Passport question
 

With the recent backlog of passport renewals in the US exceeding 4+ months, we have a bit of a travel dilemma.

Trip to Japan is planned for wife and kid at end of the year. Wife is a Japanese national, and the kid is a dual-citizen. The kid just had their Japanese passport renewed (minor to adult - only took 7 days) and since we are also going from a minor to adult US passport, we cannot renew it via mail and have to do a whole new application.

The appointment and processing times are such that there is a high risk of the new passport not being ready in time for the trip. But the old US passport expires 3 weeks *after* the return flight to the US. Sure we could cancel the appointment, but that would mean that any trip during the summer would be out of the question. It's been nearly two years and both are now jonesing to get back to the old country.

Typically, the daughter leaves the US with the US passport, uses the Japanese passport to gain entry into and exit Japan, then uses the US passport to regain entry to the US.

So two questions:
1. Since it is not a renewal, but a full-up new application, do we need to surrender the old passport? If not,
2. Would the old passport remain valid? and
3. I would assume that the US, for returning citizens, could not care less how many days are left on the validity of the US passport, provided the passport has not expired. Versus a country like Japan & Europe that want 3 months or more prior to the expiration date.

Anyone have any insight on this?

1. Yes.

2. The passport agency will be in possession of the old passport.

3. All that's needed is proof of US citizenship, for which an expired passport will suffice. The issue was with the airlines letting one board a flight to the US with an expired travel document. For a holder of another passport, that doesn't really matter. However, due to Covid, the US currently allows its citizens to return using expired passports.

Please take a look at the following thread in the Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues forum:

Just use the passport agency. Turnaround can be very quick if required. Next day is fairly normal.

I don’t know how it goes currently with the US embassy/consulate application scene in Japan; but at least with some of our embassies and consulates elsewhere, it’s still possible to apply for US passports in-person, be given back the still-not-expired US passport for use, and later getting the new passport in exchange for turning in the old one for cancellation — and this with a 2-3 week turnaround time (or even way better) and no expedite fee involved.

Thanks for the tips. The return is in Jan 2022, the Passport expires on Feb 2022. So if I don't apply this trip is not threatened, but any followup trip will likely be so.
A far cry from when I renewed 3-4 years ago. 10 days turnaround with no expedite fee.

So I guess the best course of action is to do nothing, return on the old passport (still valid for 3 more weeks after return) and file for an expedited new passport and hope to get it within 5-6 months.

I do have another question - are you going to Japan?

Best make an apt at the passport agency and get the new passport before travel. It is a fairly painless process. Not sure why you aren't doing this as it is highly likely to be less time consuming than going thru the consulate in Japan?

I have a ticket, and I *can* get a visa. But it looks not so great right now.

I never said I was going through the consulate in Japan. Our daughter went to the Japanese consulate to renew her Japanese passport and they took less than 10 days. I have end of year travel plans, and a US passport expiring less than a month after the return date.

So I'd figure we'd apply for a renewal before the trip and I get hit with the news there's an insane delay for processing passports. At this point I'm waiting for the appointment, and considering my options.

So based upon what I read above, just keep the current travel plans, call the passport agency 2 weeks before the trip and get an emergency travel appointment - which I may not be able to get since the passport is valid during the travel period. However, it does not have the 90+ days of validity countries want to see upon entry. If I cannot get an appointment, no problem. But if I try to reapply, it appears we'll be screwed as we will be without a passport.

If you have proof of travel (plane tickets) go to a passport agency in the USA and renew the child>adult passport that way--don't apply through the mail. Normally you get the new passport the next afternoon (assuming no weekend) and the original cancelled passport (with holes punched) is returned to you at the time. Depending on the location, you might need to make an appointment and I think a small fee for fast service is applied. Be sure to have all of the necessary documents when you go.

OP knows what I am trying to imply here. I rest my case.

I do. Thanks for the ideas. I have a plan forward now that has a lot less risk than what I was looking at before.