Some Passport Changes Feb 1st

[cruisingnewyorkers]

:) I process passports at work and have been notified by the State Department that there will be some changes effective February 1st. All the forms will be different, I haven't seen the new forms to know what the changes are.

Here's what I do know:

 

1. Children 15 and under will need both parents with them, currently it is 13 and under. Only people 16 and over will sign their application.

 

2. Prices are going up a little $3.00 for an adult passport. I think the same for children, with the pricing I have seen I think renewals might go up to $75.00

 

3. Starting February 1st, you can apply for a passport card for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Caribbean. Prices Adults $45.00, Children $35.00. You cannot use it for air travel. There is information about this on the State Department's web site http://www.travel.state.gov

 

4. You can apply for both a passport and a passport card, price will be $120.00 for adults.

 

5. The cards will be sent sometime in the spring, you cannot expedite the cards currently.

 

This is all the information I have right now, also I won't be at work next week, I will be on the Jewel. I will try to keep you informed when I get back.

 

Donna

[tameka94]

Thank you for sharing this info. I am getting married on a cruise to Bermuda and this may help some of my guests.

[pmshirl]

Alos the processing fees from the Post Office are going Down, to $25.00.

If you currently have a valid passport , you can apply for the Passcard for $20.00. They will be available in March 2008.

[Rancher Dave]

I saw the news article on the Passport cards...though about it a bit and decided it is just as easy to carry the passport with me.

 

Poor lady at check-in on last cruise...I have one of the really old passports that expires in June so it is now in for refurbishment. Waiting to see how quickly expedited service will work. It was received at the national center on Thursday night so My hope is to have it back around the first of Feb since expedited is promised to be processed in 3 business days, of which there are only 4 next week and a week for mail back.

[GeckoGirl]

I have one of the really old passports that expires in June so it is now in for refurbishment. Waiting to see how quickly expedited service will work. .

 

Mine expires in June also, I was planning on renewing it around April, figured 2 months should be good, but I noticed you are renewing now, is it better to renew this early?

[cot427]

When we were completing the info for the passport applications, I saw that for the 15 and under, it is only valid for 5 years, and only a little cheaper. If you are 16+ it is valid for 10 years, and only about 15 more dollars (around that). I turn 16 in april, so I'm just going to wait, because it will be valid longer, and I can do it myself.

[willysgrandma]

The real question is whether the cruiselines will acccept the passcards in lieu of a passport as i.d.

 

The passcard is a good option for kids - since a passport is only good for 5 years for young kids, the lowe price of the pass card is a good alternative for kids. As a TA, I see more parents balking at getting passports for kids because of the cost!

 

Bu then they balk at getting a passport for themselves as well.

[Antonia]

My travel agent said that for our cruise we do not have to have a passport. Just birth certif and drivers license. We are going in May and leaving and returning from a US port so it is not necessary YET. She said that the deadline for needing passports was extended until the end of summer 2008. She also double checked with RCCL. This is probably the only time we would ever need them. I'm 47 and I haven't needed one yet. So I hate to invest in one for this one cruise. If I decide I love cruising, then I'll get one. We will likely never fly overseas.

[chel6684]

My daughter and I received our passports today. It took us 3 weeks to receive. I was so suprised today when I opened the mail and there they were. Originally, I was told by the post office that it would take 6 to 8 weeks.

[Rayefan]

My son sent his passport application in at the local post office on Tuesday, January 8th.... I KID YOU NOT, but yesterday we got it in the mail.... Only 9 days from start to finish. I did not pay extra to get it that fast... just the normal 30.00 postal fee and 68.00 for the passport. The total was $98.05. (not sure what the .05 over was for)... I gave him my debit card so, I know this to be true... We were Floored! We are in Utah and the passport came from So. Carolina.... I don't know if the postal office put his application in with someone else's rush request or not but, WOW!

 

Now a question... My 22 yr old daughter has an 18 month old son. She is wanting to get his passport real soon. My question is that we know that both parents have to sign the application but, what if the father's name is NOT on the birth certificate? It seems simple 'cuz there is no birth fathers name, so she should be fine, but I just thought I would ask.....

 

Thanks

[Rancher Dave]

Mine expires in June also, I was planning on renewing it around April, figured 2 months should be good, but I noticed you are renewing now, is it better to renew this early?

 

 

I am on a March cruise and since any other place I may go requies at least six months of validiy past travel dates. I may have to go to China or Isreal for a meeting in the next few months so I need to have a passport ready to go.

[GeckoGirl]

I am on a March cruise and since any other place I may go requies at least six months of validiy past travel dates. I may have to go to China or Isreal for a meeting in the next few months so I need to have a passport ready to go.

