I mailed off husband's expiring passport this morning with the renewal application. Was I supposed to include an envelope for them to return the old passport? He really wants to get the old one back, "fond memories" of having it issued at the US Consulate in Amsterdam.

The send the old passport back when they send the new one.

DH renewed pp a few months ago and the old pp was not returned in the same envelope as new one--arrived a week or so later.

ok. just had a sinking feeling for a second there.

We have always received the expired passport with a big hole punched in it. Don't remember how it was returned.

We just renewed our passports and the old ones were sent seperately and arrived about two days after the new ones.No hole was punched in them.

I renewed my passport last Spring and the old one was sent seperately. No idea why they do that now. Seems like it would cost them more, but "efficiency" and "goverment" are not exactly compatible terms

WHAAAAT? You simply mail off your old passport?? You don't pay to renew it? You don't have your finger prints taken again?
This makes me feel more third world than I already do after appearing in front of the French Consul on Friday to apply and submit the mound of requirements to obtain a Schengen visa. Booooohoooooooohoooooo! That experience is another whole story................

You pay $100. to renew I believe and its good for ten years.
All our passports have been returned with a hole punched in them.

Yes, they return them. I still have all of mine, even the red diplomatic ones. Looking back, it is neat to see what a dork I looked like years ago; but at least I had hair back then.

Just received my renewed pp today as well as the old one--in separate envelopes--no holes punched--took 3 1/2 weeks since applying for it--fee: $75.

I paid extra for expedited service and had the new passport within a week--(this was in February). While I sent the application to an address on the East Coast, the new one came from Arizona or New Mexico, the old one returned from first address. I think they probably have the work done either regionally or some centralized location where the costs are lower.
The original would only need to be scanned and sent electronically to the processing location, and once the new passport was sent out, the original location would return the original.
When I saw the return address (sorry, can't remember exact location) I thought that it was saving money by having a lower overhead. And yes, the returned original had two holes punched in it.

I got not only the old passport back, but the new unused photo paper-clipped to the old passport on the same page with the old photo. ARRRGGGGHHHHH what a difference!!

No holes in the passport, only in self-esteem

My envelope went to Philadelphia w/ $75 fee, but read in the newspapers that fees would be going up 'soon'. My husband's photo barely changed from 10 years ago - what's up with <i>that</i>?

Travelnut - You wore him out years ago and he can go no further! Ha Ha!( LOL if you like)!

Tod, that might be it - - he sometimes calls me the 'trip nazi', fondly of course.