TexasAggie

http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/13/pf/r...orts/index.htm

Usually I am all for progress and advanced technology, but I would hate to be the guinea pig for this new experiment. I wanted to bring it to attention in case other Fodorites plan on getting their passport soon and would prefer the old format.

jody

Oh Man! I'm sure mine is good for another 9 years.

MFNYC

I just sent a renewel in for myself and my son. Hopefully, it will be processed before this goes into effect!

J62

I'm not at all concerned about this. You can nail me as an American from 100yds away with 2 good eyes.

My preference is to take reasonable precautions and pay attention to those things that matter the most, but get on with enjoying life each and every day.

I'll leave the worrying about worrying about maybe somebody accessing info to others.

Nina66

IF the powers that be are making another huge mistake, how many years will it take for them to acknowledge it and change to yet another system?

Up to now my greatest concern about renewing next year, was that the same moron that sloppily assembled my passport had retired. The page askew!

Nina

P_M

By the time my passport expires in 2014, I expect they will no longer have passports. Instead they will put a little microchip in the back of my neck, sorta like the one my dog already has.

Oh, well, at least I won't have to worry anymore about losing my passport.

SeaUrchin

P_M, I was thinking the same thing. We will probably have ATM chips too so we can just wave in front of a machine and it will read our balance! Will purses be a thing of the past. Oh, I guess not, we have to carry lipstick. Oh, I guess we can have that tatooed on ..... hmmmm

TexasAggie

My passport expires in 2012 so who knows what the new format will be by then, though I'm sure it will have changed many times over. Personally I think they should focus on a way to make the photographs more flattering Surely with all the advances in technology it's possible to generate photos in which we don't look drugged!

SeaUrchin, LOL!!!

alanRow

As they say - if you look like your pasport photo, go & see your doctor.

GreenDragon

Yay! I just renewed mine in February -- good for 10 more years~!!!!

FainaAgain

SeaUrchin, tattooed lipstik, eyeliner, and what not - these are not anything new! I think it's done in cosmetic parlors, not the tattoo places and called "permanent makeup"

http://www.permanentmakeup.org/

Tattoo-free Faina.

Nina66

I just called the National Passport Office 1-877-487-2778 and was told my a gentleman, who sounded as he knew what he was talking about, that they have slowly been issuing e passports since 2005, and that the chances of not getting one if you renew NOW, would be pretty slim.

He claims that if and when thieves invent a scanner, they will only be able to get the info that is already on your passport, date of birth, passpot number etc.. as if that isn't enough ;-) He says that the pictures are digital and they cannot steal those. Well at least the thief won't know how overweight and sick I look!

I guess 'Big Brother' has us in his sights and there is nothing that we can do.

Nina

MFNYC

Well my new ones should be arriving sometime in the near future. If I remember I'll dig up this thread just to let all know the type my son and I recieve.

SeaUrchin

Faina, I know a woman who has had eyeliner tatooed on her lids for a few years. It looks good, but I would be afraid an earthquake could happen right when the needle is piercing my eyelid. eeek.

TexasAggie

Hi MFNYC,

Please do let us know what type of passport you get - old format or new with the chip. My father-in-law needs to get one for our family trip in 2007 and I called him yesterday to hurry him up. Now it appears he may get the new variety no matter what

Nina66

TexasAggie, IMHO, if he needs to get a passport anyway, maybe he should get it now. This is probably the best time of year with the summer rush over.

Who knows when or how much the next price increase will be.

I'm sure that they will figure out a way to make us pay for that little chip.

Nina

gb944

Just put your passport in the microwave at high for one minute and the rfid tag will stop working.

Rillifane

Another horrendously stupid idea brought to you by our government.

adeben

For the past several months, any new Australian passport has been issued with the aforementioned chip imbedded, AND with photos potentially suitable for a facial recognition process. Renewal has been made slightly more difficult because of the exactitude of orientation needed for the photos. The old days of getting your passport photos from the self-service booth outside the K-Mart are long gone. Some professional passport photo places are reluctant to take passport photos of children because of the high rate of rejection from the passport issuing authority. That said, six friends have recently obtained the new passports, and five of them had to have photos redone. Overall, Australians seem to have reacted with a total lack of concern re the privacy issues of the new passports mentioned in posts above, being more concerned with the photo inconvenience.