Just pasting an update instead of editing. The State Dept quoted 8-11 weeks when I sent it in. I used routine service.

Mailed: 12/13/21 via priority mail
Delivered: 12/19/21 -- so much for "3 day Priority Mail" https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/imag...s/rolleyes.gif
In Process: 12/21/21 (locator 74/Atlanta)
Check Cashed: 12/22/21
Approved: 1/19/2022 with a note that I should expect to receive it around 1/25
Shipped - Book: ?
Received - Book: 1/25/22
Haven't yet received my old passport but I'm sure it'll be here in a few days.

edit: I got the small book for the first time ever and it is pretty small! I wonder if I'll need a new one before it expires after all.

5 weeks
 

Ordered the large book and card. Routine processing quoted at 8-11 weeks.

Mailed: 12/20/21 via Priority Mail (San Diego CA to Irving, TX)
In Process: 12/24/2021 (Locator 79 - Houston)
Shipped: 1/21/2022
Received book: 1/24/22 via Priority Mail (Shipped from Tuscon, AZ)
Received card: 1/26/2022 via regular mail

Update - Received old passport: 2/23/2022 via regular mail (9 weeks)

One oddity about my passports:

- My renewal, total of about 4 weeks of actual processing time, was the same style (or close to it) as my old passport.
- My kids' renewals, one under 18 y.o. and one just over 18, were both the new style. They took about 5 weeks of actual processing time (requiring birth certificates, in-person application, etc.).

Al three passports arrived within 2 days of each other. I have no idea how they decide who gets what style of passport.

It’s primarily about the sort at whichever location a given application ends up. DS-82s follow a somewhat different course than DS-11s.

My primary ordinary passport was issued within less than 7 days of application this month. Standard processing via ACS at an embassy. As I knew already, I got the version I expected: the “old” version.

3 minors -- first time passports

* Applied 12/24 at Post Office (standard processing - not expediated - no extra shipping either)
* Received 12/29 at processing center
* Jan 28 - shipped
* Received a few days after. Impressive.

Where do passports for embassy applications get produced? Since you said you knew it would be old-style, it would appear to be separate from the normal passport centers in the US, but I imagine producing actual passports locally at each embassy would be cost-prohibitive and a security risk?

I marked the card as 1/22 as I was not home, but it may have been a few days later. The book was delivered 1/22 via priority mail.

I received the new style book. The card looks the same as my old one.

As far as I'm aware, the card has not yet been redesigned. I think I saw a post somewhere that they were planning to, though.

Mailed Priority Jan. 11 - STILL showing as undeliverable by the USPS

In Process - Jan. 19

Approved - Jan. 30

Received (book only) Feb. 1

The US passport cards remain essentially what they have been for over a decade. The same cannot be said for US passports since there is the "next generation" passport style around now too.

US emergency passports are produced locally at many (but not all) US embassies/consulates using blanks sent over from the US; and the "locally-produced" emergency passports can be used pretty much as a regular full-duration US passport for the typical 1-year period until they hit their expiration date. They are not "next generation passports".

"Locally-produced" passports at US Embassies/Consulates cost applicants the same as standard US passport applications, but they tend to get extra-expedited-like service (without an expedite fee). Full-duration US passports for applications submitted from overseas have a different logistics and fulfillment paths but they too get extra-expedited-like service (without an expedite fee). Given the increased cost of the equipment and supplies -- even more so for the "next generation" US passport -- to make standard full-duration US passports, your suggestion about "cost-prohibitive" is sort of on target why most of the passports come from the US as already issued rather than "locally-produced". While the US pushed the US VWP countries to further centralize passport production and distribution channels due to "security risks", that's not really been a factor for how the US handles our own passport issues/concerns when it comes to "security risk" related to supply and distribution channels.

If we take the typical OSL applicant for a US passport, the typical wait for a full-duration US passport to come back to Oslo after an in-person application at the Embassy? Less than 12 days, and the bulk of that is because of production abroad, followed by the logistics of sending it to Oslo, followed by how the personnel there handle it.

US passport cards' "wait" times are a different story than US passports, even as the application form used for them is the same and both can be applied for at the same time.

Where is everyone getting their locator location number? I'm using https://passportstatus.state.gov and I just see this:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...df1b8fff54.jpg

It's the first two digits of what is blacked :eek:ut in what you posted.

Applied for Renewal using Routine service
Mailed: 1/25/22 via USPS regular first class mail to Irving, TX. (Sent from Dallas, TX)
In Process: 2/1/22
Locator: 69 (I think is Philly?)
Check cashed: 2/1/22
Received: 3/8/2022

Received my new passport over a week ago and still haven't gotten the old one back.