GUWonder

The slower this “more secure” passport rollout happens, the better it will be for me and my pocketbook — and that would be a sign of improved rate of becoming dysfunctional over what it’s been in the prior couple of years.

Section 107

are you saying its good they are becoming even more dysfunctional at a faster rate? or its good that the rate of becoming more dysfunctional is slowing down?

GUWonder

I am saying that the rate of becoming dysfunctional is lower now than it has been in recent prior year(s), but it's going to take time -- if it is even to happen -- to reverse the circumstances leading up to this. A turbulent, demoralized employee pool -- which has been subject to extraordinary times even beyond just those of management now and before -- doesn't make for the best of conditions to make this kind of transition with the passports.

I would love to know how much waste/breakage the new passport types are generating with regard to the diplomatic passports in comparison to what went on with the legacy version for the same passport type.

Valerian

There clearly are serious problems somewhere along the chain, which is why so many years down the road the DoS still cannot get the nextgen passport announced, much less even issued.

DoS brought on a new project lead December 2019. If I had to hazard a guess, it was because the project was getting bogged down and not making progress. That still very much appears to still be the case.

Valerian

Press Release: Jura announces contribution to the new US passports

Jura is proud to announce the application of the LetterScreen® feature in the New Generation US passport series through its partnership with GET Group North America.

https://jura.hu/2021/05/14/press-rel...north-america/

If it were me, I wouldn’t be so quick to be trumpeting my participation in this project. Not when the nextgen passports haven’t been issued, and still appear to be a far ways away from even being officially announced. But that is just me.

Xyzzy

I'd never heard of LetterScreen, but I fund some details on it here.

GUWonder

The "nextgen" passports have already been issued, just in extremely limited runs.

Valerian

There is no official public announcement from the Department of State, nor any issuance of the tourist passport 7 years after the commencement of the project. What is being issued now is being done pursuant to a pilot program (which is typical). So no. No public issuance. I should have been more precise in my language.

Valerian

http://edisontd.net/B79B12C7000C23EC/

http://edisontd.net/B79B12C7000C23EC/

Search for US Passports. Diplomatic and Official passport (next gen) listed. With rough issue date starting July 10, 2020.

Valerian

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/upl...f-07092021.pdf

Page 74 - “The FY 2022 Request of $685.6 million is an increase of $39.6 million (6.1 percent) above the FY 2021 Estimate of $646 million. As compared to the legacy book, costs per passport book increased by 35.6 percent starting in FY 2021 for Next Generation passport books. The primary drivers of PPT’s funding request - shipping, printing, and contract costs - have been reassessed and aligned to projected workload.“

35.6% increase in passport costs coming up. Getting an expedited next gen passport is going to cost close to $300 with express return shipping. Yikes! I do think we will get a public announcement some time around the end of 2021 to early 2022, at which time they will start issuing the tourist passport. End of 2022 next gen variant becomes the primary type issued.

Valerian

Here it is folks, the official announcement of the next generation United States passport by the Department of State:

https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...-passport.html

I imagine tourist version will begin issuance. Becoming a mainstay by the end of the year, early next year.


Looks like the passport card is up next for modernization.

TWA884

It's going to be a gradual changeover; from the above linked announcement:

Valerian

Yup. Probably won’t be until very end of this year, early 2022 before you can reliably expect to get the NGP

CX HK

"The most visible changes to the new passport book are the polycarbonate, multi-layered plastic, data page, and the passport number, which now includes both letters and numbers."

So perhaps no changes to the pages...?

seawolf

I'm guessing passport # will be on each passport page.