Passport Renewal Questions

Do you mail just regular 1st class or do you send certified or registered?

Both DH and I need renewals. Should we mail together or separately? You would think if mailed together they could match the passport to the correct renewal application...but then maybe not...:o

The State Department recommends using a trackable delivery method. As I recall we made separate mailings.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/trackable-delivery-method.html

Trackable Delivery Method

A trackable delivery method is defined as any mailing service that allows you, the sender, to confirm the receipt of your package at the intended destination. Trackable delivery methods include:

USPS Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation

USPS Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation

USPS Express Mail (for overnight delivery requests) trackable delivery method

USPS Certified Mail and USPS Registered Mail are also forms of trackable mail but take longer to reach the mailing destination than Priority or Express Mail service.

I put both applications in one envelope and use Certified Mail

I sent mine in last week using Priority Mail. It cost $5.85.

Since you are sending it to a P.O. Box you must use the postal service if you want to send it via an overnight type of mail which is what we do and that way you can track it. We pay the extra fee to have them return it to us with priority mail as well.

Keith

they started sending 'em back Priority Mail for no extra charge a while back ... That's how ours came back and we just paid 'regular'

I send 'em in Priority for tracing and mail 'em sep' just cuz . . .

Many people mail them together, but put each application, check and old passport in their own inside envelope. Trackable (priority or better) is recommended.

Many people mail them together, but put each application, check and old passport in their own inside envelope. Trackable (priority or better) is recommended.

Last time I renewed ours, that is what I did.

I sent mine in last week using Priority Mail. It cost $5.85.

That is what we did in September. We used non-tracking Flat Rate Priority Mail envelope and put both renewal forms in same envelope but used a different check for each one. The checks cleared the bank in 6 days from mailing.

Our passports were returned separately by Priority mail, no extra charge.

Our old passports arrived separately about a week later, first class mail.

Thanks everyone :)

That is what we did in September. We used non-tracking Flat Rate Priority Mail envelope and put both renewal forms in same envelope but used a different check for each one. The checks cleared the bank in 6 days from mailing.

Our passports were returned separately by Priority mail, no extra charge.

Our old passports arrived separately about a week later, first class mail.

Seeing you sent them together, when they were renewed, are the numbers consecutive? Though ours went in the same envelope they are a number of digits separated. :)

I just renewed my husband and I's passports. I was going to mail them just regular mail but the office convinced me to mail it USPS with a tracker number. I mailed it on a Wednesday, they got it on Friday, two days later and we received it in the mail 9 days later. It was very fast. Once they receive it at the office then you can go online and put in your personal information and it will say when it is sent out with their tracking number. Very fast and I mailed them together. Also wrote two checks, one for each and knew when I went online to my bank statement and they had cleared they were on the way.

Seeing you sent them together, when they were renewed, are the numbers consecutive? Though ours went in the same envelope they are a number of digits separated. :)

Interesting. DH's and mine were mailed in separate envelopes, at the same time, and the numbers are consecutive.

Seeing you sent them together, when they were renewed, are the numbers consecutive? Though ours went in the same envelope they are a number of digits separated. :)

No, the numbers aren't consecutive. They weren't for our renewal in 2004 either.

Interesting. DH's and mine were mailed in separate envelopes, at the same time, and the numbers are consecutive.

No, the numbers aren't consecutive. They weren't for our renewal in 2004 either.

Of course, it doesn't really matter but I've wondered for years how the numbers managed to be separated by so many digits. :D

Thanks for sharing.

Of course, it doesn't really matter but I've wondered for years how the numbers managed to be separated by so many digits. :D

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Maybe when the passports are taken out of the envelope they somehow get stacked with others that came in the same mail.

When I renewed my & DH's passports in May of 2012 we did it from the Post Office when they had a special Passport Day. They had us make out separate checks but mailed in one envelope. 6 days later I could see that the checks had been processed. 2 days later we received my DH's application back :confused: with a letter stating that there was no check enclosed & requesting payment. Sent second check. 6 calls & 11 months later we finally received our refund. 2 weeks before our cruise.