Renewing kids' passports

[squirk]

We are sailing in late Feb. of 2017. As it so happens, my kids' passports all expire in early Feb., 2017. So I need to renew. Even though the State Department web site says standard processing time is six weeks, I am giving myself 10-12 weeks lead time, out of an abundance of caution.

My question - the answer to which I could not seem to find on the State Dept. web site - is when will the effective dates on the new passports start and end? If the current passports do not expire until 2/1/17, but the renewal passports are issued on, say, 11/1/16, do I effectively "lose" those three months in-between?

Or, will the renewal passport, for lack of a better phrase, "grandfather" in Nov/Dec/Jan, so that the new passport is good for five years + three months, thus expiring on 2/1/2022?

I think I know the answer, and it doesn't really matter since I need to renew in November no matter what, but I am curious.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[bcwife76]

This is how it works with Canadian passports so my guess would be it's the same as US passports: once you renew, you hand over your old passport as it is now essentially invalid whether there is time left on it or not. So the new date would be the date of issue.
Like I said, that's how Canada does it - however, our processing time is a lot quicker. If I go to the passport office in person I can expect a new passport to arrive at my house in less than 10 business days.

 

[squirk]

This is how it works with Canadian passports so my guess would be it's the same as US passports: once you renew, you hand over your old passport as it is now essentially invalid whether there is time left on it or not. So the new date would be the date of issue.
Like I said, that's how Canada does it - however, our processing time is a lot quicker. If I go to the passport office in person I can expect a new passport to arrive at my house in less than 10 business days.

Thanks. I am guessing it's the same way here. And I have found that the processing time is usually far less than six weeks. However, I am just being extra-careful because I don't want to send stuff in right around the U.S. holiday season and find myself stuck in the middle of a "holiday rush" back-log.

 

[bcwife76]

@squirk I totally agree and in your case I'd be the same way, allowing for extra time!

Hopefully someone else can give you a definitive answer though. I'm just assuming your passport renewal is the same as ours but you know they say when you assume something.

 

[Fathawkeye]

A couple years ago I was due for renewal - sent mine on December 24th - had back to me the 1st week of January. They are usually dead around the holiday season. Not sure with the passport changes this year tho - just better to anticipate the 6 weeks and be surprised (like me) if you get it back sooner.

 

[squirk]

I couple years ago I was due for renewal - sent mine on December 24th - had back to me the 1st week of January.

Yeah, when we got passports for all of us five years ago, I think it turned out to be less than three weeks turnaround time.

 

[bumbershoot]

You lose the time. Especially since kid passports don't technically get renewed. It's a new application.

 

[Flossbolna]

I think you are smart to plan in a longer turn around time. My boyfriend recently got a new passport and it turned out that they declined the picture he had sent in (despite it being taken by AAA where they ought to know what they are doing). Of course it took them a month to tell him that the picture is not correct. And then after he sent in the new picture, it took another three weeks for the passport to arrive. That was three weeks before the trip started. He was starting to get really nervous!

 

[squirk]

You lose the time. Especially since kid passports don't technically get renewed. It's a new application.

Thanks!

Yeah, I caught that last part. I can understand the "five instead of ten years" thing since they kids can look so much different over a 5-yr. span of time, but why a whole new application with "new application" fees?

 

[squirk]

I think you are smart to plan in a longer turn around time. My boyfriend recently got a new passport and it turned out that they declined the picture he had sent in (despite it being taken by AAA where they ought to know what they are doing). Of course it took them a month to tell him that the picture is not correct. And then after he sent in the new picture, it took another three weeks for the passport to arrive. That was three weeks before the trip started. He was starting to get really nervous!

I remember that Corey & Julie had the same thing happen with Walgreen's. They had to pay again for USPS to do the photos correctly.

You'd think that any place claiming they do passport photos would know how to do it right.

 

[jahber]

I remember that Corey & Julie had the same thing happen with Walgreen's. They had to pay again for USPS to do the photos correctly.

You'd think that any place claiming they do passport photos would know how to do it right.

When this happened to me, I took the photo back to Walgreens and they took a new one for free. It was their mistake, so they needed to make it right. But the funny part was, I had my newborn with me and the poor kid taking my photo had SUCH a look of relief when he realized he was going to be taking a picture of me instead of the baby. Apparently baby passport photos are tough to take

 

[darnheather]

Children's passports are non-renewable. It is a new application every time. If you hand over the old passport you will get it back in the mail separately from the new one.

 

[swimfin]

A couple years ago I was due for renewal - sent mine on December 24th - had back to me the 1st week of January. They are usually dead around the holiday season. Not sure with the passport changes this year tho - just better to anticipate the 6 weeks and be surprised (like me) if you get it back sooner.

Passport changes this year? What have they changed? TYIA! Cheers!

 

[CamColt]

It looks like you got your answer but I will agree, the new expiration date comes based on when it is renewed. My kids are now 16 and 19 and needed theirs renewed this year. I had heard this year they were going to be backed up since everyone who got them when the new laws went into effect will need them renewed so I was concerned about the standard "4-6 weeks" return time. Since they were under 16 when we got their last ones we had to do them in person and went on April 9th. The new ones came in the mail on April 21st, under 2 weeks. Your mileage may vary.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Not sure the ages of your kids, but once they turn 16, they get a10-year passport, rather than 5 year.

 

[richkaryn]

DS and I got new ones late January and we had them back within 2 weeks..... I'd say the biggest back up would happen in spring as people prepare to travel for summer, o you could stretch it out a little longer if you needed to.

 

[Snowwhyt]

A 16 year old will get a regular passport instead of a 5 year passport. If that helps.

 

[tiggger1]

We just got my kids passports April 23rd and they took 11 days from the mail we applied till the day they came in the mail ( and we went to the post office to apply!)

We are sailing in late Feb. of 2017. As it so happens, my kids' passports all expire in early Feb., 2017. So I need to renew. Even though the State Department web site says standard processing time is six weeks, I am giving myself 10-12 weeks lead time, out of an abundance of caution.

My question - the answer to which I could not seem to find on the State Dept. web site - is when will the effective dates on the new passports start and end? If the current passports do not expire until 2/1/17, but the renewal passports are issued on, say, 11/1/16, do I effectively "lose" those three months in-between?

Or, will the renewal passport, for lack of a better phrase, "grandfather" in Nov/Dec/Jan, so that the new passport is good for five years + three months, thus expiring on 2/1/2022?

I think I know the answer, and it doesn't really matter since I need to renew in November no matter what, but I am curious.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Aerin75]

I renewed mine as a new passport (because I can't find the old one) on 5/7; I am keeping an eye on the status to update times as well.

 

[bumbershoot]

Passport changes this year? What have they changed? TYIA! Cheers!

Nothing. But people worry it will be busier as those in non-compliant states (for the REAL ID thing) get passports for domestic travel and getting into govt buildings. But the govt has given another reprieve of it, for air travel.

I'm in a non compliant state (go WA!) but we also have enhanced DLs and I already have a passport, so I won't be clogging the system.