2017 US Passport Renewal

So where is a good place to get the photo taken? I've heard they are particular. Someone I know got their application returned because the photo didn't meet 'specifications'. It was taken at a place that advertised they did passport photos. I don't want that kind of delay with my renewal application. Any recommendations?

I got my passport photo taken at Walgreens. (In Texas). I sent everything off and got my passport back very quickly with no problems! (I did pay for the expedited shipping).

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i'm booked on a pacific coastal cruise in september from vancouver to los angeles. i'll be in vancouver september 15, 2017 and my passport expires feb. 18, 2018. will canada allow that?

i am a u.s. citizen. i don't want to have to renew it three months before my cruise.

thanks for your advice in advance

My last passport photo was at Walgreens also (Florida).

Just got our renewals after 6 weeks.

The last time I renewed, 10 years ago, it took a very long time - 16 weeks I think? That's because they started requiring passports to travel to Canada, Caribbean, etc. I was afraid it would take a long time again since all of those passports would expire this year, so I added the expedite fee to mine to be safe since we are cruising soon.

It took 10 days! :D I was amazed.

I also had the situation where my passport would expire three months after my cruise was over, but I had read in several places that there was a risk that some countries might deny entry if there was between 3 and 6 months left on the passport, and more certainly less than 3.

We took the photos at home, I picked the best and used the template on the passport website to make sure it was the correct size.

I booked an April cruise in February and noticed my passport expires in May. No way was I taking a chance to renew before our cruise. Since I don't really have to have it, I just prefer to have it (closed loop Caribbean itinerary) I'm waiting until I get back to renew.

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Just renewed ours, turn around time was two weeks. I mailed it priority two day with tracking. We also got passport cards and they came 4 days later.

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So where is a good place to get the photo taken? I've heard they are particular. Someone I know got their application returned because the photo didn't meet 'specifications'. It was taken at a place that advertised they did passport photos. I don't want that kind of delay with my renewal application. Any recommendations?

We find the best and easiest way is to take the photos at home ourselves.

We take ours in a bathroom that has good lighting, in front of a plain, white wall.

Any ordinary point and shoot camera will do.

You can use any photo editing program to size the photos to meet requirements, or use the photo cropping tool provided right on the government's website.

But you do need to read and follow the instructions.

It is easy to check the photo to be sure it meets all the specifications before you send it, so there is no waiting in suspense wondering whether or not it will be accepted.

Another advantage is that you can save the original to make as many copies as you may need for visas any time in the next ten years.

All the requirements are clearly explained on the government's website.

Here is a link to it: Passport Photos

So where is a good place to get the photo taken? I've heard they are particular. Someone I know got their application returned because the photo didn't meet 'specifications'.

CVS, Walgreens

Last year my wife and I renewed our passports. Her's came back in 3 weeks. Mine took 5 weeks to come back not approved because my picture didn't meet the standard. We both went to CVS to have our picture taken and honestly I didn't see any difference in the size or quality. However, this is just the way things go for me. I got my passport back 2 weeks after I resent it. What I don't understand is why they took so long to reject it. I think they lost the picture because they didn't send it back with the rest of the paper work. The point is you never know what can hold things up.

Just got our renewals after 6 weeks.

And thank you to the person that started this thread. ;)

My daughter is taking a friend on our upcoming May cruise to Europe. I knew that the friend needed to renew her passport to her new married name. After seeing this thread, I casual asked my daughter to check on the renewal progress. The friend had not yet taken care of it! She has now gone to the Post Office to have pictures made and fill out a renewal form. She was told it may not get back in time for her to travel, so she paid for an expedited 3 week turnover. :)

My daughter is taking a friend on our upcoming May cruise to Europe. I knew that the friend needed to renew her passport to her new married name. After seeing this thread, I casual asked my daughter to check on the renewal progress. The friend had not yet taken care of it! She has now gone to the Post Office to have pictures made and fill out a renewal form. She was told it may not get back in time for her to travel, so she paid for an expedited 3 week turnover. :)

If her passport had sufficient time left on it before the expiration date, it would have been much easier and faster to change her name on the cruise reservation to match her name on her passport, instead of the other way around.

