Waiting for a passport to come.....
 

Just wondering how long it took, recently for anyone to receive their passport. I'm applying tomorrow and will travel Oct.2. Just heard of someone that waited 4 months. I know you can pay even more money to make it arrive faster but certainly hope I don't have to.

There is a thread about this on the USA board. I believe it is taking about 10 weeks for regular service, faster with an expediter, but still longer than it used to be.

You should get it waaaay before your trip...to be safe, think 6 - 8 weeks because of the summer travel season.

I got mine a couple of years ago, but I received it in just a few weeks! I ordered it around october, I believe, and got it way before my travel date.

Put your travel date as Sept. 2. This may help your passport to arrive earlier. Mine needs to be renewed in Aug 08 and we are planning to travel to Europe in June/July 08. I think I will apply this fall to give myself months to receive a new one!

There have been plenty of posts on the Europe forum where people have applied way in advance and were frantically looking for their passports after 10 or 12 weeks. If you are leaving in October you might be okay but I would spend the extra money for the expidited service unless I had a good six months between the time I sent it and the time I was planning to leave. When you consider how much you spend on a vacation I think the peace of mind would be worth it to have it well in advance. Good luck.

Because of the new travel requirements (see link) there has been increased volume for passport processing.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

Mine took 12 weeks and I just got it this week.

thereyet

I'd pay the extra fee. It's taking 10-12 weeks now and only getting worse.

Hello ljc4creb, my daughter just sent in for the renewal of her US passport the beginning of last week. The passport person at our local PO advised her to expect a minimum of 13 weeks before she receives the renewal passport.

Thank you everyone. I guess even 4 months may not cut it at this point so I'll pay the extra and stop worrying. I'll post and let everyone know how long it took since summer travel may make the wait worse.

I applied 2/9/07 got it in 10 weeks.

Daughter applied 3/9 has not received it.

Husband renewal 4/7, not recieved.

withkids came to the gtg in SF last week. She's going to China and hasn't gotten her passport back yet. YIKES. She has to apply for a Visa after the passport comes in.
Definitley send it as soon as possible. Ask the postmaster in your city how to speed up the processing of the passport. (how much cash does it take?)

We applied March 21 and still don't have it--this week is #10 and our Mexico departure date is June 12. EEEK. To make matters worse, we can't officially start checking on where the passports are in the pipeline until week 10. Am starting to worry just a bit...

Call your congressman asap.

Seriously? Could they really help? Am willing to try anything at this point!

Yes, there are tons of posts about calling your congressman to help expedite a passport.

Just following up.....Applied for passport 5/29, rec'd it 8/8.

....forgot to say I didn't pay the extra money to speed it along.

Ljc, only 11 weeks? Good!

I sent mine in on June 29. Got a letter back, I think they've mentioned something like 14 weeks... yikes!

I haven't planned out-of-US till January.

I had posted earlier in this thread. My daughter's took 14 weeks, received in June, my husband's renewal also took 14 weeks, received in July. Neither were expedited.

My daughters passport renewal, which was submitted the 3rd week in April still has not arrived. Good thing she doesn't have a trip planned!!

DD will put in her application on 8/20 [Monday after her 18th birthday]. She is planning to do a semester abroad her junior year and wants to be prepared.

Submitted passport renewals for my children on 5/14 and received 8/1. Neither were expedited. Their documentation was mailed separately from their passports and arrived one or two days later. Previously, I remember receiving the new passport and documentation at the same time.

We got my daughter's passport today, exactly eight weeks after sending in the renewal application (Seattle office). Cool passport. It has a microchip in the front cover, so the front page is a lot thicker. It has cool inspirational quotes on American ideals by people like MLK, JFK, Eisenhower, etc. It also has pictures of American scenes as background, including the buffalo, Mt. Rushmore, and eagle and other historic sights. It's quite a nice package.

DD's passport arrived today, 5 weeks to the day from putting in the application.