We've heard the stories about how renewing your U.S. passport in these COVID-affected times could take awhile. Here, we'll provide a real-world illustration.
My wife's passport would have expired in August 2020. With most travel on hold, we decided to make the most of the enforced hiatus and send hers in for renewal just a few weeks early.
On July 22, we filled out the requisite form DS-82, wrote a check to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the $110 fee ($140 if you want both the passport booklet and passport card), then had her picture taken at a local FedEx Office location.
From there, with our addressed Priority Mail flat-rate envelope in hand and check and current passport inside, we went directly to the local post office. Sending your passport Priority Mail is important because it includes a tracking number so you can be sure your package has arrived.
Inputting our tracking number on the USPS web site, we saw that our package was delivered to the passport office in Philadelphia on July 25, three days after it was sent.
Here's how the costs broke down:
Passport photo - $16.45
Renewal fee - $110.00
Priority mail - $7.75
TOTAL: $134.20
I will update this post as necessary and together, we'll see how long this will take.
I'm betting Christmas.
UPDATE:
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My wife's passport would have expired in August 2020. With most travel on hold, we decided to make the most of the enforced hiatus and send hers in for renewal just a few weeks early.
From there, with our addressed Priority Mail flat-rate envelope in hand and check and current passport inside, we went directly to the local post office. Sending your passport Priority Mail is important because it includes a tracking number so you can be sure your package has arrived.
Inputting our tracking number on the USPS web site, we saw that our package was delivered to the passport office in Philadelphia on July 25, three days after it was sent.
Here's how the costs broke down:
Passport photo - $16.45
Renewal fee - $110.00
Priority mail - $7.75
TOTAL: $134.20
I will update this post as necessary and together, we'll see how long this will take.
I'm betting Christmas.
UPDATE:
My wife received her new passport on Sept. 24, almost exactly two months since sending it for renewal. While perhaps a bit longer than times past, pretty respectable given the times we're in.
O ye of little faith...
Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.
Follow @TheTravelProUS
If you found this article helpful, informative and/or entertaining, please consider making a donation via PayPal to help support this private project.
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