I agree, if you do not need it urgently, then just wait it out.

Welcome to FT. If you do not have an immediate need, why not just wait it out? You will eventually get it and save yourself some money. Plus passport validity date will be later.

August 18 -- status still "in Process" -- it has been FIVE FULL MONTHS!! This is clearly well beyond the already unreasonable 18 weeks currently promised.

We set up USPS mail forwarding. Does anyone have experience with forwarded passports?

Application Status: In Process
The U.S. Department of State has received your application for your passport book on 04/01/2021. We're now reviewing your application and supporting documents.
You requested routine service when you applied, which we are currently processing within 12 weeks. Our processing times do not include mailing times, which could add 6 weeks to the door-to-door time.

It does seem like merely getting a request from a Congressman's office gets them to prioritize your application, even if you don't pay an expedite fee.

Also, I know that they usually send Passport Card, Passport and Citizenship evidence separately but I received one UPS Overnight package yesterday with all three together which was nice.

I didn't get a tracking number or anything on my USPS receipt. Is there some other way of tracking the shipment of the application and documents?

I dont think so. Mine didn't either. only got one for the return shipment

Are you absolutely sure you sent it using a service level like Priority Mail? That automatically includes a tracking number (usually 18 digits on your receipt). A Priority Mail envelope to the Passport Processing Office should run just under $8.

I submitted it at the post office (Initial application), you don't use your own envelope and USPS ships it for you. You can offer to pay 25.xx for overnight but when I tried, the employee told me that they use "Priority 2 Day envelopes" and it would reach a day later so it's not worth paying the extra for overnight, I understand that priority 2 day is a tracked service but that fee is included in the 35$ acceptance fee at the post office. While I'm sure it's tracked, he did not give me a tracking number despite asking and none was printed on my receipt.

The receipt was for $35 Passport Acceptance and not for "Priority mail" so it doesn't have a tracking number. Also, it did deliver on 08/11 (submitted on 08/09) because my check was cashed on 08/12.

I hope you were not unintentionally misled by the USPS. Everything I see is the "Acceptance Fee" by statute is only intended to cover the USPS' role in validating the applicant is who they claim to be (on behalf of the State Department). The clerk may not have been technically wrong, and the receiving post office may bulk ship all the passport applications regularly to the State Department Processing Center via Priority Mail. But that of course would not give you a unique tracker.

That could be the case. He was reluctant when I offered to pay the extra money to save a day. Perhaps, he just didn't want to do the "extra work" but, all's well that ends well I guess. I'm just happy I have it back so quickly.

I did pay for the 1-2 day return (which goes to the state department) but didn’t get any receipt or document. The receipt shows the following, but no tracking number. Just a receipt number:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ffcdae7af.jpeg

I'm not completely clear on your reference to "1-2 day return". That seems to me as if you are intended that the State Department ship it back to you Express. Two weeks ago I went into the local USPS to mail out of my wife's passport renewal, and the branch clerk charged me $7.95 to Priority envelope it to the Passport office PO Box, which I charged to a debit card. I enclosed a check to the State Department for a total of $187.56 ($110 for the renewal, $60 for expedited handling, $17.56 for Express mail return). From your photo, there did not appear to be a $7.95 charge for outgoing Priority, which would included the 18 digit tracking number.

Out of pure curiosity, what did the dollar charge in your photo cover (a mailing envelope for example)?

It was just the passport fee as you can see in addition to the passport photos. The employee didn’t say anything about needing to pay for a mailing envelope or to expedite sending the application/documents to start the passport process. And by 1-2 day return I was referring to the $17.56 express return. The check I gave was for $217.56 ($140 for the passport book and card, $60 for expedited processing and the aforementioned delivery fee).

So I guess there’s no way for me to track this aside form waiting for the check to be cashed.

If you did not pay for expedited shipping (priority or express mail) from USPS to State which would come with a separate tracking number then no, there is no easy way to track its progress in the mail system. Yes, waiting for the check to be cashed is a very clear sign it has been received at State. However, The State's passport status webpage is very useful as you can sign up for email notices for each stage without having to repeatedly check the webpage.

It may take a few weeks for your application to be received and entered into the processing system by State. Once it is entered, it will receive expedited processing. Depending upon which processing center it was sent to it may then take a week or it might take a few weeks to be approved depending upon their work load and if/or any issues crop up. Since you indicated no urgent travel plans, you should wait a few weeks before contacting your congress-cri- um, congressional representative for assistance if it has not been entered into the system or if approval is taking a long time.



If, after several weeks your application is still not entered into the system then the post office that processed your application can research and give you some information about when they sent for sharing with your congressional office.