Current Published Passport "Wait Times"

[newbie53]

We did not request expedited service, as we had no plans for travel this year.  Mailed them Priority mail on May 13, tracking said delivered on May 16.   Checks cashed and "In process" status on June 8.  At that time it was said processing time was 10-12 weeks.  Not sure if that was supposed to be from May 16 or from June 8.   Current status is still "In process".  No idea if we can still expect 12 weeks, or if we are now 18 weeks.

[jacpedigo]

Laminator, no, I did not request expedited service, as I am not booked for anything until March 2022.  My sister did get her documents back, in the mail, the day after I posted this. She'd forgotten to sign her renewal form! Ha!

 

Mine continues to be "In Process".

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Ours expire in seven years. Given the backlog, it may be time for me to get my act together and submit the renewal paperwork.😉

[Caribbean Chris]

Slightly related is the following update, just in case anyone interested in turnaround time for Global Entry.. I filled out paperwork for it in June, got conditional approval very quickly, and booked an in-person interview appointment at their Tampa airport office for about six weeks later - which was last Wednesday, 

 

Today, a week later, received my Global Entry card and now can enter the “trusted traveler” number into my flight reservations for TSA Pre-check status next time we fly, thank goodness.

 

[Laminator]

DW sent for her passport renewal July 15th expedited. Received the new passport in the mail today. Looks like the passport offices may be catching up a little bit.

[VermeulT]

Hubby paid for expedited processing and return shipping (hoping to do a land vacation in Nov for my 50th)... he got his just got his back in (7 weeks.)

[jlnprt]

I sent my renewal off in early May and did not ask for expedited service. I received it this week: 13-14 weeks. 

[HermmyGranger]

We may just be an anomaly, but we sent my sons paperwork off for a new passport in July and it was back in five weeks time. Frankly, I thought it was being returned for an error. I couldn't believe it was done so quickly And we did not pay for expedited service.

[POA1]

I used the "magic combo" for my renewal. I sent my passport from Fort Lauderdale to the Texas processing center on Monday. They rec'd it Tuesday. Check cashed on Thursday.

 

I rec'd status updates on Friday. My new passport came back 12 business days later. My passport card came two days after that. My old passport came three days later.

 

I may have lucked out by being in a state that used TX processing.

 

Start to finish was 4.5 weeks.

Edited August 16, 2021 by POA1

[markwfpb]

Given there's no guarantee of getting a passport back in a timely manner, I'm in a predicament - I have a passport that expires 5 months after my cruise. 

 

I'm looking at the October Panama Canal cruise. None of the ports require the 6 month rule. A few require 3 months so I'll be covered there. 

 

Would the cruise line (Holland America) still require the passport be good for 6 months or longer? 

And would  they run my passport number at the time of booking so that I'd know I'm out of luck right way - or is it possible to be turned away at boarding?!

 

 

[leerathje]

On 7/26/2021 at 10:17 PM, leerathje said:

I'm in Canada, and DH and I just renewed our Canadian passports.  Renewal time is 2 months.  I was told that if we haven't received by then, to call.

 

I'm curious, how much you pay for passports?  In Canada it's $120 CAD for 5 years, and $160 CAD for 10 years.

 

L.

 

So, I renewed my passport on July 22, not expedited, just regular renewal.  I got my passport today, so 35 days in Canada.

 

L.

 

[VMax1700]

I know it is irrelevant to you guys, but I applied online for DW's passport renewal on Sunday at 3pm.  Passport was delivered by mail Tuesday 11am.  Cost is Euro 75 for Passport Book for 10 years.  Passport Card is 35 euro

 

Also DS, who is living in Vancouver BC renewed his Irish passport and processing and delivery took 12 days.