 

 

OK Thanks, that makes perfect sense. My next cruise is not till Sept so I will be fine waiting till April to renew.

[Ranger]

Now a question... My 22 yr old daughter has an 18 month old son. She is wanting to get his passport real soon. My question is that we know that both parents have to sign the application but, what if the father's name is NOT on the birth certificate? It seems simple 'cuz there is no birth fathers name, so she should be fine, but I just thought I would ask.....

 

Thanks

 

Our daughter just did this, passport rules state that if only one name is on the birth certificate, you don't need anything else. I had her print the rule and take it with her.... she had no problem getting her daughters passport.

[pmshirl]

My son sent his passport application in at the local post office on Tuesday, January 8th.... I KID YOU NOT, but yesterday we got it in the mail.... Only 9 days from start to finish. I did not pay extra to get it that fast... just the normal 30.00 postal fee and 68.00 for the passport. The total was $98.05. (not sure what the .05 over was for)...

Thanks[/quote

 

Most likely your son had to purchase a money order to send with the Passport Application, The money order of $68.00 plus $1.00 fee, along with the $30.00 processing fee totals $98.05.

 

Also your daughter will be fine with a one parent Birth certficate for her child. If only one parents name is listed, that is the parent that need to present with the child.

 

Thanks

The processing fee is going down to $25.00 starting Feb 1, 2008.

 

Most likely your son had to purchase a money order to send with the Passport Application, The

Also your daughter will be fine with a one parent Birth certficate for her child. If only one parents name is listed, that is the parent that need to present with the child.

[pmshirl]

Boy did that post get messed up!

[cruisingnewyorkers]

just a reminder passport fees are changing tomorrow, Renewals are going to be $75.00 instead of $67.00 and the PO box to which the application is mailed has changed, so if you are renewing be sure to check http://www.travel.state.gov for the most current information. If you also want the card you will have to use the new application, if not you can still use the old application

 

Also, tomorrow you can start applying for the passport card instead or in addition to the passport book. The card will be in production sometime in the spring.

 

any questions, I will try to answer them

 

donna

[nyc gal]

is my passport sufficient to travel with eventhough it expires in june 2008. my travel date is 4-16-08 on fos. the reason i ask is some passport websites indicate that the passport shold have at least 6 months travel time from the date of travel

[pmshirl]

just a reminder passport fees are changing tomorrow, Renewals are going to be $75.00 instead of $67.00 and the PO box to which the application is mailed has changed, so if you are renewing be sure to check www.travel.state.gov for the most current information. If you also want the card you will have to use the new application, if not you can still use the old application

 

Also, tomorrow you can start applying for the passport card instead or in addition to the passport book. The card will be in production sometime in the spring.

 

any questions, I will try to answer them

 

donna

I also process passports and we were told the OLD application forms CAN NOT be used after Feb 1st. The new forms are available online!

[SLH]

My son sent his passport application in at the local post office on Tuesday, January 8th.... I KID YOU NOT, but yesterday we got it in the mail.... Only 9 days from start to finish. I did not pay extra to get it that fast... just the normal 30.00 postal fee and 68.00 for the passport. The total was $98.05. (not sure what the .05 over was for)... I gave him my debit card so, I know this to be true... We were Floored! We are in Utah and the passport came from So. Carolina.... I don't know if the postal office put his application in with someone else's rush request or not but, WOW!

 

Now a question... My 22 yr old daughter has an 18 month old son. She is wanting to get his passport real soon. My question is that we know that both parents have to sign the application but, what if the father's name is NOT on the birth certificate? It seems simple 'cuz there is no birth fathers name, so she should be fine, but I just thought I would ask.....

 

Thanks

If the father's name is not on the birth certificate then he has no part in the process.

[Merion_Mom]

:) I process passports at work and have been notified by the State Department that there will be some changes effective February 1st. All the forms will be different, I haven't seen the new forms to know what the changes are.

Here's what I do know:

 

1. Children 15 and under will need both parents with them, currently it is 13 and under. Only people 16 and over will sign their application.

 

2. Prices are going up a little $3.00 for an adult passport. I think the same for children, with the pricing I have seen I think renewals might go up to $75.00

 

3. Starting February 1st, you can apply for a passport card for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Caribbean. Prices Adults $45.00, Children $35.00. You cannot use it for air travel. There is information about this on the State Department's web site http://www.travel.state.gov

 

4. You can apply for both a passport and a passport card, price will be $120.00 for adults.

 

5. The cards will be sent sometime in the spring, you cannot expedite the cards currently.

 

This is all the information I have right now, also I won't be at work next week, I will be on the Jewel. I will try to keep you informed when I get back.

 

Donna

I'm so jealous. (why did you even bother going home?!?!?;))

 

(My renewal application is in the mail already thanks to you, Donna! :))