I sent my documents on September 13, Priority Mail at the post office. The documents were checked into the system in New Hampshire on September 21. She predicted I should expect them after October 15. With the expedited fee paid today, they will be mailed in three business days.

If I had begun with the expedited service, I would already have my passport. It seems like this "banking" is taking extra time.

The last time I renewed my passport by mail (10 years ago), it was back in my hands in two weeks.

When I renewed 10 years ago, it seems like I got my new one in about 2 weeks also. How silly of me to think their service is as good as it used to be. And the worst part is, we can't exactly take our business elsewhere. However, I shouldn't complain, since I'm not going anywhere very soon. But if something does come up, I'm glad to know I can call them with my CC and expedite.

This is one of those great Fodors threads that truly gives helpful information. While I *do* feel for smiley525 right now, it makes a good reminder for the rest of us.

Too often I don't really follow my own advice, not doing what I'd breezily post on this BB!

Good luck on the original problem.

The last two times I bought the delivery confirmation service from the PO for a package, I checked online and it never had any information other than being received by the orignial PO. But both times the company received the package so I am assuming the PO is not updating that system the way they used to.
Mara
ps I sent a letter to Paris with the special 4 - 5 day global rate and it got there in like three days over a weekend. Go figure.

Normally it should not take more than 2 weeks to have it renewed..unless of course,it is an overnight garanty deal..

I keep mine always up to date, all my family live in Europe, and you never know if there is an emergency and I must go back right away.. my brother is not getting any younger..

Luckily is health is decent..

Dont worry smiley eventually you will receive your passport..

The only thing worse than service from the PO is their tracking system.

(FYI I live in a buidling with 48 aprtments. I get a piece of someone else's mail an average of 3 times per week - that is 144 pieces of misdirected mail per week in this one building. And I'm sure this is typical of all the buildings on my block.)

IMHO if you have a document that really matters letting the PO put their hands on it is fatal. Why not pay a couple more $ and send it FedEx - so it both gets there - and you can actually track it.

Is any of this really a surprise to anyone???

I sent my old passport in for renewal the first week in September. I, too, felt really awful sending in my old passport. I even put a little post-it note asking that they return it "for sentimental reasons" just to be sure they did so (I know they usually do). I sent it priority and waited and waited. Thought I'd have it in two weeks because that's usually what it seems to take. Just got it Friday. WHEW!!! I'm not traveling until early November, but I'm SO happy to have both my old one and my new one back in my hands! Mine went to Pittsburgh. I'm guessing they're running about 4 weeks, since that's how long it took to get mine.

The renewal is probably taking longer because of security checks. I hope that is what is happening.

Many people here seem subversive.

As someone who lives to travel, I really feel for someone who lost a passport.

In defense of the USPS, they have given me great service over the years. Although I have mistakenly ordered things to my post office box, even though shipping is via UPS (which doesn't deliver to PO boxes), the UPS guys have dropped off my packages at the local post office, who then deliver it to my home address (since the PO has my address on file). So kudos to USPS and UPS for service.

For all you USPS haters out there - Have you ever mailed anything from Italy or France? When I mail postcards back to my co-workers I'm usually back a couple weeks before they ever receive them.

Zeus, I'm confused. Was that supposed to be a defense of the USPS? What makes you think the delay on those postcards was in Europe? My guess is the delay may well have been right here in the US. I used to send a lot of postcards to my mom from Europe and it was hit and miss when she'd get them, some right away, some never. But when I go to the west coast of the US, I'd sent them to her also and it was the same thing!

<The renewal is probably taking longer because of security checks. I hope that is what is happening.

Many people here seem subversive.>

Thanks for that observation, jsmith. Mine is probably taking longer because I lied on my renewal form to get 10 years subtracted off my age. ;-)

jsmith- "here" meaning on Fodors travel Bulletin Board, or in the United States, or what?

I just renewed mine by mail in June and I also used that Priority Mail. I think it took me about four weeks, also, from sending to receiving. It didn't take any longer because of security, that wasn't that long ago. YOu should have copies of your passport before you go to the PO to mail it, anyway, not depend on a copier in the Post Office. I always have about six copies in my file drawer and always carry one in my wallet.

I'm afraid I have to agree about the European postal system and postcards. I do think it is them, not the US. Now I could be wrong, because we never know, but I've had post cards take three weeks from Europe and never that long from anywhere in the US. I don't agree that it would be typical for something from VA to SC to only take two days, though, as smiley expects. Not where I live, anyway, as it routinely takes 2-3 days just across town and four days from my house (Wash DC) to Ohio.

Priority Mail is not a secure way to send items of any importance. I've had 2 or 3 Priority Mail letters that never reached their recipients (nor were they ever returned to me). Luckily none of them contained anything of much value. My experiences with overnight Express Mail have been much better. I haven't had anything go missing through Express Mail so far, although I still agree that the PO's tracking system is far behind that of Fedex or UPS.

I sent a package priority mail (2-4 day delivery) and the recipient got it 2 MONTHS later. I don't send anything priority mail now. It's overnight only.

The last time I sent a package by the post office, the pony stepped on it and damaged the contents.

I sent my passport Saturday, express mail both directions and paid the expedite fee to get my passport renewed. I see on the P.O.website tracking that it arrived in my P.O.Box this morning at 10:30. The expedite fee indicates they will turn it around in 3 days. It looks like they did!

Hi all,

If you go to http://travel.state.gov/passport/get_processing.html
you will see that the US Passport Agency expects that you will get your passport within 6 weeks.

Update-Passport agency still hasn't received passport. Looks like I'm going to have to apply for a new passport! (plus I'll be very sad if I never see my old one again!)