I got my 5 year olds first renewal done this month. Had to go through the nearest county court office to drop it off.

Applied: Dec 7
Received passport: Dec 18
Received passport card and old passport: Dec 19

They still quote 4-6 weeks on the paperwork, but certainly no reason to go expedited for us.

My passport got stolen and I needed to travel within the week so they sent me to the SF passport agency.

Appointment next day. Computers were down they did everything with clipboards and by manual review. They said they couldn't do same day unfortunately.

Since I was flying elsewhere next day they Express mailed it next day and I got it the third day.

Not bad.

My record is 2 hours.

A little off topic but has anyone had issues with their photo being denied? This is what I'm a little paranoid about. I went to a place that specialized in passport photos and they turned my skin orange yellow so I quickly went over to CVS and I'm hoping that this photo is acceptable. All she asked me do was put my hair behind my ears and not smile.

I got mine from Walgreens and their sample pic already has a big shadow in the background which would DQ your application haha

https://prd-sf-cdn.wag-static.com/re...o_2004x616.jpg

Many photos are rejected, but that is usually because they do not comply with the very specific requirements imposed by the State Department. Just review the photos carefully before walking away with them. Not every store clerk who knows how to push a button, is particularly well-trained and many simply don't care.

I had mine snapped at the USPS. I had to be there anyway to send out the package.

There was a sign in the room saying that USPS photos are "guaranteed" to be accepted, but I couldn't find anything on-line to confirm.
Not like they are stamped USPS or anything, so I have my doubts...

Well, that really isn't worth much. LOL
Thankfully, I didn't have any issues.

When I went to the Connecticut Passport Agency, a quite clever fella had set up a passport photo shop just adjacent. That guy was busy as all get out.

Update: My passport wait time

12/22 dropped off at USPS

Renewal of US passport with routine non-expedited service/processing
 

Timeline Summary
• Mailed application: 20 December 2017
• Application received: 23 December 2017
• Application processing started: 27 December 2017
• Application processed and passport printed: 2 January 2018
• Passport book sent: 3 January 2018
• Passport card received: 8 January 2018
• Passport book received: 11 January 2018
• Old passport book received: 11 January 2018

Total business days for processing (excluding shipping to/from): 6
Total calendar days for processing (including two federal holidays, excluding shipping to/from): 11

Total business days, including shipping: 14
Total calendar days; including shipping (and including two federal holidays): 22

Detailed Timeline
• Wednesday, 20 December 2017: Mailed renewal application via USPS Priority Mail to National Passport Center in Philadelphia, PA
• Saturday, 23 December 2017: USPS delivers application to post office box in Philadelphia, PA
• Tuesday, 26 December 2017 (late evening): Application fee check submitted for payment to my bank
• Wednesday, 27 December 2017 (late evening): Status email acknowledges receipt of application and states that my application is being processed
• Tuesday, 2 January 2018 (late evening): Status email states that my passport has been printed and that I should expect delivery on 8 January 2018.
• Tuesday, 2 January 2018 (late evening, two hours after previous update): Status email states that my passport book is being mailed via USPS Priority Mail and provides the tracking number (which is not yet available in the USPS tracking system) with expected delivery on 8 January 2018.
• Wednesday, 3 January 2018 (early morning, two hours after previous update): Status email states again that my passport book is being mailed via USPS Priority Mail and provides the tracking number, this time with a direct hyperlink for tracking (which is still not available in the USPS tracking system). Expected delivery date is updated to 9 January 2018.
• Wednesday, 3 January 2018 (evening): USPS tracking updates to reflect receipt from Arkansas Passport Center with expected delivery date of 6 January 2018. It leaves the local AR post office and later leaves the regional Little Rock, AR postal distribution facility the same night.
• Thursday, 4 January 2018 (all-day): There is a big snowstorm that dumps over a foot of snow in the Boston area (where I live) and causes some of the worst flooding since the Blizzard of '78. I mention this because it is the likely culprit for the USPS delays that follow.
• Saturday, 6 January 2018: This is the expected delivery date, but there hasn't been an actual scan since 3 January 2018...there have only been auto-generated "in transit to destination" messages since it left AR. The day comes and goes without any actual updates or delivery.
• Monday, 8 January 2018: I receive my new US passport card in the mail, sent via regular First Class Mail. Still no updates from USPS on my passport book package, except that the expected delivery date has changed to "unknown."
• Wednesday, 10 January 2018 (morning): Passport book package finally arrives at regional Boston postal distribution facility. There is still no updated delivery date, but USPS tracking now notes that delivery has indeed been delayed.
• Wednesday, 10 January 2018 (late morning): USPS updates expected delivery date to 11 January 2018, and package makes it to my local post office.
• Thursday, 11 January 2018 (afternoon): USPS delivers new 52-page passport book. They also deliver my old passport book, sent in a separate mailing via First Class Mail.

