I would assume that this is the most reliable source for information on renewing US passports:
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I did not get the card. But now I wonder if I should have, as an extra id when traveling in US.
So… I used priority mail on Feb 11…. and per tracking, still not received(?). Anybody else had this kind of delay? (I’m not going to panic yet because I once had a regular package that took a month to shake free of cycle of a “arriving in Denver”. Not sure whether to wait longer this time before reporting missing. ) Hoping it just missed a scanning station in a glut of passport renewals.
screenshot (newest entry at top:
I sent one about the same time frame by certified mail, and USPS tracking indicated delivery four days after mailing it at a post office.
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Glad yours got delivered quickly! Have you noticed if your check got cashed yet?
According to the bank, the check was paid a week after USPS said it was delivered.
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My daughter’s check was cashed two weeks after she sent in her renewal, but still waiting on the actual passport to be processed. Waiting Waiting…
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I would contact the post office. Priority should be just that, priority.
Not USPS, but I had a few returns that were taking forever. I contacted the company and things were found and credited to my account. Made me feel better if nothing else.
Edited to say that I see you get to go through Philadelphia. Me too! My daughter lives in Philly, her mail is notoriously late. Every time.
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Between the white background, the sweatshirt that isn’t my color and no smiling, my picture couldn’t be worse. And I look deranged because she told me to open my eyes!
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Now I’m really kicking myself for not doing passport Expedite, even though not needed. It likely would not have made a hoot of difference, except to know I had tried/spent more on the effort.
My picture is horrible. But I got it quick and free at AAA (since booking another trip that day), so I let it go. Perhaps this way in 10 years I won’t lament as much as I did this time about a decade of wear. and tear since prior photo.
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I renewed my passport back in November. Mine went to the Philly location. It was a simple renewal, mailed in my current passport with the application and did not pay extra for expedited service. I did pay extra though to have tracking or priority(don’t remember what it was called on the app) for return delivery of the new passport to me. I think it was an extra $15 maybe?
I was pleasantly surprised to receive my new passport three weeksemphasized text** later, the week of Thanksgiving.
Unless you need a passport asap, I wouldn’t bother with the expedited renewal service but I do recommend paying that little bit extra for the priority return shipping.
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I paid about $9 for Priority/tracking. Just filed a USPS search because it seems stuck “In Transit, Arriving late”. If found, I requested it be sent to Addressee (other choice was return to me). I’m realllly glad we have no international travel planned, but it’s stressful worrying about possible recovery steps/delays if my passport / renewal paperwork never gets unstuck.
If it’s any consolation, my photo was terrible too, but it looks less terrible on the passport & the card. My problem was with bags under my eyes that don’t seem nearly as obvious on the actual documents.
I’ve had the card & also renewed it. I guess I looked at it differently – any reason NOT to have the card? If nothing else, it’s a spare ID if I ever lose or misplace my driver’s license. Given that the card is good for 10 years, the cost seems trivial. But certainly, I don’t think I absolutely need it.
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I didn’t pay extra beyond the renewal fee, and the passport was sent to me priority mail with a shipping number in any case. (Maybe things changed between November and January?) I was able to retrieve the tracking number from the passport application website.
My passport card arrived in a separate envelope, regular mail – and I still haven’t received the old passport & card. Somewhere along the line they told me that there would be 3 separate envelopes so I’m not worrying in any case. Obviously there is no particular need for me to ave the old expired passport back in any case, except as a souvenir with the stamps of the various countries I visited.
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This thread spurred me to get my photo made today and I’ve filled out the application. My passport expired 4 years ago so I really need to do it now before I have to start over in person.
AAA took my picture and it is pretty bad. Plus I think it’s borderline within the size requirements. I’m getting my hair cut tomorrow across the street from UPS so I think I’ll make one more attempt for a better picture. Hoping for a quick turnaround like many of you have had.
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Mail & Shipping Services | USPS indicates that Priority Mail is supposed to take 1-3 business days. For comparison, First Class Mail is supposed to take 1-5 days.
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Argh… my passport renewal application (with old passport) still seems lost. I called USPS today, and somehow the Search# (which was in USPS confirmation email, along with 2/11 priority tracking#) is an old 2020 Search#. Not sure how that can be! The phone rep worked to fix that, get new Search#. He said I should hear back in 2 or 3 days.
Phone rep did say that sometimes a scan is missed at postal station, but passport still does make it to destination (ie tracking# info misleading). But in my case, Travel.state.gov still showing status Not Available. And check not cashed. Arrrrrrrgh.
My daughter just texted me that she couldn’t believe it took them 2 weeks from delivery to even look at her passport (and cash the check) but I thought that was pretty good. She’s not leaving until May 14 so plenty of time left.
Good luck to you. Hope they find it soon.
Sigh… this morn email came regarding the new search #, with somebody else’s name. Called again to 800-275-8777 (number on tracking receipt) and had then create a new service request# … just got confirmation email, and they spelled my last name wrong. On Hold again.
Note: The phone rep says no access to info about search# set up via the web… .it’s handled by another vendor. What the heck?
Good news - my new passport arrived in the mail today Happy Dance at my house!!
Full disclosure - They actually HAD cashed my check last month … my mistake missing that on the bank statement. Kicking myself for that stupidity and resulting stress. Interestingly USPS still says my priority mail to passport office stuck “out for deliver” (since 2/17). And passport status stayed stuck at “Not Available”.
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