BajaNomad

Passport

BajaMama - 12-3-2021 at 08:43 AM

Just an FYI I sent in my passport renewal end of October and just received it yesterday. Looks like the State Department is caught up. I was figuring 18 weeks but I did not pay any extra fees to get it faster.

BajaNomad - 12-3-2021 at 09:18 AM

:bounce:

JZ - 12-3-2021 at 09:37 AM

Nice.

caj13 - 12-3-2021 at 09:58 AM

Great News, i just sent mine in for renewal this week. hope its as quick as your was!

sancho - 12-3-2021 at 10:31 AM

I have a passport book with yrs. left on it. Due to some
reports Mex Immigration now requires one to carry a passport/
passport card, with fmm on them at all times. no copies. I believe I would
have to send in the book, which I don't want to do, if applying for the card, which
would be much easier to carry. I can't get a clear answer off
their site. Anyone done this?

JZ - 12-3-2021 at 10:59 AM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho  
I have a passport book with yrs. left on it. Due to some
reports Mex Immigration now requires one to carry a passport/
passport card, with fmm on them at all times. no copies. I believe I would
have to send in the book, which I don't want to do, if applying for the card, which
would be much easier to carry. I can't get a clear answer off
their site. Anyone done this?


There is a way you can have two passports at once.

I did this when I needed to get a Visa for a trip to Brazil and it was going to take a while. I needed my PP to do other international trips.

I had an agency in West LA do it for me.

caj13 - 12-3-2021 at 11:49 AM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by sancho  
I have a passport book with yrs. left on it. Due to some
reports Mex Immigration now requires one to carry a passport/
passport card, with fmm on them at all times. no copies. I believe I would
have to send in the book, which I don't want to do, if applying for the card, which
would be much easier to carry. I can't get a clear answer off
their site. Anyone done this?


There is a way you can have two passports at once.

I did this when I needed to get a Visa for a trip to Brazil and it was going to take a while. I needed my PP to do other international trips.

I had an agency in West LA do it for me.


really?
Thats weird, whenever I need a visa for Brazil (I have worked in Brazil for over 30 years now) - I just go to the nearest consulate, right now its san francisco, but i used to use LA as well, I walk in and get a visa and walk out in less than 1/2 an hour - depending on the lines

BTW JZ, way off topic, but i found your next Baja boat
https://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucitsrh/?sl=31QSCI22009...

[Edited on 12-3-2021 by caj13]

JZ - 12-3-2021 at 11:59 AM

Seems at one time Brazil was mad at the US and was delaying Visa's. Because we were doing the same to them. Something like that. It's been 10+ years.

BajaMama - 12-4-2021 at 04:41 PM

Apparently the State Dept is a little slow at updating to the CBP trusted traveler programs - I couldn't add my new passport to my Global Entry account, but I'm sure I can soon enough.

John Harper - 12-4-2021 at 05:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho  
I have a passport book with yrs. left on it. Due to some
reports Mex Immigration now requires one to carry a passport/
passport card, with fmm on them at all times. no copies. I believe I would
have to send in the book, which I don't want to do, if applying for the card, which
would be much easier to carry. I can't get a clear answer off
their site. Anyone done this?


Yes, I looked at the DS-82 and the DoS site as well, and it looks like you can't just order a card (or book) after the fact if you only purchased the book (or card) originally. I purchased just a card but still have 5 years left.

I did not really see what happens if you just applied for the card, and sent the currently valid book in per instructions. Do they send the book back? They also want a new photo, so that makes me think it's returned "invalidated" so you probably have to go with both at once.

Maybe it's just easier/sensible to renew the whole thing than deal with someone who decides to add a card (or book) with 3 months left on their passport?

I didn't look at the breakdown of passport orders: book, card, book and card. I would guess the card is more prevalent in border areas, but who knows.

John

[Edited on 12-5-2021 by John Harper]

sancho - 12-5-2021 at 11:28 AM

Quote: Originally posted by John Harper  





I did not really see what happens if you just applied for the card, and sent the currently valid book in per instructions. Do they send the book back?





John

[Edited on 12-5-2021 by John Harper]




They would send the book back, trying to avoid the time it takes.
Not wanting to haul around a passport book with fmm.
Reading sites, although they generally pertain to the mainland,

reports of Mex Imm checking Gringos for valid papers, on the the street, on busses, no copies,
no phone pics. Baja has historically been excluded from some
Imm practices. Doesn't seem to happen in Baja







Don Pisto - 12-5-2021 at 01:08 PM

just a couple days ago FBer's reporting IMN checking for FMM's at SY secondary

John Harper - 12-5-2021 at 01:55 PM

But, since you must send in a new picture to get the card, would they not "punch" the return book as invalid, as you would otherwise end up with two passports with two different expiration dates?

I got the card only, as it's easy to keep in my wallet, and I've got no plans to go overseas for the foreseeable future. Mexico has always been a preferred foreign destination.

John

[Edited on 12-5-2021 by John Harper]

Don Pisto - 12-5-2021 at 02:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by John Harper  
But, since you send in a new picture to get the card, would they not "punch" the return book as invalid, as you would now have passports with two different expiration dates?

John


I've always held both book and card with different expiration dates, both recently renewed weeks apart, both returned book punched and card corner trimmed