Congratulations on your citizenship!

David

Us passport 2021
 

I sent my passport july 19 via post office in miami beach, paid for expedited service, just checked today 8/5 and it says approved and said will receive god willing 8/7.

So does it actually matter if I provide travel dates on the application?

Not really i left it blank. :)

FINAL UPDATE

06/24 - Became a US citizen, applied for a passport at USPS, expedited processing.
06/25 - Application Delivered
06/28 - In Process
08/04 - Email Notification, Application Status: Approved
08/04 - Email Notification, Passport shipped.
08/06 - Passport received.

Good luck to everyone! ❤️

At least for applications submitted outside of the US, it can matter.

I presume it matters only with regard to the order in which things are processed. If there is n:o planned travel then there is no need to rush to process the application faster.

Got my passport yesterday. Here's my timeline for my expedited new passport.
6/24 - Applied at the post office
6/29 - Passport Received and Processing
8/5 - Passport Approved
8/7 - Got my passport

Here's another datapoint for expedited renewal service:

7/12 - Sent renewal in (Priority Mail Express)
7/13 - USPS shows delivered in Philadelphia
7/16 - Passport status update shows "In Process" - locator number starts with 68
8/7 - Passport status update shows "Approved" - ETA of 8/11
8/7 - Passport status update shows "Shipped" - ETA of 8/11
8/9 - Passport shipped from Arkansas
8/10 - Passport delivered to me

So roughly 4 weeks to complete, including mailing.

I have travel booked for 8/23. My daughter's passport needs to be renewed. I was able to get an appointment at the Passport Agency for 8/23 at 11:00 AM, nothing sooner. In order to make my flight I would have to be out of the passport agency by 3PM or so. Is this possible? I was not able to get a real answer from the person who made the appointment for me but they recommended I go ahead and book the appoitnment. I have been to the passport agency before, prepandemic, and I did get my passport back same day but I don't recall how long it took as it was many years ago. I considered changing my flight for a day or two later but United says it will cost over $2k to change.

Timeline for regular non expedited/no overnight shipping service

7/10 - Sent renewal in (Regular USPS Priority Mail)
7/12 - USPS shows delivered in Philadelphia
7/26 - I sent email to NPIC.state.gov requesting to "upgrade" my regular renewal application to expedited, didnt get response until yesterday!)
8/4 - Passport status update shows "In Process" - locator number starts with 11, I see the check I sent for $110 was just cashed
8/9 - Passport status update shows "Shipped" - ETA of 8/15
8/10 - Receive response from NPIC.state.gov regarding my upgrade request and asked to provide details including credit card for the $60 expedite fee if the request is approved. Seriously, got this a day AFTER passport status shows Shipped!

Think I really lucked out with just a 30 day timeframe to the passport being shipped despite not using overnight shipping or expedited service.

Timeline for an expedited renewal, not in hand yet but it should be on Friday.

7/15 - Sent renewal in (priority USPS mail)
7/19 - USPS confirmed delivery
7/20 - Passport status updated to In Process
7/28 - Reached out to Congressional office
7/30 - Congressional office put in a request on my behalf
8/11 - Received word from the Congressional office that my passport had been approved and status updated to approved
8/13 - Scheduled delivery of passport

Mailed in passport for standard renewal on May 13 with 12 week estimated time for processing and up to 6 weeks for shipping.
Passport arrived Philadelphia on May 17
Status changed to processing on June 26, code said this was in New Orleans.
Booked international travel departing September 21 and started soiling my trousers that passport wouldn't arrive in time.
Called in and requested upgrade to expedited service on July 15, sent email authorization and payment info.
August 5th status reflected change to expedited service with processing time of up to 6 weeks and credit card charged for the upgrade and overnight shipping.
August 11th status changed to shipped with tracking showing delivery by 6PM August 12th.

Certainly made me worry seeing horror stories online and hearing friends that waited well beyond estimated processing times. Hope my timing can be reassuring to those of you waiting.

is it me or does it seem like applications being received/processed in mid-west/west-coast are being processed in somewhat normal pre-covid expected times while east coast applications are a gigantic mess?

And just got my passport in the mail today, on 8/13. Took 34 days in total from mailing the application to having passport in hand. And this through normal processing, no expedite or overnight mail.

[MENTION=155404]Section 107[/MENTION], for reference I do live in NJ, so maybe there is an overall improvement on passport renewal times coming now.

Compared to when I last did renewal in 2010, dont think it was that much slower, I believe back then it took somewhere between 3 to 4 weeks total to have my renewed passport back then also through normal processing.

