Renewing Passport Questions

Old Jun 22, 2015, 11:04 am
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Renewing Passport Questions

I have a USA passport that will expire in a few months. I'm currently outside the usa and was planning to come back to the usa for a week or so... get it renewed... then head back outside the usa. The thing is i believe it takes few weeks to receive the new passport.


The thing is I know for certain i will have to come back to the usa in few months when my current passport expires. So i figured come back to usa get passport renewed... then it would be sent to my usa home... and well just make sure i come back to the usa in few months before my current passport expires... then if i do go outside the usa again... then i take the new one.


First off, is it true when you renew a passport, your current passport is no longer valid? If true, i didn't know this and this would be a problem for me since i only plan to stay in the usa for 1 week only mainly b/c im comign back to renew it but also b/c im allowed to stay 180 days in a row in my current country so i figure doing this would fix both issues.


The thing is i believe u can renew passport online so if u do that, then you still have your passport right or do you need to mail it in? Also what about the current picture? I would want a new picture since my passport is well 10 years old and want a new one. I don't recall the process 10 years ago when i got my passport but i think i either sent in a picture of myself or went to the place and they took my picture.


I read that you could expedite getting your passport for extra. Has anyone done this? I read you could even have this done in one day with hefty fees. But waiting a week for it would be fine as well. How long does it take on average to receive new passport? The thing im most concerned with is can i still keep my current passport and use it when i go and have a passport renewed? If so... then there will be zero issues at all with everything since i can come back to usa, renew it, then leave... then just make sure i come back to usa again when my current passport expires later on.

Also


Im currently in mexico now. Passport expires in less than 6 months. Will be flying back to usa where im from. However i plan to fly back to mexico in about a week. Will all airline not allow me to board to mexico from the usa if my passport expires in less than 6 months?


The thing is im planning to go back to the usa very soon. Then go back to mexico in a week or so but not sure if im allowed to even fly to mexico again because of this. The other thing is i will have to come back to the usa in november so i figure okay just tell customs in mexico stamp my passport till november then i leave to the usa then renew it while in the usa and wait.


Any advice on this?

Last edited by beckoa; Jun 27, 2015 at 1:32 am Reason: Merge consecutive posts
Rocky2 is offline  
Old Jun 22, 2015, 11:24 am
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Originally Posted by Rocky2
First off, is it true when you renew a passport, your current passport is no longer valid?
Yes, this is true

Originally Posted by Rocky2
The thing is i believe u can renew passport online so if u do that, then you still have your passport right or do you need to mail it in? Also what about the current picture? I would want a new picture since my passport is well 10 years old and want a new one.
You cannot get a passport online, even a renewal. You can fill out the form online, print it, and mail it in. But you have to include your current passport, so you'll be without a passport during the processing time (more than your 1 week window).

The picture info may not be helpful to you since it sounds like your plan won't work, but you submit new pictures if you do the renewal by mail. The pictures must satisfy certain requirements, and the major drugstores will take the photo and provide the prints for you for a fee (~$12 IIRC). I've done DIY photos, following the guidelines strictly, for both my renewals. I loaded them to a drugstore's website for printing and local pickup. Both times the photo center person told me they would be rejected and I should have them do the pictures, and both times I had no issues. There are plenty of free/cheap apps nowadays that help you get it done cheaply. The one I used was free and just put six 2"x2" (passport size) photos in a 4"x6" image for easy printing.


Originally Posted by Rocky2
I read that you could expedite getting your passport for extra. Has anyone done this? I read you could even have this done in one day with hefty fees. But waiting a week for it would be fine as well. How long does it take on average to receive new passport? The thing im most concerned with is can i still keep my current passport and use it when i go and have a passport renewed? If so... then there will be zero issues at all with everything since i can come back to usa, renew it, then leave... then just make sure i come back to usa again when my current passport expires later on.
There are third party companies that offer super expedited (one day, two day, etc) processing, but I have no experience with them.

It might be easiest to handle all of this wherever you are outside the US at the closest embassy or consulate: http://www.travel.state.gov/content/...ed-states.html. But you need to get on this now. Many countries will not allow you to enter without a passport with 6 months of validity (some more). So if you return to the US, which it sounds like you'll have to do soon due to the 180 day visitor limitation wherever you are, you may have to wait until you have a valid passport to leave again.
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Old Jun 22, 2015, 11:55 am
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Originally Posted by Rocky2
Also


Im currently in mexico now. Passport expires in less than 6 months. Will be flying back to usa where im from. However i plan to fly back to mexico in about a week. Will all airline not allow me to board to mexico from the usa if my passport expires in less than 6 months?


The thing is im planning to go back to the usa very soon. Then go back to mexico in a week or so but not sure if im allowed to even fly to mexico again because of this. The other thing is i will have to come back to the usa in november so i figure okay just tell customs in mexico stamp my passport till november then i leave to the usa then renew it while in the usa and wait.


Any advice on this?
You will not be allowed to fly with less than 6 months of validity on your passport. The airline checks this at check-in because the airline is responsible for returning you to the US if Mexico refuses you entry.

I used to live in Mexico and faced the issues you are facing now. I recommend that you return home, renew your passport, and then return to Mexico. The renewal will take more than a week unless you pay for expedited service.