 

With online renewal we do not need to return old passports and current photo taken on phone, can be uploaded to their website

 

People are on the radio here complaining about how long passport renewal takes! 🙄

[newbie53]

On 8/6/2021 at 11:06 PM, newbie53 said:

We did not request expedited service, as we had no plans for travel this year.  Mailed them Priority mail on May 13, tracking said delivered on May 16.   Checks cashed and "In process" status on June 8.  At that time it was said processing time was 10-12 weeks.  Not sure if that was supposed to be from May 16 or from June 8.   Current status is still "In process".  No idea if we can still expect 12 weeks, or if we are now 18 weeks.

We received our passports on 8/20,  so 10.5 weeks from the date the check was cashed.  It would have been a few days sooner, but they were forwarded from our old address to our new address.  Side point - I followed the instructions on how to notify the agency of a change of address during passport processing (after being on hold for over an hour).  Form with the new address was sent to them 4 weeks before they were approved, but they were still sent to the old address.  

[Caribbean Chris]

On 8/16/2021 at 7:32 PM, POA1 said:

I used the "magic combo" for my renewal. I sent my passport from Fort Lauderdale to the Texas processing center on Monday. They rec'd it Tuesday. Check cashed on Thursday.

 

I rec'd status updates on Friday. My new passport came back 12 business days later. My passport card came two days after that. My old passport came three days later.

 

I may have lucked out by being in a state that used TX processing.

 

Start to finish was 4.5 weeks.

Wow, good outcome!

[POA1]

1 hour ago, Caribbean Chris said:

Wow, good outcome!

 

I made what I originally thought was a mistake when I went into the local post office. I meant to grab a flat rate Priority Mail envelope which costs $7.40. However, due to the Covid requirement that stipulates that my glasses must be fogged up at all times when indoors, I accidentally grabbed a Priority Express Mail envelope, which costs $22.75. I had already stood in line for 10 minutes by the time I got to the counter. I would have had to get out of line, grab a new envelope, fill out the address, and stand in line all over again.

 

I decided that I'd suck up the $15.35 loss.

 

It turns out that the passport agency sends your new passport back using the same method you used to send it in. (It's the US Government, so they don't mind paying the difference, apparently.)  Priority Express has somewhat better tracking than the regular Priority Mail as well.

 

I don't know how much of the speed was due to the fact that I sent the renewal via Priority Express or how much was due to the fact that Florida residents' passports are processed in Irving, Texas (NW of Dallas.)  Passports from California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York & Texas are processed in Texas. The rest of the country's passports are handled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

[shiner6]

We sent our 15 YO daughter"s off for renewal July 19. The check was cashed on Aug. 5. Waiting to hear from them....

[NengEuis]

Just an update on ours: 

• One new Adult passport for our 17 year old
• One child renewal for our 11 year old

USPS Passport appointment here in Alaska was August 3. Check was cashed on August 10. Paid for expedited. Both passports in the mail today, 31 August. WOW! I was not expecting to have them within the same month. 

[shiner6]

ours came back in 42 days, start to Finish, no expediting!

[jacpedigo]

My latest update: my passport is still "In Process", where it has been since July 20th.  My sister's was returned, as she forgot to sign the form.  She signed it, mailed it back (around July 23rd, I believe) and has already received the new one.  I'm still waiting...

Neither was expedited.

[N-squared]

I sent my renewal in mid-May via priority mail.  I did not ask for expidited service as we are not leaving until March 2022.  I did pay for priority mail return so that I could track it if they contacted my by email as requested.  I checked on my status Monday morning, it said 'In Process'.  Monday afternoon my passport was in my mailbox.  Checked the electronic status and it was not updated to approved until the morning after I had it in my hot little hands.  It was almost 4 months to the day that it was entered into the System.  I reccomend that you keep checking the status and also don't wait for the email that it was approved (if you asked for it) since I never got one.  Good luck everyone and I hope you get them in time!

[lovencruising]

I sent for my renewal on May 31 by priority mail, not expedited. It was checked in on June 8 and my check was cashed on July 8. I received it today, Sept 8, by priority mail. I signed up for the email notification but never got one.