Question for people who renewed their Passport

[weebo]

We need to renew our passports for the first time and have a couple of questions for you who have done this.

 

Did you print the renewal form out on line?

How did you send it; insured, registered, what?

Can we send both of our passports in the same envelope (with two forms) and do we need separate checks for the fee?

Anyone feel weird about sending that important of a document in the mail and not knowing if it gets there OK or what if something happens to it? :rolleyes:

 

Thanks!

[sail7seas]

I just renewed my passport for the fourth (I think :D) time. I've lost track.

 

I went to AAA to have my new photo taken. I knew they would make it exactly the size, close up etc the State Department requires. They provided me with the application. I paid for photos but not for the application.

 

I completed it, wrote the check, stapled the photo as required and mailed it certified mail, return receipt requested.

 

I was in no rush to receive it back so did not request expedited service or overnight mail for the forwarding of my new passport. I had it back in just under three weeks.

 

Most of us are 'squeamish' about mailing our passports and especially being without one at all for a given amount of time but there is not much choice unless you live near a passport office and can make an appointment to do it in person.

 

In the past, I mailed my late DH's passport application, check and old passport in a separate envelope from mine. I have no real reason for doing that but I usually try to make things as easy as possible for any officials from whom I am requesting a service. I hope if I make it as easy as possible for them, the result will be good. :)

 

[sail7seas]

If you choose to send both applications in the same envelope, I strongly suggest you complete each application, clip the old passport and check to each application. Keeping them separate by clipping each full set of necessary documents together may avoid mistake. I would not write only one check.

[GTO-Girl]

You can send it either registerted or priority so you can track it. I don't know if you can do one check......I was so paranoid that I put a check with each application...:p

 

When we renewed our granddaughter's passport about 2 months ago it took less than three weeks for it to come back.

[NMLady]

We need to renew our passports for the first time and have a couple of questions for you who have done this.

 

Did you print the renewal form out on line?

How did you send it; insured, registered, what?

Can we send both of our passports in the same envelope (with two forms) and do we need separate checks for the fee?

Anyone feel weird about sending that important of a document in the mail and not knowing if it gets there OK or what if something happens to it? :rolleyes:

 

Thanks!

 

We printed out the form online.

 

We put both passports in same envelope with both printed out applications but wrote two different checks.

 

We sent them in a Flat Rate Priority Mail envelope.

 

We checked online to track when they were received.

 

No weird feelings.

Edited March 14, 2016 by NMLady

[Xwordgal]

I simply utilized normal mail and received my new passport 3 week later. Yes, I felt a bit nervous about it, but if that's the way we are requested to do it, I had to believe that few problems occur. However, my old passport was retained. I thought this was a bit odd because I have all of my other older passports.

[welikepalms]

We need to renew our passports for the first time and have a couple of questions for you who have done this.

 

Did you print the renewal form out on line?

How did you send it; insured, registered, what?

Can we send both of our passports in the same envelope (with two forms) and do we need separate checks for the fee?

Anyone feel weird about sending that important of a document in the mail and not knowing if it gets there OK or what if something happens to it? :rolleyes:

 

Thanks!

 

Hello. First let me assure you I was very apprehensive in doing our passport renewal recently. Also let me tell you it all worked out fine in the end. Here is what we did:

 

Went to https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/renew.html and printed out form DS-82 from there. Make sure you read the top of the page with the questions. If you can't answer yes to all the questions you have to apply in person at a passport agent (post office or such)/

 

We sent both applications, old passports and payment for each inside their own envelope inside a bigger shipping package we got at walmart. I read this suggestion on a site about passport renewal.

 

I mailed them priority mail with tracking as suggested on the gov. site.

 

Yes I too felt weird sending them but again it is done every day and tracking helped take the worry away. I just told the clerk at the post office I wanted to be able to track the envelope and get receipt verification and he took care of it. May cost a few dollars more but worth it in my opinion.

 

We got our new Passports in about 3 1/2 weeks and our old passports a few days later.

 

All in all I think I over worried the process. I do understand your questions and concern. I had the same ones a couple months ago. lol:)

 

Good luck and Happy Cruising

[buggins0402]

We printed out the form online.

 

We put both passports in same envelope with both printed out applications but wrote two different checks.

 

We sent them in a Flat Rate Priority Mail envelope.

 

We checked online to track when they were received.

 

No weird feelings.