As stated above, your current passport be cancelled by the US government when you renew it. You will get your cancelled passport back in the mail. Keep it forever and store it in a safe place.
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Old Jun 22, 2015, 12:35 pm
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Mexico only requires a valid US passport at time of entry. Most other countries do require the 6 month requirement and the airline may hassle you but once they check Timatic it would be resolved.

Using an expediter service or the same day urgent service (for additional fee) if you live near a passport center may work for you. For that you have to prove you have international travel already planned and ticketed. Be prepared to spend several hours in line for that.

Letting your passport get less than 6 months is a risk. You should institute a renewal as it generally takes several weeks unless you're willing to pay for expedited, expediter or urgent travel services.
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Old Jun 22, 2015, 2:02 pm
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Originally Posted by Yoshi212
Most other countries do require the 6 month requirement...
Many, not most. There are plenty of place where you just need a valid passport. But I do agree with you than letting it run <6 months is just asking for trouble.
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Old Jun 22, 2015, 2:11 pm
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Where will you be in the USA?

The best thing to do is to make an appointment and go in person to a Passport Agency (federal government office) to do your renewal in person. You'll need evidence of when you're returning to Mexico (plane ticket itinerary and receipt with ticket number for your return TO Mexico; bring a written hotel confirmation too if applicable), the renewal form, your old passport, and pictures. There are Passport Agencies in many big cities now and they're very good. You can get the old and new passports (and a passport card if you want it) either the same day or the next day for the regular fee plus the additional expedite fee. It's easy.
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Old Jun 22, 2015, 2:17 pm
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Originally Posted by Yoshi212
Mexico only requires a valid US passport at time of entry. Most other countries do require the 6 month requirement and the airline may hassle you but once they check Timatic it would be resolved.

Using an expediter service or the same day urgent service (for additional fee) if you live near a passport center may work for you. For that you have to prove you have international travel already planned and ticketed. Be prepared to spend several hours in line for that.

Letting your passport get less than 6 months is a risk. You should institute a renewal as it generally takes several weeks unless you're willing to pay for expedited, expediter or urgent travel services.
According to other posts by the OP here, I believe the OP will be traveling on DL. Hence, who knows what entry requirements the DL GA will impose? I would assume that what happens on the day of travel is very much YMMV. DL says it has "it's own version of TIMATIC" (direct quote from a redcoat) which disagrees with the (presumably normal) version linked to the SkyTeam website. Part of the problem may be that DL GAs are not trained properly n how to use TIMATIC correctly.

If there's any chance that someone will want to travel to some not-yet-determined country, it's wise to never allow the passport to go within six months of the expiration date.

Another option might be for the OP to request a second passport if doing so would simplify the logistics. I would never want to send the passport to the USA while abroad, either directly or to a passport/visa service agency. There could be legal situations where one is required to show a passport more-or-less immediately. [I don't know whether Mexico officially requires that foreigners carry passports at all times as some countries do.] Moreover, there could be cases of someone needing to travel immediately (for example, to return to the USA, although there if an airline would let one board, a USA passport isn't strictly required for a USA citizen to enter, but the trick would be convincing officials of the citizenship and it would probably be long and unpleasant) in an emergency.

Last edited by MSPeconomist; Jun 22, 2015 at 2:22 pm
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Old Jun 24, 2015, 12:27 am
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http://travel.state.gov/content/pass...passports.html
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Old Jun 26, 2015, 10:32 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Where will you be in the USA?

The best thing to do is to make an appointment and go in person to a Passport Agency (federal government office) to do your renewal in person. You'll need evidence of when you're returning to Mexico (plane ticket itinerary and receipt with ticket number for your return TO Mexico; bring a written hotel confirmation too if applicable), the renewal form, your old passport, and pictures. There are Passport Agencies in many big cities now and they're very good. You can get the old and new passports (and a passport card if you want it) either the same day or the next day for the regular fee plus the additional expedite fee. It's easy.
Correct and I recommend this as well. I got my current passport in a similar situation.
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Old Jun 26, 2015, 10:38 am
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FYI for what it's worth, I have used expediters with great luck. Not cheap, but you can get them REALLY quickly. I'm not sure what connections they have, but the right ones can do a good job. Read reviews and use the ones that large companies use. There are a few horror stories out there with smaller agencies.
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Old Jun 26, 2015, 11:40 am
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Travisa and other companies who offer similar service, they can get your passport renewed in 1 business day. They are superfast!
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Old Jun 27, 2015, 1:33 am
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We're moving this thread to the appropriate sub TSS forum.

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Old Jun 28, 2015, 8:33 pm
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passports

I just did it. Two pg form. Photos. Old passports. Took me two weeks. 110 for passports. 60 for expedited. 15 for overnite return. U can go thru places like cibt. Lot more $
I was surprised govt was so efficient. Harder to renew drivers license
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Old Jul 2, 2015, 3:50 am
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Just apply for a second US passport at your local consulate and then you can travel with it while waiting for your primary one to be renewed.

Took about two weeks to get mine, though I'm always traveling so I need two passports in case one is stuck at some consulate/embassy to get a visa and I need to travel, but your reason seems valid too.
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Old Jul 28, 2015, 11:37 am
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Any recent experiences with new passport applications? Wife recently renewed hers and received it in about 3 weeks. Submitted new passport applications for our minor children at the same time (June 6) and still waiting on them after 7+ weeks. No further info other than "still processing" per the website and the unhelpful lady on the phone.
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