Anyone get a new passport lately? How long did it take?

The Department of State's website currently says processing times are 4-6 weeks and I'm curious how accurate this is. We have a trip planned and totally spaced on getting passports and we travel in about 2 months.

So, I'm curious, if you recently requested a passport for the first time how long did it take you to receive it?

I know they have the expedited service, but I'd really rather not pay the fee if we don't need to.

The Department of State's website currently says processing times are 4-6 weeks and I'm curious how accurate this is. We have a trip planned and totally spaced on getting passports and we travel in about 2 months.So, I'm curious, if you recently requested a passport for the first time how long did it take you to receive it?I know they have the expedited service, but I'd really rather not pay the fee if we don't need to.

Both my boys needed new passports. For the 14 yo we had to go to the processing center in Townsend Ma. We went on a Tuesday night (12/4), we mailed our 21 yo renewal the next morning. We had both Passports within 2 weeks. Go to the Passport website and sign up for the email alerts, it will let you know when your passport is being processed.

Laurie

The Department of State's website currently says processing times are 4-6 weeks and I'm curious how accurate this is. We have a trip planned and totally spaced on getting passports and we travel in about 2 months.

 

So, I'm curious, if you recently requested a passport for the first time how long did it take you to receive it?

 

I know they have the expedited service, but I'd really rather not pay the fee if we don't need to.

Choose the expedited option: I had my first document (the passport) in 2 weeks and the pass card two days later and my old passport about 2 days after that.

We applied Dec 14th, on Dec 20th they said it was processing. Hopefully they will come in soon! :)

We applied Dec 14th, on Dec 20th they said it was processing. Hopefully they will come in soon! :)

Believe it or not my passport went from received to my door without ever showing processing.....

Mine came in 3 weeks, without being expedited. My daughter's had a snag with her birth certificate (it was the only one CA gave out at the time, but it wasn't good enough after 9/11); we got the "snag" letter within 3 weeks. It took six weeks to get the BC (long story), so while we were waiting for it, I wrote to the passport agency that our trip was coming up and I was worried about getting hers in time. This was recommended by them when I called. I prefaced the request with sincere appreciation for the quick processing of my passport and quick notification that there was a problem. When I sent the BC, it took four days--TOTAL. Meaning it left my mailbox & 4 days later I got her passport--no extra fee.

This was the New Orleans office. They're awesome. :) From what I've heard, your time could depend on which office yours is processed through. My only complaint is that I wish the MS post office I applied with would have recognized that my daughter's BC wasn't good enough. Good luck!

My wife's took 13 days from submitting application to receipt in the mail. This was for a first time passport and was with normal delivery (i.e. not expedited). This was in Sept.

We just did a renewal, no rush, and received them both back in two weeks, the fastest ever in our experience.

DSs passport took 6 days from the day we submitted the application til we received it in the mail. Not expidited.

:)

Applied when we were 60 years old so had some "history", received our passports in 3 weeks, non-expedited

We made an appointment at our post office, filled out the forms in advance, arrived for our appointment with paperwork and photos we got at Walgreen's

The postal official checked all of our documents for accuracy, and made sure everything needed was correct and included. She then posted them for us.

I was a little concerned because my DH father was born in Korea (entreprenuer - had a gold mine)

We just did a renewal, no rush, and received them both back in two weeks, the fastest ever in our experience.

I need to renew mine, it expires in Aug of this year, which way did go about renewing it?

Thanks everyone, sounds like they're processing them faster than they say on their website (which I was kind of expecting).

We renewed ours and had the new passports back in less than 3 weeks.

~Doris~

That is one part of the government that works well IMO. Fast service on our last renewal.:)

About four weeks. Not expedited.

I need to renew mine, it expires in Aug of this year, which way did go about renewing it?

Since you sail in April 2013, and it expires in August 2013, I think I would plan to send in for the renewal as soon as I got home in April. As long as you are doing a closed loop cruise, the 6 month rule shouldn't apply. If you are not doing a closed loop cruise in April, I would renew NOW.

I would not bother to expedite, just regular service. I would go ahead and add the passport card since it is not too much more if done at the same time.

The Department of State's website currently says processing times are 4-6 weeks and I'm curious how accurate this is. We have a trip planned and totally spaced on getting passports and we travel in about 2 months.

 

So, I'm curious, if you recently requested a passport for the first time how long did it take you to receive it?

 

I know they have the expedited service, but I'd really rather not pay the fee if we don't need to.

If it is a new request and not a renewal, I would pay for the expedited service. We did the first time and we got it in plenty of time--about 4 weeks. I wouldn't risk it as the State Department won't care if you miss your cruise. If a renewal, ours was about 3 weeks in November when we renewed.

thanks guys for the infor.

14 days ....

Well, thought I'd close the loop on this. We applied for the kids passports on January 5th and DID NOT pay for the expedited service. I got an e-mail update today saying the passports had been processed and that we should receive them by the 23rd.

Total processing time, including mailing each way, was 18 days. State.gov was indicating routine processing times were running 4-6 weeks. Not saying this type of turnaround is normal, just offering another data point.

We had our passports back within 3 weeks of purchasing them.

My Wife just got hers. It took about 5 weeks. No rush fee's, just standard processing.

just an FYI

submitted dd's passport application three weeks ago today - new as 'adult' previous pp was a minor's - pp was in today's mail

that was normal processing - not expedited.

(the official tracking site says it is being processed . . . )

Happy dance here - not cruising this time around but off to Cayman for a week of diving.

SCUBA DooBa Doo

Could take a lot lot longer for you in the U.S. starting some time next month. ;)

I think a lot of it depends on where the passport is processed and what kind of application it is as some seem to be quicker than others. My husband's (first time passport) took about 6 days with the birth certificate received the next day. Mine (name change renewal - not expired) took about two weeks with the marriage certificate and original passport returned another week later. Both were sent off on the same day, but mine had to be sent to a different processing facility than his was sent to.