FlyerTalk Forums - Passport renewal

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- - Passport renewal (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/296103-passport-renewal.html)

Even countries who do not require a visa still normally like travellers passports to be valid for 6 months on arrival.

In the UK if you request a new passport before the full 10 years is up they will addd the shortfall to the new passport (maximum 9 months)

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cnk:
The state dept. web site shows passport offices where you can go in person, saying that they are for people departing within 14 days. I have a trip planned within 2 weeks, so I'm planning on going with my current passport, even though it'll expire just a couple of weeks after I return. (Visiting Ireland and UK, hope they're cool with that!)

Two questions I have are:

1) How fast do the domestic offices (thinking of the one here in downtown Chicago) turn this around? Is it still the two weeks of expedited service or faster?

2) Do I need to have a flight booked in order to get this service? Anyone do this in person just because they wanted to minimize their time without a passport and was told that they should just mail it in?

cnk</font>

1 & 2 I think it depends on when your flight departs. All (except HI?) of the passport agencies only take travellers within 14 days of travel. If you're leaving in 13 days, they'll probably mail it. A coworker did that but he lives in the same town as the PA. But if you're leaving in 2 days, they can make it on the spot. Takes about 2 hours.

You will most likely need to have proof of travel for this service. The PHL PA required a ticket or itinerary as proof.

On the 6 months validity, yes, apparently that is a notable cutoff for many countries. (Note 6 months validity from time of entry to country, not from time of applying for visa, etc.) My old passport would not have expired until May, but I went for the renewal because of that 6 month validity thing. (Sad, too. I had one of the fairly rare green passports issued only in 1993. Ah, well, I did get it back with holes punched in the cover and "cancelled" stamped on the inside.)

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pdhenry:
At least when you renew your passport they'll send the old one back - albeit with a hole punched through it.

129 pages? I'm amazed.</font>

I will have to renew my passport later this year (one of the green ones). I only had to add pages once but would really like to keep my old one. Do I automatically get it back or do I need to do something special?

You automatically get it back. I didn't do anything special.

In case anyone is curious, passport renewal is currently running about +/- 4 weeks, including transit time.

I sent my passport for renewal via Express Mail on March 3. Passport Agency sent new passport to me on March 28.

Now free to travel the world again...if I can find a flight that hasn't been cancelled.

Anyone have an update on how long passport renewal is taking right now?

I sent mine in on July 14, they cashed my check on July 22, and still haven't gotten it back... My next trip is scheduled for Aug 25. Not too nervous yet but will be if it doesn't come in the next few days.