Cost
Total: $151.65

• U.S. Department of State: $140 = $110 for passport book renewal + $30 passport card
• U.S. Postal Service: $6.65 for Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope postage (included tracking and $50 insurance)
• Costco: $5 + tax for four passport photos

Photos
I got my passport photos taken at my local Costco for $5 + tax (membership required). They had a white projector screen pull-down as a backdrop. The employee working the photo processing desk took the photo with a decent Canon/Nikon/Olympus point-and-shoot digital camera. There was a light uniform shadow behind me just above my shoulders, but overall, the lighting was fine with no shadows on my face.

You get four 2x2 photos. My face filled a much larger area of the photo than the one in my previous passport, but it was still within the stated guidelines (I measured it to be sure).

It took about an hour for Costco to print them, but that's only because it was a high-volume period (holiday photo printing), and the printer had run out of toner/ink. The photos came out well, and, as far as ID photos go, came out pretty well. It looks better than the one that got printed in my new passport (the same Costco photo but now a bit overexposed and slightly off-center).

Applied for child's first passport at post office on 12/29/17 and received it in the mail 1/16/18, which was 18 days from start to finish, including weekends and a couple federal holidays. We did not pay for expedited service.

Dropped my application in the mail this evening, meaning the USPS is likely to pick it up on 1/19/18. Non-expedited renewal. Will try to remember to update.

Shoot! Wasn't even thinking about that :(

Fortunately I'm not flying until the third week in March.

1/10 Dropped off renewal application
1/13 Delivered to PA
1/18 Check cashed
1/22 Online Status: Processing

1/24/18 Passport has been printed

Applied 2018-01-23 for passport applications for two minor children, one new, one renewal. I will update progress. One change was that now appointments are required at our local Post Office, or we would have applied several weeks earlier but needed to wait for a timeslot.

Previous history:
2013: standard processing (not expedited) passports in ~2 weeks.
April 10, 2017. Applied for two new passports at Post Office. Sent two old passports in for renewal. Unfortunately, minor passports are processed as new applications (not as renewals). Standard 6-8 week processing. Not processed in time. Paid expedite fee and drove ~700 miles one way to nearest passport agency to pick up in person on June 9, 2017.

I've been going to my AAA office for passport photos. I get one free set per year as part of my membership and discounts on additional ones. It's pretty convenient too, and very fast.

My alma mater, UW Milwaukee has an Center for International Education. They take passport photos for anyone, not just alumni. Awesome prices, too:

• 1 Photo: $5.00
• 2 Photos: $8.00
• 4 Photos: $13.00
• 6 Photos: $18.00
• 8 Photos: $23.00
• $5 per each additional set

Applied for: 1 x Adult renewal. Large book. Routine service.

1/9: Arrived Philadelphia
1/12: Check cashed
1/22: Your passport is in the final stages of processing
1/24: Received new passport from Portsmouth, NH

New number is 112 million+ more than the old one.

My passport check was cashed yesterday (1/24/18).

Passport has arrived, and it is beautiful!
Issue Date is 1/23/18
It came from Dulles, VA
Had a tracking number on it, but they forgot to email it to me.

It's beautiful? Has the design been updated?

Same design, its just got that "hot off the press" look, and is 52 pages :)

I typed in the tracking number--turns out passport was actually mailed from Tucson, AZ.

Received old passport 1/29/18

1/19/18: Mailed
1/24/18: In processing
1/30/18: Printed
1/31/18: Mailed
2/1/18: Expected delivery

My husband & I just take each other's pix with a digital camera and get them printed at Walgreens for a quarter (.25 c !) Just make sure it's a plain white background and the head size is correct. Works for us everytime! :)

Applied 2018-01-23 for passport applications for two minor children, one new, one renewal. Received in the mail 2018-02-05. Under 2 weeks standard processing.

Previous history:
2013: standard processing (not expedited) passports in ~2 weeks.
2017-4-10 application, 2017-06-09 in-person "expedited" pickup. -- almost 9 weeks.
So it took two months when we had scheduled travel, 2 weeks with no scheduled travel...

Hmmm 2 weeks for you guys sounds good.

I have travel mid April and I'm wondering if I should expedite it. I'm sending out everything Monday.

I don’t think renew option exist for a minor.

Which is exactly the same process and fees of a first-time application including the use of a first-time application form (DS-11).

In fact, you can't even use ONLY the minor's expiring passport to support the application as proof of parental relationship is still required. The difference between the minor's first time application and the subsequent applications is that the subsequent ones required MORE documents as either the expiring passport or a DS-64 would need to be included with the application.

Sent my via USPS priority mail with confirmation.

Sent it on 1/25 and hit my mailbox on 2/12.

Routine Processing:

Sent via USPS priority mail on 2/7/2018
First e-mail giving passport tracking number @ 7:46a 2/16/2018
Second e-mail notifying that passport has been printed @ 9:48a 2/16/2018
Third e-mail with mailing info. and Priority Mail tracking number @ 11:49a 2/16/2017
Expected delivery per USPS website on 2/20/2017