i got my renewal back yesterday, sent it in 2 months ago. i have no travel plans on the books so wasn't in a hurry for it. but still happy it didn't take too long. like orcas, i also liked the new pictures on the visa pages.

what i didn't like is they took my perfectly good picture and jacked up the red so now my face looks very ruddy and splotchy. in fact, it really doesn't look like me. now i have to live with that for 10 years.

ggreen, I doubt the pictures add more than a fraction to the cost, as they are going to be printed on millions of passports. I think the major new cost is in the microchip technology and all the hardware and software to support it. I wonder how many databases will be tied in to the passports and what info will be included on them.

You're right, Orcas, about those databases - and that's even scarier than the way my photo looks on that new passport! (lolfn, thank you for helping me to realize what was wrong with the photo compared to the one I gave them. I hadn't been able to see past the wavy security lines that make me look like I have braces on my teeth!) :D

You're probably right about the printing costs, too - but I do know a 4-color printing is a heck of a lot more expensive than the old monotone ones.

Hi-
I wanted to add my very recent experience renewing my passport:

Sent passport on Wednesday 8/22-overnight mail, not expedited.
(Got this tip here, thanks Dex08!)

Passport rec'd at State Dept. on Thursday 8/23

Check cashed on Tuesday 8/28

Passport website showed it was sent out on night of 8/29

Reveived my Passport back at my office TODAY, 8/31.

That's 9 days, door to door! :-)

Wow! :O That has to be a new world record!

did the same as kristina but she's got me beat by 5days.

Yeah, well, let's hope it's all good. I haven't actually seen it yet (not in my office today).

A coworker sent hers off 2 months ago, got it yesterday, and it had errors on it!

This is terrible! What to do if there is an error? Send it back for another renewal? Who pays postage? Who pays for yet another passport? Would new picture(s) will be needed?

She said she called and was given a different address to send it to. She has to send it back, no extra $$ or photos. Did not say how long it would take.

Thank you for all the info!

Hopefully good news to those renewing a passport:

I sent my passport in for renewal the last week of July; received a note about 10 days later that it was received at the office. Today, my renewed passport was delivered (Sept. 4.) I did NOT expedite it since I had enough lead time, and could live with the time I might "lose" from when it really expired (Feb. 08.) While this is not lightening fast, I think it's pretty good, given the nightmares I've heard in the past year.

And yes, it is dated when they re-issue it, not when it is set to expire, but given the problems I'd heard, I didn't want to wait until the last minute, or not have my passport available if a travel opportunity came up.

If I have let my passport expire do I file for a renewal or a new passport?

Ours too was applied for around the end of July, first of August and received on September 4th. I thought it was very fast considering.

Autoeng - it depends on how long it's been since your "expired" Passport was issued. This is from the U.S. Passport website (http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html):

You can renew by mail if: Your most recent passport is available to submit and it is not damaged; you received the passport within the past 15 years; you were over age 16 when it was issued; you still have the same name, or can legally document your name change.

You can get a passport renewal application form by downloading it from this site.

If your passport has been, altered or damaged, you cannot apply by mail. You must apply in person.

For more information on how to renew a passport, please visit How to renew a passport page.

Autoeng, you should apply for a renewal. (I believe there might be conditions if it has been expired for too long where you'd need to apply a new one - check the State Dept Passport website travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html to find out more.)

Oh, there you go - A_Traveller has the info (we posted at the same time!).

I knew I could find info on this subject here! I just realized my passport expired Feb '07 (thought it was Feb '08), and learned a few days ago I need to go to Milan for business mid October. At this point at sounds like my best option is to set an appointment with the Seattle Passport Agency (I'm 3 hours away in Portland) for "same day issuance." Apparently using the expediting service may take 3-4 weeks (I leave three weeks from yesteday!) so I can't go that route. Has anyone gone through this or alternatively, used a businesse called "A Briggs" out of D.C. that expedites renewals for a fee? Thanks!

guanciale, I used the Passport Agency same-day service this year, and my friend used it last year. Good success both times.

To be eligible for the same-day service, you have to be able to prove you are leaving the country within 14 days. (Bringing a printout of your e-ticket itinerary is fine.) You might want to call and make a reservation now for a time that falls within that two-week window, i.e., at least a week from now. The way the automated service works, you can opt for "first available appointment" or define your own date and time; I would first try the former and see if you can get a good date that way. (The system will give you a date/time, then allow you to say that it isn't good and to look for the next one.)

When I applied in June, the system was at its busiest and I had to keep trying over and over! I don't remember the specific codes any more that enable you to bypass part of the message. But keep in mind that if you wait for it to go through the entire list of options, just when it seems like the message has ended, there's an option for talking to a customer service rep. The same is true if it says the system is busy; if you stay on the line, it will give you an option so you don't have to redial.

Try to get an appointment as early in the morning as is feasible for you: the later in the day, the more backed up they are! Last year, my friend's appt was early afternoon; she had to wait an hour and a half to get in, and I think she ended up opting to go back the next day to pick it up. I made my appt for 10:30am, got there early, and was finished with it at about the time my appt was originally scheduled to begin. (I will add that my friend went to the NYC Agency. I couldn't get a good appt there with the craziness this summer, so took a commuter train to the Norwalk, CT Agency. I don't know if that difference contributed to the variance in wait times!)

Good luck!

Thanks ggreen! Very helpful. The man I spoke to about the passport agency also suggested I make my appoinment before noon...the tough part if I'll be making the 3+ hour drive from Portland in the morning. 14 days out is a Sunday, so thought I'd first try to call 16 days out since it is a Friday (I think they only answer M-F, but not sure). It sounds like you're suggesting I first try taking the "earliest date" they suggest option. I was hoping I would definitely be able to speak to an agent and just set up a late morning time with them, but it doesn't sound like it will be at all easy. Oh well.

I would try talking to an agent. Like I said, I was dealing with all this at the busiest time when all the problems started to surface. In talking with a real person, you can find out if you can make your appt for that Friday, or if you have to wait for the Monday. They might even tell you if you can go in ahead of your 14 days - I have no idea if they make exceptions to the rule.

I'd also go ahead and make an appt - or two - now. I actually made three appts (because of trying to get into NY instead of having to go to CT), then called back in and cancelled two of them. The automated system makes it easy to cancel!

You might even try speaking to someone through the system today or tomorrow: from what I recall, they have a reduced staff on-hand over the weekends, so it's worth a shot to try and get some of your questions answered!

For my trek up to CT, I had to be on a commuter train at 8:00 in the morning - and it takes me almost an hour to get to Grand Central where the train departs from. It was so painful! I had to be out of the house earlier than I usually even get out of bed. So have faith - and lots of coffee! You can reward yourself with a nice lunch or something in Seattle once the paperwork's all in. :)

BTW, I forgot to mention that of course you'll have to hang around Seattle for a few hours in order to pick up the finished passport that day. I scoped out Chowhound and Fodor's to find a nice distraction for myself in Norwalk during my wait. Maybe you can do the same! (Long story, but I ended up not being able to wait and had to have mine sent express mail - which ended up being two days late! - so I have to save my Norwalk sightseeing for another time LOL!)