4.5 months to renew a passport wtf?

[2Driver]

Better check the expiration of your passports if you need it within the next year.

The passport office says allow 8-10 weeks to process, so I figured I’m good. They didn’t even open my renewal package for a month then started the “processing time“ for that point. Now they are saying to add another 6 weeks for mail processing on top of the 10 weeks?

So my renewal will be basically 5 months and will most likely screw with our upcoming trip. You can’t even get anyone to answer the customer service line. I’m screwed.

 

[Swain]

Pay for the Rush, We got one done in about 4 weeks

 

[TPC]

Mine was about 7 months.
It's changed:
Wife is still waiting.
Even with a renewal they want all kinda past residences and marriage/divorce Docs.
Dual Citizen can travel on her Swiss.

 

[2Driver]

Pay for the Rush, We got one done in about 4 weeks

I already submitted it as of early May.

They dont answer the phone to even inquire about adding a rush fee.

 

[was thatguy]

Mine had a “hold” on it when DMV ran it for CDL testing.
One call to the FBI who them called the State Dept. and was fixed in an hour

“Clerical error” per State Dept.
More like incompetence , call it for what it was

Probably just Rye trying to get you on a watch list!!

 

[HALLETT BOY]

My National Parks pass took about 6 months . When I called after 5 months , they said Oh , it’s right here on the pile ready to go

 

[was thatguy]

Not surprised.
My Fed tax return took 4 months to process...and I didn’t even get audited this time.

 

[sintax]

My passport took 8 months.

I just scratch my head and wonder why Liberals put so much faith and trust in big government. They can barely tie their own shoes

but they build all these wonderful roads for us... (thats the answer I always get when i ask that question)

 

[Ziggy]

Not surprised.
My Fed tax return took 4 months to process...and I didn’t even get audited this time.

Lol, I was just about to say the same thing

 

[2Driver]

Covid was the excuse of a lifetime for all governments to dumb down to levels even they thought weren’t obtainable

 

[was thatguy]

Lol, I was just about to say the same thing

I kept checking the “where’s my refund” site and it wouldn’t even acknowledge me filing until a week or so ago. I filed around March 1

I was convinced my return was lost and was anticipating a nightmare correction when low and behold one day it said “processing”!

 

[Bobby V]

Not surprised.
My Fed tax return took 4 months to process...and I didn’t even get audited this time.

Wonder why. Got mine back in about 10 days. Both Fed and State.

 

[Ziggy]

I kept checking the “where’s my refund” site and it wouldn’t even acknowledge me filing until a week or so ago. I filed around March 1

I was convinced my return was lost and was anticipating a nightmare correction when low and behold one day it said “processing”!

Ditto, early March submission, check just arrived Saturday.

 

[was thatguy]

Wonder why. Got mine back in about 10 days. Both Fed and State.

I had 3 states, they were fast, except AZ which was surprising because I had to write them a check.
Got refunds from States that withheld.
Like I said, I was convinced it was lost but then it got processed.

 

[Ziggy]

Wonder why. Got mine back in about 10 days. Both Fed and State.

That was their thanks for your 25 democratic votes

 

[2Driver]

2 minutes of going through phone prompts then finally, “we will now connect you to a representative that can help you” ……. busy signal- disconnect.
‍

 

[Bobby V]

That was their thanks for your 25 democratic votes

Well there was about 25 democrats running for office on my ONE ballot. So your probably right.

 

[Ziggy]

Well there was about 25 democrats running for office on my ONE ballot. So your probably right.

My bad, I wasn't specific enough and failed to mention it was your 25 presidential votes they were thankful for and your 625 overall blue tallies.

 

[USMC2010]

Pay for the Rush, We got one done in about 4 weeks

That's what I did this year. I got it back almost to the day of the max allowed rush time.

 

[DILLIGAF]

I think they are BS you and you are on the FBI watch list

 

[CSmith]

Goodluck. I'm currently on a trip in Florida, was supposed to head to the Bahamas but not looking good.
I paid for the expedite fee and as of now it's been 10 weeks and still no passport. I'll waive goodbye to my family and friends as they leave me behind at the airport to finish off there vacation and I head back home. Same, nobody answers the phone, emails, sat on hold for hours and they just tell you it's in processing

 

[Pattle]

I've made a note to check my passport date when I get home. I'll need it next summer.

On the side topic of tax refunds, I got screwed (surprise!!) by CA. They modified my tax return based on what their data said about my W-2s, and reduced my refund in half. I had to call and then send in copies of my W-2s to get it corrected. They admitted on the phone that their database got messed up and was missing some data!!

Ok, so weeks go by and still no sign of the rest of my refund. I call again to find out the check was mailed, but I need to wait until after June 11th to let them know I didn't receive it. So I called again last week to let them know. Instead of just sending me another check, I now have to do a paperwork drill: they send me some forms to fill out, I send back, they decide then whether the check was perhaps cashed by someone else, if so, then a series of fraud forms will need to be filled out. If not, maybe they'll decide to send me another check.

