sullim4 Did you use any software to assist in taking passport pictures? Any tips or advice is highly appreciated to make sure what I take will comply.

Data points for processing time for one child passport (his third but doesn’t matter), with expedited processing and expedited 1-2 day delivery:

Wed Dec 28: Dropped off at USPS post office / passport facility, Atlanta, GA.
Wed Jan 4: Check electronically deposited. (Check # 3530 (Converted ACH) PASSPORTSERVICES PAYMENT 230103 0330 PCTB02——000000)
Wed Jan 4 (same day): U.S. Passport Application Status website updated to show "Application Status: In Process" with an application locator number. Which didn’t really help.
Tues Jan 17 - "Application Status: Shipped" along with USPS tracking number.

Projected receipt date Jan 18 or 19 (USPS 1-day delivery might be goofed coming from Tucson)

Note - never received automated email even though my email was both on the application and I registered before and after they entered in the system

Total processing time from USPS drop off to receipt was 3 weeks; 21 or 22 days total, including two holidays (New Years and MLK).

I did not. I have a plain, white wall in my garage that I was able to take a picture against, along with ample lighting that prevented shadows from distorting the picture.

My wife took a picture of me with an iPhone 14 Pro using the regular camera app and the online tool accepted it right off the bat. It did some cropping and editing but it all appeared fine to me.

We recently used the new iPhone cutout feature: https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/a...phone-0385068/. That way you can take the photo with any background, and it will appear clean.

Then I uploaded the photo to this website: https://www.idphoto4you.com/.

Next, upload the image it generates to Walgreens or CVS, and you have a handful of perfect passport photos for about $0.85 total.

I finally renewed my expired passport today at home. Another 22 months and I would have had to apply for a new passport due to that 5-year limit.

the passport online wizard was pretty fun.

I’m doing both expedite and express postage. Plus $7.60 with PayPal ship now to send it flat rate priority. Let’s see how fast they cash that $209.53 check. It is amusing that the express 1-2 day shipping fee is $19.53 and not like $20.

3 months tomorrow, submitted online, still says "Received."

12/20: Submitted for online renewal, expedited processing, expedited shipping extra pages
1/26: Email notification that status updated to "in process"
1/28: Email notification that passport shipped
1/28 or 1/29: Delivered, with sent date on envelope shown as 1/27.

I called at some point last week to see if there was a status on it. The only way to get through to anyone is to choose the "travel within two weeks" option on the phone tree. The agent said the application was in process, when it still showed as "received" online. Their online system is clearly not synced to the real status, so the message that they can't see anything beyond what's listed online is flat wrong.

December 9, 2022 (Friday afternoon): renewal application submitted online
December 9, 2022 (same Friday afternoon): status update via email: application received
December 14, 2022 (Wednesday): status update via email: application in process
February 1, 2023 (Wednesday): status update via email: new passport shipped; checked USPS, arriving before the end of the week (Saturday).

Regular process, normal shipment - within the current 6-9 weeks process time.

hoping for mine to be similar!!!
December 13 - arrived from Intl trip
December 14 - sent in renewal by mail
December 19 - received and “in process”
February 1 - approved

stupidly chose routine service.. leaving for europe on the 16th. Haven’t seen many data points of “approved” other than on the ones where it goes approved and shipped in the same day. Since tomorrow is 2 weeks before, I was considering calling until I saw today it was approved. Now I wait!

500 Internal Server error while uploading photo
 

I was doing online renewal. Keep getting "500 Internal Server Error" when uploading my photo. I even used the "photo tool" (https://tsg.phototool.state.gov/photo) to generate a passport photo.

Any suggestions? Or just due to busy server?

January 17 - Submitted online passport renewal and paid for expedited processing and 1-2 day delivery
January 29- Received e-mail that my status was changed to "received" and they will begin reviewing it shortly. E-mail states they are processing expedited applications 3-5 weeks from date submitted.

Two questions:
I have international travel February 18, which is 4 1/2 weeks from submission (I found out about this after I submitted my renewal.) I know that my new passport might come in time, it might not. What are my options to be able to travel?
My current passport actually didn't expire until July, so if it is still usable, I could travel with it to Mexico. The renewal e-mail says it is deactivated. Any way anyone knows to reactivate it?

I went to go check on my status this morning. It looks like the State department has a bit of work to do with the MyTravelGov website...


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b8e6bb5052.png

When your front end is their back end.

David

Definitely schedule an in person visit with the Passport Office, just in case

15 years ago, it was pretty bad.. file 2 first time US Passports for wife and son on Feb 8 2007. ff to April 17 - zip, nada.. call, e mail etc.. nada.. a week later they tell me the passports are in the mail (fed ex or ups, not usps) and 3 days later, still nothing.. call and e mail again, just somewhat incoherent responses.. I schedule an appointment for April 30 (We had international flight reservations for May 2 for family and dog). Visit was successful, as we showed them everything, including our flight reservations and they promised they would be ready for pick up the next morning, May 1 (the day before we travel!). We go back the next day for pick up and nothing! nothing was ready.. my wife (with her South American Latin temper) just gave them a piece of her mind.. The Security (Feds) people came and wanted to take her out, but she refused.. I managed to speak with their people and we got another, more absolute promise they would be ready that afternoon. At that point, we had less than 24 hours before wheels up.. I went back again (3rd time in 2 days I made that 30 mile drive into Boston) found an open free parking there by Boston Garden, walked across Causeway Street, went inside the Tip and finally.. 2 new passports.. That was cutting it close..

We had no such problems getting their Brasilian passports, which was same day service!! My visa was still valid..

I feel like I lived this story, but it was related to additional pages, not new passports.
The ATL passport office is awful, in the bad part of downtown, in a rundown building, with a decrepit parking garage... and took 3 trips to get it right (which was a poor job - my expanded passport was flagged in Toronto not long afterwards).

However, my Brazilian Visa was super-fast, super-nice people, in a nice part of town (Buckhead) with great parking...
(I could have done same-day or next-day too if I was in a panic - but scheduled out 2-3 weeks)