How long does it take to get your passport renewed?

[MichelleP]

From the time you mail it, approximately how long does it take to get your new passport? Mine expires in March, and I have cruises December 15, February 23, and May 4.

Cheers,
Michelle P.

[CruzNut]

Mine expires in April so I mailed my renewal in yesterday (12/8/05) and will see how long it takes to get the new one. Figured I'd do it early as I'm cruising April 2.

[sealegs]

Hi,

If all the forms are properly completed, give it 7-9 business days.

Not a lot, really.

Cheers
CG

[Lisa]

I would mail it out as soon as you get back from the 12/15 cruise - you should have it back in more than enough time for the next cruise.

[Mike M]

Brother and Sister in law just had their's renewed and it took about three weeks. It's busy over there in Seattle but still plenty of time for your February cruise.

Take care,
Mike

[Donna]

I still have 2 years before I need to renue mine, but I was wondering, can you send in a new photo? Mine has got to go!

[Mike M]

Donna,

Some things in life you just have to live with. There are millions of people that would love to change their pictures. My wife is one of them. She has that "Stop me before I kill again" look.

Unless you have had MAJOR changes in your appearance, weight loss or gain in excess of 75 lbs., facial reconstruction, sex change, etc, there is no need to have your picture changed. If you do you would submit it the same way as a renewal.

There are a number of points that are used to identify the individual. The distance between the eyes, cheekbones and facial structure, not just the overall look of the face. Immigration officials aren't really looking at you but at those features so don't worry too much.

Take care,
Mike

[CA Cruiser]

When our friends sent in for the passport renewal last year, they enclosed new pictures taken at AAA for only $8. They received their new passports in 2 weeks with their new pictures.

[Donna]

Thanks CA,
I was hoping we'd be able to do that, now I know :-)

[Mike M]

Donna and all:

You always send in new pictures with a renewal.

I find that's the scary part of renewing my passport. I always wonder who the "old guy" is on the new passport.

I look back at my passport from the 70's and I look like the illegitimate child of Grizzly Adams.

Take care,
Mike

[CruzNut]

This time (as I did quite a while in the past) I took my own picture. I freeze on that side of the camera ... even had Walgreens try it and nope. So took a bunch - chose the best, put it on a CD and took it to Walgreens where they printed it out for $7.99. My last one was taken at AAA for free and it was absolutely horrible - very glad to get rid of it. By the way, you can't print it yourself because it has to withstand a very high temperature among other reasons.

And if you go to the passport page, you can get the form and fill it in online and then print it. Suggest you do that now and you'll be all ready after your December cruise to mail it off. Ten years ago my passport was handled out of the New Orleans office - now it's the Pittsburgh one ... for obvious reasons.

[rayb]

We mailed our application for Renewal on Nov 15, 2005. It was sent to the Pittsburgh Office for processing. They received it on Nov 18. As of today Dec 11, 2005 No new Passport has been received. So after 26 days and still no passport. I put on the application that my next cruise would be April 30, 2006. Maybe that is the cause of the long processing time?

[shellster]

Does any of your (newly renewed) passports have squiggly lines thorugh your picture? Mine does. I hope they didn't mess it up. It looks like they are supposed to be there, but my last one didn't have those little lines.

[rayb]

Our renewals were received yesterday and today. Taking 42 days from the time of mailing.

Remember you must have at least 6 months remaining on the passport before you can enter many countries or get Visas for some. So advise you plan ahead.

[racepoint]

All of this chatter about passport renewals has got me a little uneasy. Do I understand correctly that passports are still not required (of U.S. citizens) while cruising in the Carribean and won't be, in fact, until December 31, 2006? I am planning to travel in March to the Southern Caribbean and just have our birth certificates and driver's licenses for i.d What's the real scoop??

[CruzNut]

Finally, I have the answer. Mailed it December 8. My bank shows the check cleared December 29. Received it today, January 14, 2006. Passport date is January 6, 2006. So, even though they send it by priority mail, it took 8 days from the passport date. And all told, it was 38 days.