Passport renewal question

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Pretty much, just something you can carry around all the time rather than your passport. My current driver's license is not RealID compatible, so rather than renew it early, I got a passport card. I am not one to waste $40, but amortized over 10 years it feels more reasonable.

 

[audreyh1]

What is a passport card good for, that a book isn't?

We live close to a US border. A passport card is all we need to cross and return.

For some folks it’s a handy Real ID if their driver license is not.

Cruise ships international travel - in some cases it’s enough.

You can use the passport card to reenter the United States at sea ports of entry from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. However, if you are not able to return on the cruise ship for any reason (e.g., for an emergency evacuation, you will need a passport book to fly back to the United States.

https://travel.state.gov/content/tr...al-considerations/cruise-ship-passengers.html

 

[Drake3287]

My adult daughter just got here Passport in the mail after only 1 month. Things have obviously gotten better. And no, she didn't pay for expedited service.

 

[USGrant1962]

View attachment 38942

Pro tip - that small number on the glossy page with the busy background is hard to read. DW recently noticed that the same number is on the inside back cover in large black and white.

 

[braumeister]

Good catch! I never noticed that.

 

[WestUniversity]

Personally, I do not understand why this happens every year. It should not be a surprise to the Passport agency that they are going to get a crush of applications in the spring and summer, and they should staff for it. For what people have to pay for a passport, they're entitled to have prompt service, even without paying the expediting fee.

All I can say is that’s the government for you. I remember years ago, I was at the post office the day after a stamp price increase went into effect to mail a letter certified. There were of course huge lines in the post office, and the branch manager appeared behind the counter from in back somewhere.

She then proceeded to make a snarky comment to the crowd about people not being prepared for the price change.

Of course what was lost on her was the fact that only two of the four counter positions at her branch had staff that day… a day after a price increase, thus also contributing to the long lines…

 

[projectmaximus]

Two additional data points

Wife submitted renewal - 8/20/21
Son submitted "new" application - 8/20/21

Both using priority return shipping but standard/routine processing

Wife's passport received on 10/3/21 so 5-6 weeks door-to-door (I only check the mail once a week so it could have been up to a week sooner)
Son's passport received on 10/31/21 so about 9-10 weeks door-to-door (again, could have arrived at any point this entire week I just didn't check til today)

 

[USGrant1962]

I think the backlog is cleared. I just got mine in 13 days. Mailed on the 5th, received today. I paid for expedited processing, which turned out to be a waste - BTD.

Son mailed his when I did and didn't pay to expedite, so we'll see how long his takes.

 

[USGrant1962]

I think the backlog is cleared. I just got mine in 13 days. Mailed on the 5th, received today. I paid for expedited processing, which turned out to be a waste - BTD.

Son mailed his when I did and didn't pay to expedite, so we'll see how long his takes.

DS received his passport today, so basically one month without paying for expediting. This was through the Philadelphia center.

 

[USGrant1962]

The President signed an executive order directing the State Department to develop an on-line, document free renewal process. https://thepointsguy.com/news/renew-passport-online/

The actual EO only says:

Sec. 4. Agency Actions to Improve Customer Experience. (a) The Secretary of State shall design and deliver a new online passport renewal experience that does not require any physical documents to be mailed.

Thoughts:

• So you won't have to send in your old passport. Seems to me to be ripe for identity theft.
• I'm not sure the point of the EO - it doesn't fund anything, and AFAIK nothing prevents State from doing this on its own (other than funding and security).
• 20-year-old passport pics don't seem like a good idea.

There's no schedule and I'm guessing nothing will come of it.

 

[braumeister]

[*]20-year-old passport pics don't seem like a good idea.

I see no reason to have to mail a physical photo anymore. Actually, it seems very old fashioned -- when was the last time any of us used a camera with film in it? We should be able to simply attach a new digital photo to an online renewal form.

 

[Drake3287]

I see no reason to have to mail a physical photo anymore. Actually, it seems very old fashioned -- when was the last time any of us used a camera with film in it? We should be able to simply attach a new digital photo to an online renewal form.

While I agree with you, I think the problem is that they require a certain size, background and view. With human's being human's, too many would screw it up and cause them to be kicked back, only causing further delays.

Technically, people can send in their own photo's that are taken and printed by out by themselves but I think for the cheap price of $10. or so it's easier to have a store/Post Office do it right the first time.

 

[braumeister]

While I agree with you, I think the problem is that they require a certain size, background and view.

Yes, of course.
But many physical photos are already kicked back to the sender for being out of tolerance. I've had it happen to me for something as trivial as being printed on the wrong paper stock. And DW once had a passport photo accepted despite an obviously illegal background. So errors can occur on both ends.

I would think that a digital photo would actually stand a better chance of being usable, since if it's good enough resolution the passport agency could resize it as needed.

I'm only guessing about all this, but I think the new initiative is on the right track.

 

[RetireBy90]

So while there is an active thread going on passports, is there any risk to keeping old passports around ? Info for ID theft or some such ? What benefits ? I have several old expired ones. If you also have old ones do you keep them in safe ? I keep our current ones in a fireproof box safe.



Thanks

 

[braumeister]

So while there is an active thread going on passports, is there any risk to keeping old passports around ? Info for ID theft or some such ? What benefits ? I have several old expired ones. If you also have old ones do you keep them in safe ? I keep our current ones in a fireproof box safe.

I don't think there is anything to worry about. They send the old one back to you when you renew, just to keep as a souvenir. It can be fun to look at the stamps inside. I have a number of old ones in a box. Having had both "official" and "diplomatic" passports in the past, I think they make great souvenirs. Besides the expired date, they are mutilated by the passport agency with a punch or a corner clipped off, so I don't think they could be usable by anyone.