Passport process
 

Hey guys I just applied for US passport and paid $60 extra for expedite service. I just checked their website and my application is in process, but instead of saying with expedite service it says I applied for regular process. I called the no and the guy told me there is nothing they can do and they can’t get hold of agency and said it might change it to expedite down the road. He also said I can pay extra $60 and they can try to change it, but why would I pay extra when I already did. Who else I can call or email.

I am currently away from home so I had my passport sent to my PO box. my status on the state department website say this:"The U.S. Department of State approved your application for your passport book and card. We're now printing your passport book and card and preparing to give it to you.

You requested expedited service when you applied, which we are currently processing within 6 weeks. You should receive your passport book and card on or around 07/17/2021."

Is it possible that the passport is already in my mailbox and they just haven't updated the website? Thank you. BTW, I did not receive any email stating my passport was mailed or anything. just says i should've received it almost a month ago.

Yes, my status never moved from Approved to Shipped, but it was shipped and received a couple days after reaching Approved.

Same for me. My passport was issued on 7/19, the status switched to Approved a couple of days later, and I received my passport in the mail on 7/23 and my passport card a few days after that.

I just checked now, and the status still shows "Approved", not "Shipped".

Timeline for regular non expedited application for my wife, still in process.
No international travel plans coming up, so we don't absolutely NEED the passport, but it would be nice to have her naturalization certificate back.

4/26 - applied for new passport in person at USPS, told processing time was "12 weeks."
6/7 - check cashed, application shows up as "in process," locator number begins "61"
....then radio silence.

8/12 - reached out to our Congressman's office.
8/13 - response from Western Passport Center, to inquiry from our Congressman's office - "If the applicant is traveling soon we suggest that she upgrades to Expedite service for 60.00 so that we can start processing the application and upgrades to UPS overnight delivery for 17.56. Please send us credit card information by replying to this email so that we can process the application asap, thank you!" 15 weeks in, they're telling us we need to pay more money for the privilege of receiving worse service than promised at the outset.
8/16 - was about to send Congressman's office an email thanking them for reaching out, but as I'm literally writing the email, got a UPS email notification that an overnight package was on the way from Western Passport Center.

A bit mysterious, but we'll take the passport in our hands, if it indeed arrives tomorrow.

Application Type:
First Time Applicant (Naturalized earlier this month) - Non-Standard (Large Book) with Passport Card, expedited with overnight return fee paid

Timeline:
08/09/21: Applied at post-office in Houston (They ship via priority 2 day by default)
08/11/21: Probable delivery date quoted by the USPS staff at submission (they do not give you tracking number if you apply at the Post office)
08/12/21: Status changed to "In Process"
08/13/21 (Friday): Reached out to my congresswoman's office as I needed to travel urgently. I faxed the privacy form (usually most of them have it on their website) before getting the acknowledgement.
08/16/21 (Monday): Received email that congresswoman's office had placed an expedite request
08/17/21: Passport and Passport Card shipped via overnight UPS. Expected delivery date (on UPS website): 08/18/21

Total time, door to door: 8 business days.

Contact your reps promptly if you need the passport urgently. It works.

​I became a citizen today (Aug. 17, 2021) and I submitted my expedited passport application at a USPS in metro Denver. Both book and card, 1-2 day delivery, the whole nine yards. Used the barcoded, online-filled DS-11 (for what it's worth). The officer said that the online application status wouldn't update until:
When has it actually been updating to "in process" for expedited applications on average?
​

I did the same as you mentioned. It only took a few days in my case as you can see. It may also depend on which passport processing center they send your stuff to. Mine was shipped back from Arizona to Texas. The origin scan for the envelope back is from AZ so I'm assuming that is where it went in the first place? - Perhaps different centers have different processing times. I'm only guessing.

But once it is "in process", you will have the Ref/Application number. You can then find out who your rep is based on your Zip from house [dot] gov (won't let me post a link as I'm a newbie here) and usually they have instructions on seeking help with a federal agency. Did it in Jan earlier this year for my partner before our trip to DXB, got it back from Philly in 11 days door to door (she is a citizen by birth and wanted to renew hers. It went to "in process" in 4 days back then). A friend of hers applied the same day and without the rep involvement, it took 40 calendar days door to door. So if you need it for urgent travel, keep checking for it to go "in process" but in the meantime, find out who your rep is and fill out the privacy/release form if you can find it online.

I don’t really have urgent travel plans though. Would it work if I reach out to a member if Congress despite not having travel plans? I’m also iffy about doing that if it’s going to take someone else’s opportunity to expedite their passport for something actually urgent.

Non expedited / standard shipping renewal:

4/22 Shipped renewal packet priority 2 day
4/28 USPS shows delivered
6/08 In process / checked cashed (68 Portsmouth, NH office)
8/13 Status change to Approved
8/17 Passport received

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.