BajaNomad

Prompt Passport Processing ?

MrBillM - 4-17-2011 at 01:26 PM

Well, at least they're quick at processing the payment.

Mailed our Passport renewal package via Registered Mail on 31 March. The receipt shows it received on 02 April.

My Bank shows the checks processed on 04 April.

NOW, it will be interesting to see how long it actually takes for the Feds to produce the Passports.

Who knows ? We may be pleasantly surprised.

But, probably not.

U.S. Passport?

Gypsy Jan - 4-17-2011 at 01:47 PM

If so, did you do online renewal and send the book(s) in then by registered mail? Did you pay the expediting fee?

Just curious, because about five years ago, it took about two weeks for two, non-expedited renewals to come back.

Also, if you are a U.S. citizen resident in Mexico, you can renew at the consulate and need only surrender your old passport when the new one arrives there.

It took five days to do the deal at the TJ consulate last month when we applied for passport cards.

They notified us by email when the cards arrived and we did not have to surrender our passports.

BajaGringo - 4-17-2011 at 02:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
If so, did you do online renewal and send the book(s) in then by registered mail? Did you pay the expediting fee?

Just curious, because about five years ago, it took about two weeks for two, non-expedited renewals to come back.

Also, if you are a U.S. citizen resident in Mexico, you can renew at the consulate and need only surrender your old passport when the new one arrives there.

It took five days to do the deal at the TJ consulate last month when we applied for passport cards.

They notified us by email when the cards arrived and we did not have to surrender our passports.


I did my last renewal at the consulate as well. Quick and easy...

Yes, But, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)

Gypsy Jan - 4-17-2011 at 02:36 PM

Last week, I needed a document notarized and I went back to the U.S. Tijuana consulate, thinking that because of my last easy experience regarding the passport cards that a notarized document would be a slam dunk.

Two guys who arrived at the same time as myself, seeking the same service, (one had made an appointment), also became trapped with me, and we waited and waited and waited in "The Waiting Room For HELL", exchanging life stories.

My cola became numb from the hard, narrow plastic seats and I stumbled whenever I tried to stand up

Five hours and Fifty U.S. dollars each later, we were able to escape.

Bajahowodd - 4-17-2011 at 04:32 PM

I dunno. But getting back to Bill's original post, reports are that normal processing of passport renewals has involved a couple of weeks, lately. There was a time, when the law changed about passport requirements to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, that there was considerable wait and backlog.

The recession, with its attendant drop in tourism, dramatically lowered the volume for the passport authority, and hence, the wait time.

One has been able to pay an additional fee for expeditied processing. And, as I've noted in other threads, you can actually get same day service if you make an appointment and visit a federal passport office, such as the one in West LA.

That said, just have to ask why for someone that spends considerable, or maybe even the majority of their time NOB, there would be a time issue.

fandango - 4-17-2011 at 04:56 PM

mailed passport app 22 february, received passport 9 march. about 15 days. regular mail without a rush fee. left for mex a few days later. : )

bajasammy - 4-17-2011 at 05:11 PM

We did the kids passports a couple months ago, and it took 4 weeks for them to arrive.

[Edited on 4-18-2011 by bajasammy]

Mailing it IN.

MrBillM - 4-17-2011 at 05:24 PM

Assuming someone (like myself) was IN the U.S. at the time, WHO would do anything other than download the Doc and renew by mail unless they lived next door to the consulate ?

Even then, it might not be worth it considering that it only cost a few bucks ($6.49 with a return Receipt) to mail it in.

AND, you don't have to TALK to a Single Government employee.

That's worth something right there.

[Edited on 4-18-2011 by MrBillM]

mtgoat666 - 4-17-2011 at 06:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Well, at least they're quick at processing the payment.

Mailed our Passport renewal package via Registered Mail on 31 March. The receipt shows it received on 02 April.

My Bank shows the checks processed on 04 April.

NOW, it will be interesting to see how long it actually takes for the Feds to produce the Passports.

Who knows ? We may be pleasantly surprised.

But, probably not.


thrilling tale, bill. the suspense has me on the edge of my seat. will it be 3 weeks or 6 weeks?!?!? the anticipation is killing me!!

burnrope - 4-18-2011 at 08:19 AM

I did a non expedited passport renwel a couple of years ago. It took about 2 1/2 weeks.

Getting their Attention

MrBillM - 4-18-2011 at 06:24 PM

While I fully expected that the stated interval would likely be correct (or better) and have no complaint I was, nonetheless, surprised at how quickly they processed the checks. I suppose knowing there's money inside makes them pay quicker attention.

Probably the reason that the IRS has a DIFFERENT address for those returns OWING. Those probably get processed quicker, too.

jadams - 4-21-2011 at 07:43 AM

I renewed my passport and ordered a passport card and received the passposrt 4 weeks to the day the check was cashed

Passport card

John M - 4-21-2011 at 08:20 PM

About the same as Jadams - 4 weeks or so. We mailed in a passport book, renewed as a card, came in today's mail - so it seems the 4 to 6 weeks advertised is accurate.

John M

SoCal-Bob - 4-21-2011 at 08:49 PM

I sent my renewal in on the 13th and my check cleared the 19th. I am hoping for a quick turnaround b/c i am headed for baja in early may

23 days.

MrBillM - 4-25-2011 at 05:15 PM

Received THERE 02 April.

Received HERE Today (25 April).

So, the current for most seems to be 3-4 weeks.

Not bad.

Tano - 4-26-2011 at 08:32 AM

FWIW, I don’t know if the Feds have OCR or what, but my girlfriend’s and my passport were about twenty years old, we filled the PDF forms on a computer, went to post office, used money orders, and we got new ones in about a week.

PS. I just found out that the State Department plans to add a questionnaire to the renewal forms they estimate will take about 45 minutes to complete. This may complicate matters some.

[Edited on 4-26-2011 by Tano]

Sounds Like ...........

MrBillM - 4-26-2011 at 09:38 AM

A GOOD argument for filling out the form Online IF you're in a hurry.

I Downloaded and filled out the New (eff 04-01) PDF forms and then mailed the entire package (non-expedited) via Certified mail.

I had considered the (online) Interactive, but wasn't in any kind of a hurry.

mtgoat666 - 5-4-2011 at 04:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Received THERE 02 April.

Received HERE Today (25 April).

So, the current for most seems to be 3-4 weeks.

Not bad.


Obama has really improved government services!

Yes he did!

Yes we can!

IF ONLY

MrBillM - 5-4-2011 at 04:32 PM

Obama Bin Laden were working in the Passport Office.

We'd ALL be better off.