 

Same here, but mine was a single renewal, DH is on a different schedule. Received new one in three weeks, my old passport came a day later.

Edited March 14, 2016 by buggins0402

[Ashland]

You can also get your passport photo taken at Costco....Luckily for us our local City Hall offers passport/renewal service...very easy.

[fishywood]

I believe it is essential to use different checks for each application; if you do not attach the check and photos precisely as instructed to each individual application it will definitely delay processing.

 

As for worrying about using the US Mail for such an important document: unless you go to one of the 25 Regional Passport Agencies in person the US Mail is the usual method of conveyance that any Passport Acceptance Facility (such as your local city hall or government center) or any of the private expediting agencies use to forward in your application. We're all in the same boat together; just be sure to have a tracking number.

Edited March 14, 2016 by fishywood

[Philob]

I believe it is essential to use different checks for each application; if you do not attach the check and photos precisely as instructed to each individual application it will definitely delay processing.

 

As for worrying about using the US Mail for such an important document: unless you go to one of the 25 Regional Passport Agencies in person the US Mail is the usual method of conveyance that any Passport Acceptance Facility (such as your local city hall or government center) or any of the private expediting agencies use to forward in your application. We're all in the same boat together; just be sure to have a tracking number.

 

Looks like the OP is in Dallas, TX, they can look up the PAF in that area here:

 

https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/DefaultForm.aspx

[sail7seas]

You can also get your passport photo taken at Costco....Luckily for us our local City Hall offers passport/renewal service...very easy.

 

In my area, CVS and Walgreens also do passport photos. :)

[Keith1010]

We need to renew our passports for the first time and have a couple of questions for you who have done this.

 

Did you print the renewal form out on line?

How did you send it; insured, registered, what?

Can we send both of our passports in the same envelope (with two forms) and do we need separate checks for the fee?

Anyone feel weird about sending that important of a document in the mail and not knowing if it gets there OK or what if something happens to it? :rolleyes:

 

Thanks!

 

I've renewed several times (we do a lot of traveling so we've had to renew several years before the passport expires)

 

We fill each application out on line.

 

I send mind express mail and the only way to do that since it goes to a P.O. Box is USA postal service. This way I can track it.

 

I also expedite it. I just like having them back but if you want to save money and have a lot of time no need to do that.

 

I also pay the extra fee to have them return it to me via USAPostal Express Mail.

 

And yes, I send it in two different envelopes and place individual checks in each document.

 

Doing it the way I have described I usually have new passport in my hand in about 10 days.

 

Keith

[sparky-elpaso]

We're getting ready to renew ours in the next couple of months and the aggravating thing for us is that we no longer have any checks - we pay all of our bills on-line. So that means a trip to the bank to get money orders.

[Pyrate13]

Xwordgal,

 

Our paperwork stated that the old passports would be returned in a separate mailing. We received them a bit later but did get them back. Sorry, can't remember exactly how much later.

[sparks1093]

They have been handling passport renewals like this for quite some time and I am sure if there were any significant flaws in the system they would have been addressed. There is some good advice in this thread.

[Capt_BJ]

mail using flat rate priority ... you can get the flat rate package free at the post office and the flat rate fee includes tracking. Note that the agency now returns using this method at no extra charge

 

once you mail it go to the agency website and you can track once your application is entered. Then I recommend you signup for the optional e-mail notifications which will tell you when the application is processed and when it is mailed. I found the e-mail notifications to be much more accurate than just going online and checking status. My status said "processing" after e-mail had said "mailed" and I had rec'd the new passport! (but you can't get the e-mail until the first "processing" appears)

[Coveguy4]

Sent ours out just 2 1/2 weeks ago in seperate flat rate from postal for tracking purposes. One came back on Sat expect the other will arrive today (Monday). Checks were cashed a day apart. No expiditing needed at all.

[sail7seas]

mail using flat rate priority ... you can get the flat rate package free at the post office and the flat rate fee includes tracking. Note that the agency now returns using this method at no extra charge

 

once you mail it go to the agency website and you can track once your application is entered. Then I recommend you signup for the optional e-mail notifications which will tell you when the application is processed and when it is mailed. I found the e-mail notifications to be much more accurate than just going online and checking status. My status said "processing" after e-mail had said "mailed" and I had rec'd the new passport! (but you can't get the e-mail until the first "processing" appears)

 

I took your advice and signed up for the optional e-mail notification. I received the notification and it was totally accurate. It's a very good suggestion.