Another one of those ESTA/Passport questions ....

[2Tiggies]

I need to apply for new ESTAs before our September trip. I was looking at DD's passport and it is up for renewal next July. I know that they will give you another 9 months on a passport if you renew it early so effectively, if I left it to July I would lose 3 months over the 5 year period for which this renewal would be valid.

Would you just get it done a year early and get the ESTA's when it comes back?

If I do our ESTAs on her current passport she will get one trip out of it. If I renew the passport early, we will get 2 trips and maybe even a third one squeezed in on this ESTA.

My passport still has a few years on it so it doesn't factor into this equation. I suppose in the grand scheme of things it makes little difference, but since I was thinking about it, I just wondered what my fellow DISers would do.

 

[wayneg]

You need a crystal ball to know if you will lose an extra trip from the 3 months loss of passport.
Will the passport rise in price if you delay buying?

Like you say it probably makes little difference.

 

[scottishgirl87]

Personally, I think I probably would for the sake of losing 3 months.

1. Means you won't have to pay another $14 next year
2. I like to keep our ESTAs on the same dates, as otherwise I'd probably forget one was up for renewal and one wasn't

Something I'll need to do myself for next year as ours run out this September as we got in just before the charge came in. Plus I've just remembered that boyfriends passport runs out next year as well!

 

[Disneymad]

2. I like to keep our ESTAs on the same dates, as otherwise I'd probably forget one was up for renewal and one wasn't

I think this is the thing that would tip me over the edge and renew the passport.

Your DD's esta will be out of sync with yours - I'm a bit OCD about that sort of thing so I'd want them all to be the same.

 

[2Tiggies]

Hmm, you all raise a good point. I know that if I renew the passport now, we will get at least 2 trips out of the next ESTA with the possibility of a third one as well. I think I am just going to renew it and then get our ESTAs together and know that we will still get this year as well as a 2013 and probably a 2014 from this next ESTA application.

Thanks all

 

[flortlebap]

I would absolutely renew now, just so you don't end up in my position.

I still don't have my passport in my hand due to 4 failed check & send applications (including because my forehead was 1mm too short, lol) and had to drive 3 hours to the nearest passport office to make a fast track appointment in time for getting the ESTAs.

Check the ticker for when we leave - I am about to have a nervous breakdown, lol

 

[Elise79]

The loss of the 3 months off the passport would cost you £2.45! Which is a lot less than a new ESTA

I would renew now so your ESTA expire together - I actually chopped a year off of DH's passport as I couldn't cope with it expiring at a different time to mine.

 

[2Tiggies]

(including because my forehead was 1mm too short, lol)

Please forgive me for what I am about to do .....


.......

Do these government officials not realize that we shrink as we get older?

The loss of the 3 months off the passport would cost you £2.45! Which is a lot less than a new ESTA

I would renew now so your ESTA expire together - I actually chopped a year off of DH's passport as I couldn't cope with it expiring at a different time to mine.

Thank you x

I knew there was a calculated figure in there somewhere but haven't had the inclination to sit and work it out

I will get the forms. It's not that expensive to renew a child passport anyway and if I do this one now, her next one will be an adult one (unless anything changes) which will then give the usual 10 years

 

[Elise79]

Thank you x

I knew there was a calculated figure in there somewhere but haven't had the inclination to sit and work it out

I will get the forms. It's not that expensive to renew a child passport anyway and if I do this one now, her next one will be an adult one (unless anything changes) which will then give the usual 10 years

No problem its in my nature to know the 'cost' of something

 

[zippy99]

Odd thing - we have actually all got staggered passport expiry dates - does not bother me in the slightest ..... Why?????

Because I remember my Sister in law who has 6 children (I know scary!!) all 6 had to renew at the sametime - it cost her just under £300 - they were only going to a holiday camp in France and the passport renewal cost was over half what they had paid for their caravan/lodge!!

I suppose with ESTAs though -OCD can be forgiven as they are not quite so expensive!

 

[2Tiggies]

Odd thing - we have actually all got staggered passport expiry dates - does not bother me in the slightest ..... Why?????

Because I remember my Sister in law who has 6 children (I know scary!!) all 6 had to renew at the sametime - it cost her just under £300 - they were only going to a holiday camp in France and the passport renewal cost was over half what they had paid for their caravan/lodge!!

I suppose with ESTAs though -OCD can be forgiven as they are not quite so expensive!

I'm not the least bit worried about staggered passport dates as my DD had to get a passport when she was 10 days old and there was no way I was renewing mine with about 8 years on it at the time.

It's the ESTAs I was thinking of. Now they aren't expensive at all and I acknowledge that but I was looking for info on all aspects, practicality as well as budget savvy and as always, you guys have been great

 

[zippy99]

I was only adding humour to the subject as I remember my sister in law was dumbfounded at the cost!

all our ESTAs expire at the same time (10 days after we arrive) and thanks to the great guys on here we realise they only need to be valid for entry - not the full trip!

 

[tinkerpea]

I would absolutely renew now, just so you don't end up in my position.

I still don't have my passport in my hand due to 4 failed check & send applications (including because my forehead was 1mm too short, lol) and had to drive 3 hours to the nearest passport office to make a fast track appointment in time for getting the ESTAs.

Check the ticker for when we leave - I am about to have a nervous breakdown, lol[/QUOTE

I have had to drive to the passport office 3 times in the last 6 years
Ive only been driving for 4 years and so it was my poor mum who had to drive me from Newquay Cornwall to Newport TWICE!! she needless to say was
Im one of those people who leave everything to the last minute although i have to say since being on DIS BOARDS my ADRs etc are planned at the exact time i can do them along with alot of other stuff.....
1st time my passport had run out and i sent it off 4 wks before my holiday well that would be ok but Im adopted and my Bio dad is American so that doesnt make getting my passport that easy it got sent back 1 wk before we flew REJECTED OOPS i had a whole bunch of i told you SO's on the god knows how many hour round trip,we had to wait and do fast track same day!

2nd time it was my sons and i had forgotten until yep you guessed it 2 wks before to check the passports and his was ER out of date woops que mum please drive me to Newport again

3rd time I had booked My ticket in my married name and i was getting married out in Disney I didnt realise that i could of taken my marriage licence etc so i drove to get it done again! .......

You would think i had learnt my lesson but i havent due to the stres of everything that is going on with my illness and surgery etc "ok thats what im allowing myself to put it down to" I booked my sons ticket in his name that he had when he was born and not the name he goes by now which is my DH....Dh is in the RAF and when i gave birth wasnt there due to being on deployment well your not allowed to put the dad on the birth certificate if your not married unless he is with you when its done!! and I was also told (i was only 17 and had no clue this was wrong) that he could only take my name!! not his dads!! well we have since slowly gotten round to having his birth certificate changed to add his new name and DH details( sooo frustrating being married to a forces person at times) but we are still waiting on the certificate ARGH and our son has gone by our family name for the last few yrs now since he changed schools so I forgot when booking (like i said i blame stress) that we had not had his passport changed!

Anyways that was a bit of a long winded post I hope you get your soon nothing worse then the thought that it wont come in time!