Minimum 8 weeks, maximum possibly 6 months if fraud, before I get the rest of my refund. For a change that THEY made without bothering to check with me first, while knowing that their database was incomplete!!

 

[Yzoldman]

Just sent in my renewal yesterday. Let's see how long it takes. Tax refund for both state and Fed were done in less than 2 weeks.

 

[DILLIGAF]

Here is an offer of help I am willing to make. It isnt fair for your wife not to go due to this. I have a valid passport and will escort her. Of course all my expenses need covered. Just trying to help out here. Lol

 

[2Driver]

Here is an offer of help I am willing to make. It isnt fair for your wife not to go due to this. I have a valid passport and will escort her. Of course all my expenses need covered. Just trying to help out here. Lol

You know its a paid for $20k vacation that cant be rebooked a second time, I might take you up on that.

Wakatobi dive resort. see if you'd like it.

 

[DILLIGAF]

You know its a paid for $20k vacation that cant be rebooked a second time, I might take you up on that.

Wakatobit dive resort. see if you'd like it.

keep me on speed dial.

are you kidding me for a 20k trip I will love it. Lol

 

[EmpirE231]

Chip shortage! C’mon man

 

[havasubum]

I just renewed my passport on June 3rd, so hopefully I get it before our trip in October.

 

[530RL]

Since it is already in call your representative in Congress’s office. They have staff who can help. That is what they are there for.

For the future always pay for expedited. It moves to the top of the pile. Or use a service that specializes in passport renewal. They get it done in days not weeks.

Unfortunately that is the system. It is not first come first served.

 

[Reddy Too]

Since it is already in call your representative in Congress’s office. They have staff who can help. That is what they are there for.

For the future always pay for expedited. It moves to the top of the pile. Or use a service that specializes in passport renewal. They get it done in days not weeks.

Unfortunately that is the system. It is not first come first served.

“Money talks bullshit walks.” - Former Senator Flake.

 

[2Driver]

Since it is already in call your representative in Congress’s office. They have staff who can help. That is what they are there for.

For the future always pay for expedited. It moves to the top of the pile. Or use a service that specializes in passport renewal. They get it done in days not weeks.

Unfortunately that is the system. It is not first come first served.

I talked to David S. Schweikert office and they are actually helping. They are busy assisting folks within 3 weeks of departure and will follow up with me in August as my trip is in september. They took my info and called me back and spent time with me on the phone. I’m kind of astonished.

LOL Im not sure if I was glad handed with false optimism but I’m going with it as it’s my only hope.

 

[farmo83]

I just went through this. Took me I think 12 weeks and it was rejected at first because I left off my address in one of the 3 places it was supposed to be or something like that. I paid for expedited and overnighted it in both times and it got here about 2 weeks ago. If it comes down to the wire they do have special processing if your leaving within 3 days it's expensive though. A friend of mine lost his passport during a layover and he had to uber from the airport to the passport office to get it taken care of. I think he said it was 600 ish bucks and this was pre covid.

As was said I think of this process when I hear of the government running things. I could buy a 750k house online in a few weeks. Yet to renew a passport I have mail things around, pay by check, and wait months.

 

[530RL]

I talked to David S. Schweikert office and they are actually helping. They are busy assisting folks within 3 weeks of departure and will follow up with me in August as my trip is in september. They took my info and called me back and spent time with me on the phone. I’m kind of astonished.

LOL Im not sure if I was glad handed with false optimism but I’m going with it as it’s my only hope.

That is their job. You have to pester them a little but they can and do help.

Take their number with you when you travel internationally in the event you need help from that Country's US embassy or in small countries and cities the US consulate. Your Representative's and your Senator's office have lots of staff fresh out of college whose sole job is to take care of all the constituents calling with problems.

 

[2Driver]

So lol, here’s an update I just got from the offical Passport office from my email.

They promise to respond to email questions in 1-2 days, so 2 weeks later I get an email back instructing me how to add the expediting fee to rush my in progress passport

Send your record number and all your personal information and credit card information and request a “rush” in the email:
$60 expediting service
$20 for rush mail

Allow 1 month for processing the expediting request and please be aware there is no guarantee the added fee you pay will expedite your passport.

LOL

 

[FreeBird236]

So lol, here’s an update I just got from the offical Passport office from my email.

They promise to respond to email questions in 1-2 days, so 2 weeks later I get an email back instructing me how to add the expediting fee to rush my in progress passport

Send your record number and all your personal information and credit card information and request a “rush” in the email:
$60 expediting service
$20 for rush mail

Allow 1 month for processing the expediting request and please be aware there is no guarantee the added fee you pay will expedite your passport.

