albiats
<a href="http://www.wdwinfo.com/dis-sponsor/index.
- Joined
- May 7, 2001
- Messages
- 874
We decided to get Passports for our future cruises and travel and went to our Main Post Office late in the afternoon on 2/6 and applied for them without using any expedited processing options.
We received them in the regular mail this afternoon on 2/14 along with all of our documents that had been submitted. Since it was 4:05pm when we left the Post Office, I didn't count that as a business day, and we received them today. Counting today, it was the 6th business day and the 8th calendar day from when we applied for them.
When we applied, the woman behind the counter at the Post Office told us our documents would be returned to us within 25 days, but not necessarily our Passports. Looks like they are completing them much faster than they used to.
My application was for a new one and my DW had one that had expired more than 20 years ago, and both were completed at the same time.
With the increased security that we need for travel, I think it will be beneficial to have a valid passport for identification. The person that has to inspect your travel documents only has to be concerned with verifying that your passport is valid and matches the photo and info on your Drivers License and that you're the one in the photos. They no longer have to be concerned with verifying the writing and validity of a birth certificate because the Department of State has already said it's Ok with them.
It cost $15 each for the Post Office processing fees and $45 each for the Department of State fees and the Passports are good for 10 years, so it breaks down to a cost of $6 per year, which I consider to be quite reasonable. I believe renewal fees are even less than the fees for a new one.
We received them in the regular mail this afternoon on 2/14 along with all of our documents that had been submitted. Since it was 4:05pm when we left the Post Office, I didn't count that as a business day, and we received them today. Counting today, it was the 6th business day and the 8th calendar day from when we applied for them.
When we applied, the woman behind the counter at the Post Office told us our documents would be returned to us within 25 days, but not necessarily our Passports. Looks like they are completing them much faster than they used to.
My application was for a new one and my DW had one that had expired more than 20 years ago, and both were completed at the same time.
With the increased security that we need for travel, I think it will be beneficial to have a valid passport for identification. The person that has to inspect your travel documents only has to be concerned with verifying that your passport is valid and matches the photo and info on your Drivers License and that you're the one in the photos. They no longer have to be concerned with verifying the writing and validity of a birth certificate because the Department of State has already said it's Ok with them.
It cost $15 each for the Post Office processing fees and $45 each for the Department of State fees and the Passports are good for 10 years, so it breaks down to a cost of $6 per year, which I consider to be quite reasonable. I believe renewal fees are even less than the fees for a new one.
