Stacy and I decided to renew our passports during this travel lull. In case you were wondering about how long it currently takes, I applied for expedited service and mailed (express mail) our old passports on January 12, 2021. We received our new passports today, February 9, 2021. Looks like folks are back to work at the State Dept.

Good to know Jim, thanks. Our passports expire in Jan 2022 and we will have some logistical issues if our present bookings actually go . I have been debating whether to go ahead with renewal now or risk a delay when travel returns. Sounds like sooner is better.
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Helen

I has similar experience. Passport was expiring late this year. Decided to get the process going. Sent renewal on 1/7/21 requested and paid for expedited service. Received new passport on 1/29/21. Was sent 1/27/21. So given the post office mailing process the time to process was less than three weeks.

Now have a new 10 year passport so no worries about passport for some time.

Should add asked for large page passport so it has lots of pages. 44 pages.

Helen. Really suggest you go ahead and get it done. One less thing to worry about. A new 10 year passport with fresh pages how good is that.

Yep, you are right Ralph. Get the big book. We had the big one before and still ran out of pages. Our old passports didn't expire until 2023 but a lot of places want 2 blank pages for visas. We were down to 4 blank pages so we just decided now was a good time to get it done.

If expiring soon, definitely renew now. GE lost his passport. He applied for expedited service, and it took 4 weeks. So you can’t wait till the last minute.

I had the passport with extra pages, but had to order a new one 2 years before the old one expired because I didn't have space for the visas for the 2020
WC. It only took 2 1/2 weeks to get the new one back. Problem was, we didn't get to the countries to use my new visas. At least they were 10 year visas, so maybe I'll see them some year. I always order the one with more pages.

Many years ago when I lived overseas one of my passports had 3 extra page inserts.
Jim

Our passports expire next March. If our May trip is cancelled (ok, I know it will be cancelled) it will be at least until October before we travel internationally again. Why is everyone paying for expedited service if no travel is planned for at least three months?

We got new passports as well a few months ago. it is often difficult to renew with our NORMAL travel schedule. Certainly not been a problem at this time. We did expedited service as well. Just wanted to get our passports back where they belong. It was pretty fast about two or three weeks.

Pretty much what Ngaire said. I’d heard horror stories about long processing times and I just wanted to get my passport back in my pocket.

Besides, unlike the 65+ crowd on this site, we are slightly on the 65- side so we couldn’t play the vaccine lottery. Gotta have something to do.

Small price to pay for the probability of getting it back quickly and knowing it is done. Spend more than that for a nice dinner out more often then not. Sometimes one can over play trying to save a few nickels.

After you get passports renewed do you need to do anything relative to Global Entry card? Inform "someone" of new passport number?

Marc, Just go to:

https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/

and sign in to your account with your userid and trusted traveller number. You can edit the passport info to change the number and expiry date. You don't get anything back in writing, but it has worked for me two times and your new info is in the Global Entry system.
Jim

Marc, I just did this. It took a while to figure it out. In 2017 they changed the Global Entry website. If you registered under the old system, like I did, you have to re-register under the new system. Once you get in you go to your profile and edit your passport information.

Tom.

I sent our applications for renewal last Wednesday and got an email yesterday that we should have the new ones in hand by next Wednesday.

I’m glad we did this so early since at the moment it looks like my crossed fingers and lit candles are working and ELLIE 2 🐘🐘 is gonna go!
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Helen

Question: I am assuming I can send both applications in same envelope; do I need to write separate checks for each application? Are there any discounts for doing two at the same time? Only reason I am asking is that I have yet to find answer online.

Marc

I sent mine and Jerry’s in 2 different envelopes with corresponding checks. No idea if that was necessary but it felt like this provided less opportunity for problems. As posted above I got both new ones and the return of the old ones in way less time than expected.

( oh and our family cruise which was the motivating factor for early passport renewal cancelled yesterday. Figures)
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Helen

A suggestion based on information from a passport agency a few years ago. Make the check out as directed in the directions.

United States etc. I can not recall exact words but I had used U.S. and was requested to rewrite the check. They had experience with it being returned. I would use two envelopes. Not worth it to save a few pennies. I also sent via UPS and was tracked.

Last time we renewed I sent both of our applications in the same envelope (Priority Mail with tracking), but I made out separate checks and clipped them to the respective application. The cool thing was, they processed our applications together, so we have sequential passport numbers! Makes it easy to remember the numbers.

I did ours the same way Cindy did. Also got the sequential numbers! Odd thing though, when we went to update our Global Entry document profile, mine went through with the new passport number just fine, but Stacy kept getting an error saying her documents did not match their records. We had to go to the Global Entry Enrollment Center near LAX today to get her new passport number registered. Took all of 10 minutes. When we asked why mine whet through without a problem and Stacy's didn't, the woman at the desk didn't have an answer. She said it "just happens sometime."

Cindy and Jim, thanks for the reminder about consecutive numbers; our current ones are consecutive; thus, I sent them in the same envelope. I am the guinea pit for non-expedited service. We don't need our passports until October and I wanted the dates to be as far in the future as possible so taking the slow route; I will report back on how long it takes.

Just to muddy the waters I sent mine and Jerry’s in separate envelopes but we did get consecutive numbers as well.
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Helen

Some passport renewal data for the frugal; we did not pay for expediting ($60 per person) nor express mail return ($17.86 per person).

We sent in our old passports on 31 March in single envelope. USPS reported they were delivered to Frisco on 2 April. It wasn't until 15 April that passport service acknowledged receipt and cashed the checks. On 18 May we got notification that passports were approved and were being printed. Later that same day we got notification that passports were sent from Tucson by priority mail. Here on 20 May we have two passports in hand. All told 50 days since we dropped in mail. I was actually hoping for longer turn around so that the expiry date was later; oh well. Now off to change global entry and guest forms and airline sites and . . .

Marc

Alas, this didn't work for us; I guess we will have to schedule appointments. I "think" it let us update drivers license data; I am surprised that they let us get away with licenses that expired in 2014. :D

Worked for me. Thanks for the reminder to get it done. 😀
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Helen

Marc, just a shot in the dark but it may take a few more days for their system to catch up with the fact that you and Arlene now have new passports. I suggest trying again in a few days.

Dave, I am thinking the same thing.

Jim, were you able to schedule an appointment for the enrollment center or did you just show up?

thanks,

Marc

Marc,
We thought we would need an appointment but when we finally got through to someone on the phone they said no appointment was necessary. We had to go up to the office near LAX as the Long Beach office apparently closed due to covid. Once we got there it didn’t take long at all.

Jim, thanks; I was in a Catch-22 wherein appointments are available but I can't book one since no application is pending. And it is an hour to the airport so didn't want to waste gas and tolls. Again, thanks for the report.

Marc

After multiple tries I gave up and planned on heading to CBP when at Austin airport next monday to drop off my step-father. Got passports out of safe today and tried one more time; voila, they both worked, I was able to update passports AND driver's licenses for both of us. No more trip to CBP required.

Happy camper!

Glad that worked out for you Marc.