Passport Renewal Processing Time
 

I am in the USA for exactly 6 weeks. My passport expires the end of the month so I need to get a new one. I s there anyway to find out the current time frame for processing a passport renewal? I don't want to have to pay for expediting it if I don't have to.

Also, I don't foresee this being an issue but if for some reason I did need to leave the country while my passport was at the passport office what are my options?

The state department has a paid expedited service - I can't look it up now, but I believe it is 10 days. I am in process of renewing outside of the US and have the option of submitting an extra form (additional pages or other passport services) that allows you to keep your current passport active, even after you receive your new one. I don't know if this is an option within the US, but it's worth looking into.

I had pages added earlier this summer and it took nearly 5 weeks. I suppose it depends on your risk tolerance, but I would be tempted to pay for the expedited service.

Presuming that you are leaving the country by air, you will need a passport to board your flight. You can obtain a passport almost immediately along with payment of the expedite fees and proof of your itinerary.

There is no "standard" time for replacing passports. You could send yours in today and have it back in 3-4 days or it could take 60 days. No way of predicting and, until you have it, you won't be traveling.

Go to the passport office, and they'll give you your passport the same day, provided you can show you have a close-in itinerary (you have to pay an expedited fee).

No way to be certain how long regular service will take.


http://travel.state.gov/content/pass.../agencies.html

6 weeks is too close to call, I would pay for expedite. It is only once every 10 years... YOLO! :p

OK thanks, I will indeed pay for expediting it to be safe.

I second this.

I get all my own ordinary passports done this way, and I get my passport the same day or well within 36 hours. And this way, if there is an issue requiring additional documents or something additional, the applicant finds out sooner.

It's too late for the OP, but for others thinking about the same problem, the fastest way is to do it at a Consulate when you're out of the country.

It's faster to do it in-person at a US Passport Agency office in the US than at the most commonly used ACS at US embassies/consulates.

And the typical expedited emergency passport at all US embassies and consulates (some can't even issue them) -- if issued in a comparable 2-36 hour period to in-person Passport Agency drop-off and pick-up when having travel within a week or so -- is inferior to the Passport Agency-issued passport.

When we have passports turned at US embassies/consulates for circumstances like the OP, you can bet that the rushed replacement/renewal passport is almost certainly going to expire in a year -- if not sooner. Also, good luck getting appointments online for ACS. ;)

Let's not forget also that some countries require a foreign passport under some conditions to be valid for 1, 3 or 6 months beyond some date of travel.

For OP's kind of circumstances it is better and generally fastest to do this -- especially for a full duration normal use passport -- at the US Passport Agency offices.

Just for future reference, I went through a Passport office the last time I needed to update an expired passport. Total time was 3 days.

update:

I sent the passport in expedited but did not pay for overnight shipping either way. It was back in my hands in 9 days.

This.

I try and save money when I can, but being without my passport for 24 hours would make me a nervous wreck.

Same, but I find getting an appointment to be a pain. How do you find a close enough in appointment time? I'm going to need to renew my 2 year one in December...

For the downtown DC and Chicago passport offices, I call up late at night and/or early in the morning for an appointment within 4-52 hours. They seem to open up slots for times that were not showing as available even a week or two before.