Kristina

Looks like I may be going to Thailand and Cambodia the first week of December.

My passport expires in April 08 so I have to renew before I go.

The US Passport website says it's taking 10-12 weeks to get passports back. My trip is 15 weeks from now. I know over the summer the wait was up to several months for some people, but hasn't it improved? Anyone renew lately? I'm wondering if I should spend the extra $60 to expedite it?

I should also mention that I live in LA so I presume I could have it expedited in person if it doesn't show up?

rhkkmk

if there is a passport office near to you i would go there on monday and ask..

i think there are still problems..

Kathie

Yes, there are still problems. I would definitely expedite it!

Kristina

Bob-I really can't "go" there on Monday, as I'd probably have to take off work and wait all day just to speak to someone. If I did that, I might was well renew it when I'm there, right? ;-)

Kathie-yes, that was what I was afraid of. I wasn't really planning this trip (for me) so I thought I had 6 months before my next trip (Rome in March) before I had to renew. Otherwise I would have done it sooner.

smartcookie

My dad had this issue a few months ago. Basically, if you apply and don't get it within the time specified, you can contact them and let them know and they will send it to you on time. If it says 10-12 weeks and you don't receive it on week 11, I would contact them and tell them your travel plans and when you need it. Of course, if $60 is not an issue (it would be for me), then this isn't necessary.

petitepois

I think they are catching up on the backlog. I've heard their goal is to resume normal passport service and turnaround times by Labor Day.

lxchiang

It took 14 weeks (from April to July '07 for standard service) for me and my wife to get our passports renewed . You need to send your passport in right now and I would definitely consider spending extra for the expedited service.

HLester3

I was just at the SF passport office in July. I made an appointment on the phone, there is a line just to get into the building if you do not have an appointment. I was sadly under the misunderstanding that it would be like the DMV when you have an appointment. They checked my appointment time and then handed me a ticket with number 194. I looked the number they were currently serving and it was only 94. It took 3 Hours for them to call me.

If you can make an appointment make sure it isn't close to lunch time. I had an 11 o'clock appointment and during lunch they only had about 2 people at the windows instead of 10 people right after lunch.

In the newspaper here there are a alot of articles on the passport situation. They mentioned that many people are hiring services to renew their passports for them. I saw one of these women bring in 10 passports for renewel. It may cost a little more, but I even had to wait in line again to pick it up 4 days later. I couldn't do that because I was renewing my kids passports and them make them come in person. Both times I had to show my appointment confirmation or receipt to even get into the building.
Good Luck.

Kathie

I know someone who is supposed to be flying to Italy soon. She sent in her passport at the beginning of June and even though it was supposed to be expedited she still doesn't have it.

Guenmai

One of my best friends who takes a group of friends to Brazil every two years, sent in her daughter's passport to be renewed over THREE months prior to her scheduled departure which was two weeks ago. As of two weeks ago, right before she was to leave with her group, the passport still had not arrived. She called for the umteenth time and was told again it was coming. She was to leave in a few days after that and could not leave with her group unless her child had her passport. So she ended up driving an hour across town to the federal building in L.A. to do it in person. Later on the same day, she e-mailed me and said that she was fit to be tied as she had arrived there at 6AM and was there until 5PM before her 10-year old daughter's passport had been renewed and in her hand. Happy Travels!

LynnieD

I applied for my son's renewal on June 24 and it arrived on August 16th. Did not pay for expidited service. If we had been going somewhere in the immediate future, the $60.00 would have been peace of mind for me.

ggreen

If you're anxious about whether or not you'll get your passport in time, I advise that you... wait! That is, you can get an appointment to have a same-day renewal at the Passport Agency office if you can prove you have tickets to leave the country within 14 days. So wait until just before that timeframe, then call the toll-free number (available on the agency's website) and make your appointment within the two-week window. You pay the expedite fee and an additional rush fee, but since the passport process never leaves the Agency office you're in, you're guaranteed peace of mind - and that passport in hand.

However, yes, even with an early-morning appointment, you won't be able to pick it up until the end of the day, like Guenmai's friend did. (You can leave the office and return at the scheduled pick-up time.) My experience in NYC is that if you arrive at the office ahead of your appointment time, they'll still let you in.

BTW, you also can do the in-person appointment if you need a visa to the country you're visiting. Since I needed a visa, I was able to have an in-person appointment a month before my flight to China (but I was not allowed same-day pickup; they mailed it to me instead).

Anyway, since you're in the same city as an Agency office, it's another option to put into your decision. Good luck!

ggreen

Here's a relevant thread that just got topped on the US board:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35015669

Kristina

Green-Thanks for the link-interesting thread. I may try the FedEx route.

Does anyone know if I can mail two passport renewals in the same package? My husband needs his done (though not as fast as I do).
I can't find the answer to this on the Passport website.

lxchiang

Yes, we did two passports renewals in one priority mail package (also one check) to the passport office. However, new passports were mailed back separately. You can register online with the passport office website so that they'll send you email notices when they mail your passports back.

RandiRA

Be very cautious about the time stated on the govt site. Our recent experience would indicate that they're still overwhelmed.
My husband and I both applied for renewal, through our local post office, on June 06. We had plane tickets for July 24 and were told "no problem" as we used the expidited service, which was actually an additional $96 ea. There was also a $36 overnight mail fee on top of the $60.
When our passports hadn't arrived by July 15, I called the govt. passport number. I didn't think that 35 min. on hold was too bad, considering the mess they're in, but was then told that they didn't even have a record of my husband's application. The rep did eventually find it, but the DOB had been entered into the sytem incorrectly.
Long story short, we didn't get our passports prior to departure, but were fortunate to only be going to Canada so could travel with other documents.
My husband's expidited passport finally arrived 7 weeks after application and the DOB was wrong so had to be resubmitted. We're still waiting on it. Mine arrived 10 wks. after application.
All of the emails and letters I've written to the refund center for reimbursement of the expidited cost have been unanswered so far.
My advice would be, get the renewed passport in hand and then make travel plans.

hsk218

I renewed my passport cert mail 6/01 I just called cause I was getting worried I'm traveling in beg of Oct I was advised it was just mailed out on Fri..There is an interesting articale on CNN.com about passports

Kristina

Well, it really seems hit or miss.

I am thinking of sending it overnight with a prepaid overnight return envelope.
Wondering if I put two passports in it, if I have to put two return envelopes?

lucybell

my husband sent his in for renewal in early july, expecting the worst. i filled out form online and mailed in. we did pay for expediting but did not opt for the overnight express delivery thing. anyway, it took exactly 3 1/2 wks to get back. we live in ohio. we were pleasantly surprised. good luck.

lskohn

I had a good experience too. Paid for expedited service, NOT overnight delivery, used regular mail to mail it in to the NH Processing Center, and got my renewed passport back in 3 1/2 weeks.

I think the problems are greater with brand new applications.

I'd vote for paying for the expedited service, but don't sweat the special mailing.

Most annoying is that your renewal is from the date of issuance, so you will lose about 6 months worth of passport life (since your current passport is good til April 2008, you say)...ain't that annoying? I only lost 3 months, but still, you'd think that since it is all computerized these days they could keep the same expiration date! It wasn't a big deal when a five-year renewal cost $10, but now...