Best Way to get Passport for next cruise

[BuzzBoyMom]

I have the time to spare - so what is the best way to get a passport renewed? Mine has expired.

Yes - we've done the BCs before, but would rather have passports for this cruise and some other trips coming up.

So - what is the best (read - cheapest...I have to save money for the cruise!!) way to get a passport renewed.

AAA?
Post Office?
Other?

TIA
Karen

 

[SandraLee]

I thought you could just get a new picture and mail it into the passport office with your check. I don't think you need to go into the post office or any other place for a renewal.

 

[FLGalInTN]

I think it pretty much costs the same anywhere you go as long as you don't use one of those passport services (they are ridiculous). You'll need to do everything a minimum of 6 weeks before your departure date. Expedited passports are ex$pen$ive. You can get passport photos anywhere (I used the P.O. and it was only $10) and send your old passport, fees and paperwork in to the nearest passport office.

This site should be able to answer all your questions:

http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html

 

[momsgoofy]

BuzzBoyMom (Karen),

It depends on how outdated your old passport is for what you will need to do to get a new one.
My passport expired in 1995 and was told by the rep at the US post office and via an email reply from passport services, that I will have to submit a new application, photos, fees, certified copy of birth certificate and marriage license along with the expired passport. The fees will be the same as if I were applying for a new passport (which basically I am doing).

As for cost, there is no cheaper way to get a passport than the official way. There are cheaper ways to get the photos taken for the passports such as AAA. My DH and I are AAA plus members, so there is no cost for our photos and our children under 14 will incur no additional cost either.

You might find the website posted earlier in this thread helpful. It had load of information and if you email them as I did, a reply takes only a couple of days. I was able to download the application forms for our passports, saving a trip to the nearest US post office which does the passport applications.

Laura ºoº

 

[JJsmama]

Costs depend on the state I think, but there are no discounts. I went to the Official website and printed out the forms to renew by mail. There are certain restrictions one must meet to renew by mail. Then I had to have the passport pictures taken at a UPS store and mail them in. They said allow 8 weeks, but I got mine back in about 3 weeks.

 

[Mark_F]

Originally posted by JJsmama
Costs depend on the state I think,

Since passports are federal documents issued by the State Department, the cost does not vary by state, There are agencies who charge you for their services, but the best and always the cheapest way is to apply at a post office.

Not sure just what the fees are these days though. My passport expired sometime in the '70s.

 

[disneyholic family]

...

 

[disneyholic family]

you can renew by mail if you had a 10 year passport before and it's only been expired for less than 5 years....
(i just happened to read everything on the govt website today as i will have to renew my kids passports as soon as we get back from this trip...unfortunately, i can't renew them by mail since they only had 5 year passports)....

as someone already posted, go to



www.travel.state.gov

 

[dletz]

Costco had the cheapest passport pictures I could find (I think it was $4.95 or so) It was $15 or $16 including tax for me to get 3. Go to the website previously mentioned and it lists all the info. Also if you need to go in person it will allow you to find a place to do it.

Another thing if you have to go in person make sure you have the proper birth certificate. We just did our passports for our Repositioning cruise for next year (getting a jump start) and the 2 certified copies we have of our daughters birth certifcate were incorrect. That's what they gave us both times we got the birth certificate, but it still wasn't the correct version. So we had to go back pay another $18 for the birth certificate, then go back to the library to get the passport. Took us 3 days of running around.