LOL

Damn that's Crazy. Having trouble figuring you timeline, how's it looking?

 

[boatpi]

There a private companies I know of one in Huntington Beach that go in once a week to basically the vendor line at the federal building in West Los Angeles. Obviously you pay them a fee I think it’s 100 and $200 but they renew it essentially over the counter it takes about 10 days or thereabouts from the time you meet them for the forms pay them and turn it in and they bring it back to their office in Huntington Beach this is if you’re in a real short term bind. I’m sure there are other companies out there like that if not do you have to go to a federal billing and can get it done almost instantly but it’s not an easy task.

Global entry; this is the crème de la crème for entering the United States and basically walking back into the country. I read the other day were they’ve extended all global entry to yours be on the expiration date double check the federal website to confirm this but it’s good news.

in my opinion no one that travels outside the country should be without this I’ve seen lines of two hours for customs in two hours for immigration coming back once you have this literally every airline ticket your pre-check and you walk through both of those federal checkpoints coming back in often don’t even complete a declaration form. It’s a very rigorous process it even results in a personal interview and It may take you months to get it

but in the end if you travel abroad this is the way to go.

 

[mbrown2]

So lol, here’s an update I just got from the offical Passport office from my email.

They promise to respond to email questions in 1-2 days, so 2 weeks later I get an email back instructing me how to add the expediting fee to rush my in progress passport

Send your record number and all your personal information and credit card information and request a “rush” in the email:
$60 expediting service
$20 for rush mail

Allow 1 month for processing the expediting request and please be aware there is no guarantee the added fee you pay will expedite your passport.

LOL

I did all that last Sept and it only took 10 weeks from the time I mailed them out to the time I got them back......I was worried it was going to take longer.

 

[2Driver]

I did all that last Sept and it only took 10 weeks from the time I mailed them out to the time I got them back......I was worried it was going to take longer.

A lots changed. its 17 weeks now, if that.

LOL if I pay it adds an extra month to the timeline to process my payment, then no promise it will even help

 

[mbrown2]

A lots changed. its 17 weeks now, if that.

LOL if I pay it adds an extra month to the timeline to process my payment, then no promise it will even help

F it. United just cancelled our route to Bali. Just told us in an email - no rerouting tough luck thank you for being a United customer lol

Crazy cause when I did it it was more locked down then it is now......but likely back then people were not traveling so they may have had less new requests coming in...now as things open back up and people need to renew it is more volume bottleneck

 

[DILLIGAF]

So lol, here’s an update I just got from the offical Passport office from my email.

They promise to respond to email questions in 1-2 days, so 2 weeks later I get an email back instructing me how to add the expediting fee to rush my in progress passport

Send your record number and all your personal information and credit card information and request a “rush” in the email:
$60 expediting service
$20 for rush mail

Allow 1 month for processing the expediting request and please be aware there is no guarantee the added fee you pay will expedite your passport.

LOL

Time to just start enjoying the good old USA!

 

[2Driver]

Time to just start enjoying the good old USA!

Yeah it was a looooong fricken way to see some colorful fish

 

[The Prisoner]

Americans face months-long wait for passports as State Department deals with massive backlog | CNN Politics

American travelers who do not currently have valid US passports may not be able to travel overseas this summer due to extensive wait times as the State Department deals with a backlog of more than a million applications caused largely by the coronavirus pandemic, a department official said...

www.cnn.com

 

[BajaMike]

Be sure you get the “Passport Card”. It’s a wallet sized “Real ID”. It’s good for travel in the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. I think it was $30 when I got mine 5 years ago.

 

[DILLIGAF]

Be sure you get the “Passport Card”. It’s a wallet sized “Real ID”. It’s good for travel in the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. I think it was $30 when I got mine 5 years ago.

Where do you get that at Mike?

 

[BajaMike]

Where do you get that at Mike?

Tom, When you apply for a passport or a renewal, you check a box and pay the fee, you get it when your passport arrives. It’s good for ten years. If you have a passport, you can probably add it.

 

[twocents]

Maybe I just got lucky? I renewed my passport in mid-March 2021 and got the new one back in the mail approximately eight weeks later (no request to have it expedited).

 

[white tortilla]

There’s companies in LA that do expediting. I had mine done last year in 2 weeks for an extra $150. They can do 24hr turn around but I think it’s closer to $2000.00.

 

[Spudsbud]

Try getting an FOI card.......
Be patient !

 

[DaveH]

i just went through this. renewed at the end of may. payed the expedite fee. was told my would take longer as it has been expired for 5 years so it was like reapplying for a new one from scratch. got it about two weeks ago.

 

[havasubum]

I just renewed mine at the beginning of June and applied for a new passport for my daughter. Guess we will see how long it will take as we have a cruise in October.