Got passports in record time...

[starry_solo]

Aren't there multiple passport offices and where the passport application is sent is dependent on where you live?

 

[owensjro]

Still waiting on mine. 6 weeks since it went into "In Process" now. 2 weeks since my wife received hers. Submitted at the same time, but clearly went to two different people...one who is much faster at processing Tried to get it expedited but it's been over a week and no confirmation they "accepted" my request to expedite. It was supposed to be reviewed within 72 hours of the request.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We sent our passports away for renewal exactly 4 weeks ago, and just got them back today! With all the horror stories I have heard on delays, I had already written off checking in for our cruise using passports and had gotten the birth certificates and drivers licenses all ready to go.

Our check-in is midnight tomorrow...one day to spare!

We did pay the expedited service and the prepaid express return shipping, so for anyone needing to renew, hopefully this is a sign that the extended waits are over.

Same story. Got my daughters renewal back in 5 weeks with expedited processing and paying for overnight return delivery. I listed our trip as oct 9 to Mexico which was true until we decided to cancel because of Covid. The passport agency website was a way to track that they received it and t is being processed. Although it still said in process the day we got it back.

 

[squirk]

Just got mine back. I think I put them in regular First-Class mail on July 3rd. So about 7 weeks, door-to-door, non-expedited. Still waiting on the return of the birth certificate and the hole-punched old passport. Like many of you, I never received any e-mail notification of any kind as to the status of my app.

I sent in my wife's at exactly the same time, and hers is still "in process." I'd been hopeful that ours would land with the same processor, who would crank both of them out one right after the other. But I guess it was a little foolish to think that in a huge mail drop, ours would have somehow been kept together.

 

[Kestryl]

Soliciting opinions- I’m up for a renewal in June 2022, so figured I should just renew now. Probably won’t have any international travel plans til March 2022 at the earliest.

Would expedited be overkill? 18 weeks from now is end of December, but these long lead times make me nervous.

 

[squirk]

Soliciting opinions- I’m up for a renewal in June 2022, so figured I should just renew now. Probably won’t have any international travel plans til March 2022 at the earliest.

Would expedited be overkill? 18 weeks from now is end of December, but these long lead times make me nervous.

“Overkill” is a subjective term. If the extra $60 gives you peace of mind, and you can spare the money, go for it.

 

[Kestryl]

“Overkill” is a subjective term. If the extra $60 gives you peace of mind, and you can spare the money, go for it.

That’s what I’m leaning towards... I had a momentary freak out last night where I was going through scenarios (WHAT IF THE MAIL LOSES MY PASSPORT) and my spouse was like, “What is wrong with you?” Idk, man, this just makes me really nervous.

 

[jrapps]

That’s what I’m leaning towards... I had a momentary freak out last night where I was going through scenarios (WHAT IF THE MAIL LOSES MY PASSPORT) and my spouse was like, “What is wrong with you?” Idk, man, this just makes me really nervous.

From a timing standpoint, way overkill. But the peace of mind having it ship by a trackable method instead of just hoping it doesn't get lost in the mail...if you can afford it, go for it. I always renew passports with the expedited and pay the extra money for them to ship it back my Express mail, if for no other reason than getting that tracking number.

 

[Kestryl]

From a timing standpoint, way overkill. But the peace of mind having it ship by a trackable method instead of just hoping it doesn't get lost in the mail...if you can afford it, go for it. I always renew passports with the expedited and pay the extra money for them to ship it back my Express mail, if for no other reason than getting that tracking number.

Oh I am definitely getting tracking. I trust no one. (An exaggeration, to be sure, I’m just high in paranoia.)

 

[LAX]

Soliciting opinions- I’m up for a renewal in June 2022, so figured I should just renew now. Probably won’t have any international travel plans til March 2022 at the earliest.

Would expedited be overkill? 18 weeks from now is end of December, but these long lead times make me nervous.

I hope it doesn't take that long for "regular" renewal. My kids need theirs renewed before August and I am trying to decide when is the latest I can submit.

LAX

 

[ixDreamxofxDisney]

Looks like basic renewals are being processed quicker than advertised. I chose expedited renewal with the quicker return shipping option. I also listed my late September travel date on the application. Here's my timeline:

August 18 - Expedited application package sent via two-day at USPS (elected for
August 20 - Marked as delivered via USPS tracking
August 24 - Status updated to "In Process"
September 16 - Status updated to "Approved," expect passport by September 19
September 18 - Received passport

All in all, took one month from mailbox to mailbox for my expedited renewal - much faster than the 12 or so weeks they are advertising!

 

[jenniet01]

I mailed my passport renewal application via Priority Mail on July 9, not knowing about the delays. It was marked as received on August 3 and my check was cashed that day. Since then I got anxious and emailed a request to expedite my application with my credit card information. My card has not been charged and the status still says “in progress.” I provided a travel date of November 1, but I’m actually booked for the Dec 17 cruise.

 

[andrew870]

My passport still reads in progress and received it today. It was sent in the early days of June.

 

[ScottakaMickey]

Just sent our kid renewals in yesterday for a November cruise. Didn’t expedite as we didn’t think it would get back in time, but thought we’d try.

We are going to rely on kids birth certificate for travel docs. Is it correct that we won’t be able to check in ahead of time? How will we get pier arrival time?

 

[MasonsG]

We did expediated on our kids passport and it came back on the 30th day, the passport card a few days later, still waiting for the return of the old passport and documents but that's going on close to 2 weeks now. But the expediated was quick.

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

Went to DD’s appointment 8/16 (expedited, overnight return) and got it back almost exactly 6 weeks later. I don’t think they even look at the travel dates on the application since we left ours blank. Technically not a renewal since it is a child passport but she did have a previous one so I don’t know if that speeds things up at all.

Of course if the government shuts down next week all time guidelines are out the window.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My son mailed in his renewal on Oct 20 (not expedited) and received his new passport on Nov 20. Hasn't received his old passport back, yet, though.

EDIT: He received his old passport 2 days later.

 

[RogueX]

The one thing I will add as a caution is remember that the government is operating on a continuing resolution. After the CR expires, if there is a shut down, passports are not considered essential and will be processed when normal operations resume.

 

[LAX]

The one thing I will add as a caution is remember that the government is operating on a continuing resolution. After the CR expires, if there is a shut down, passports are not considered essential and will be processed when normal operations resume.

I don't follow this closely, so do you remember the last time the government was shut down? How long did it last? Since I don't actually remember, it obviously had minimal, if any, effect on me. Of course, I didn't need to apply for a passport or obtain any nonessential governmental services at that time, whenever that was.

LAX

 

[Kestryl]

I don't follow this closely, so do you remember the last time the government was shut down? How long did it last? Since I don't actually remember, it obviously had minimal, if any, effect on me. Of course, I didn't need to apply for a passport or obtain any nonessential governmental services at that time, whenever that was.

LAX

The last time was 2018-2019, but it was only a partial shutdown (some departments and agencies, like the Department of Energy, had continued funding). It lasted 35 days.

The State Department is a little weird- it can operate for a while since it “brings in” money from fees and what not. But if federal buildings shut down, they may not be able to fully work and things could slow down.

Last time, I’m 2018-2019, they were able to process things normally for that time period.

I’m not super familiar with the details of a potential Dec shutdown (yet), but if it were to happen I would expect processing to slow back down but not halt completely.