We could have put the postage on it and mailed it from home, but I thought taking it to the post office would eliminate some handling, and make certain I had the correct postage and a valid tracking number. In our case that seemed to work because it was entered into the State Department system and my check cleared on Tuesday after mailing on Saturday (second business day after mailing). 

[forgap]

8 hours ago, mjldvlks said:

Not completely certain I fully understand your comments

I opted for the dedicated USPS passport office because I thought (foolishly) that I would avoid the delays we read about for regular mail in ATL.  I just handed over the application and fee, paid for priority mail and went on my way.  The next day and each day of the next week I tracked the package.  It just sat there.  I was going to send all my screen shots to Sen. Ossoff’s office when it finally made its way to Philadelphia.  Of course, USPS offers no refund for priority mail that doesn’t live up to its promise.  

[mjldvlks]

10 hours ago, forgap said:

I opted for the dedicated USPS passport office because I thought (foolishly) that I would avoid the delays we read about for regular mail in ATL.  I just handed over the application and fee, paid for priority mail and went on my way. . . 

OK, I understand. We’ve had pretty good experiences with our local mail so I wasn’t too worried about that. 
 

On a slight a side excursions, I remind everyone to update any accounts that require passport info, and especially your Global Entry account. Hate to get to the airport and get denied TSA pre-check because of a glitch in your account information. 

[Pcryst]

I posted my new application, old passport and check on a Thursday at the local post office by priority mail as recommended and had my new passport delivered by regular service mail 13 calendar days later.  This was 2 weeks ago. Very efficient