People who travel often know that you should always book airline flights or hotel reservations or cruises using the exact same name that is on your passport in any situation where you will be using your passport as your ID.

Nobody cares in the slightest whether she uses her maiden name or married name, but only that the name on the reservation matches the name on the passport.

Her passport was expired. And she had not had it renewed after she got married. She used to travel to China for work, and had not worked with the company since she met her fiancé. It needed to be renewed all the way around. ;) She also moved from TN to TX.

Just renewed. 18 days from mailing at the post office to delivery in my mailbox June 30, 2017.

Tracking was easy all the way using Priority Mail and the State Department web site.

There was a mistake on my application (what I get for letting Chrome automatically fill in form fields) which they fixed over the phone. There was no problem getting a person on the phone without a wait all three times I called.

Note that they no longer add pages to passports; you have to apply for a new one. So if you travel a lot, check the box for a thick passport when you apply.

Just renewed. 18 days from mailing at the post office to delivery in my mailbox June 30, 2017.

 

Tracking was easy all the way using Priority Mail and the State Department web site.

 

There was a mistake on my application (what I get for letting Chrome automatically fill in form fields) which they fixed over the phone. There was no problem getting a person on the phone without a wait all three times I called.

 

Note that they no longer add pages to passports; you have to apply for a new one. So if you travel a lot, check the box for a thick passport when you apply.

Just got mine back in 12 days. Mailed the 14th, got it the 26th.

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I mailed ours in on 6/14 and just checked they are complete and on their way. Thanks OP for reminding me to do it!

I've had pictures taken at Costco and AAA.

On the X site, under Profile, Immigration Documents, it asks for City of Issue. I mailed my renewal application to Philadelphia PA. When it came back, I went to the X site to update my passport number. The passport doesn't contain City of Issue. I called passport agency and found out that the City of Issue info is contained in the 2 rows of letters, numbers and symbols at the bottom of the photo page in the coded numbers. They deciphered the code for me. Mine came from Charleston, SC. My husband's came from Portsmouth, NH. Both were mailed to the same place, Philadelphia, PA who then distribute them to various places around the country for processing. I think that is why 2 applications get processed at different times. We live in the suburban Philadelphia area, yet the return address on the mailer containing my passport was Charleston, SC and my husband's was Portsmouth, NH.

On the X site, under Profile, Immigration Documents, it asks for City of Issue.

I always write "US Department of State," which replaced Place of Issue a long time ago. Been to over 80 countries and never been deported yet.

I always write "US Department of State," which replaced Place of Issue a long time ago. Been to over 80 countries and never been deported yet.

I offered that as a means of explaining the different return times for husband and wife renewals mailed to same place same time. You are correct that it doesn't matter. I don't even know why X asks it on their former since the answer is encoded and not prominently displayed. I can't remember when it last was shown.

Quick turn around for me. Sent mine in 7/17/17 to Philadelphia address, no special processing time requested. $110 for renewal. $6.65 for priority USPS overnight (BTW since PO BOX address, can only use USPS). Got an email from them today with ship tracking #, estimated arrival 8/1/17. Now that's fast. I do have the global entry card so maybe that helped. Who knows. I'm impressed. Expected the 6-8 week time frame.

1cruiselvr, we got our new passports in 3 weeks which I thought was good. We also have Global Entry. Be sure to go to that website and put in your new passport number so it is linked with your new passport.

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1cruiselvr, we got our new passports in 3 weeks which I thought was good. We also have Global Entry. Be sure to go to that website and put in your new passport number so it is linked with your new passport.

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Oh, thank you for the reminder!! I didn't think if that!

I mailed my renewal to Philadelphia on July 18 (regular processing) and the estimated return date is Aug 2. Two weeks versus the six to eight mentioned on the website. Definitely didn't need it that quickly, but pleased nonetheless.

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