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Topic: Passport renewal?

Richard Hamilton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1341
From: Evansville, Indiana
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 06-14-2010 10:31 AM

Anyone have any tips on the easiest and most cost effective way to renew a passport? Mine expires next month, so I have a little bit of time to do this. I'm not planning on leaving this month, but I would like to have one ready should I get an emergency call out of the country.

Thanks,
Rick

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Galen Murphy-Fahlgren
Master Film Handler

Posts: 405
From: Canton, MI, USA
Registered: Oct 2007

posted 06-14-2010 11:42 AM

I only got my passport a few months ago, but the wait time for the standard option, not the express, was about two weeks at the time. A renewal should take even less time than an original issue, so it should take only as long as it does to mail to you. If your work is such that you regularly travel, sometimes on short notice, call the State Department to see if there is a way to have no interruption of your having papers (since you usually have to mail your expiring passport in).

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Richard Hamilton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1341
From: Evansville, Indiana
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 06-14-2010 11:56 AM

I'd also like to keep my expired passport because of all of the different places I've been. It also has the dates stamped on the different visas and stamps, which I've had to look at before to verify dates that I serviced a certain theatre.

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-14-2010 12:04 PM

When I have renewed my passport in the past, the old one has been returned (they punch something like "void" into it so it cannot be used).

I have not used the expedited options, so I don't know if those work differently.

I found out recently that AAA members can get free passport photos taken at one of their offices, which might be of use to you.

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Jonathan M. Crist
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 531
From: Hershey, PA, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 06-14-2010 12:35 PM

Keep in mind that some countries now won't accept a passport that expires in less than one year.

The last time I went to Shanghai China I had to get my passport renewed even though the old one had 9 months left on it because China would not accept a passport that was not "fresh".

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-14-2010 01:16 PM

I renewed my passport 3 years ago (it had expired about 20 years before that!). It was quick and painless. The passport office was at the main postoffice. The biggest hassle was figuring out what days they were open. I don't recall how long it took, but at the time there were lots of scare stories about the backlog taking forever (this was before the economy collapsed, so lots of tourism). Pretty sure I got it back within a month. And yes, you get your expired passport back VOIDED.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-14-2010 01:24 PM

quote: Richard Hamilton
I'd also like to keep my expired passport because of all of the different places I've been. It also has the dates stamped on the different visas and stamps, which I've had to look at before to verify dates that I serviced a certain theatre.

Got a scanner?

Aside from the obvious benefit, if you ever lost your passport, you would have something to go on, even if it's not an official document.

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Joshua Waaland
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 800
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-14-2010 02:48 PM

A co-worker of mine had to get his passport recently so we could go to the company headquarters in Toronto (I still have a valid one from my trip to Australia in 2006). He had to get it within a week or less so he actually drove to DC and went directly to the offices there. He had to stay overnight because of a long wait but he had it the next day.

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Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 06-14-2010 03:20 PM

Always make copies of the photo and data page of your passport and carry them with you when you travel. If you ever lose or have your passport stolen the copy will make it easier to get a reissue at the American Consulate.

A couple of years ago my daughter fell victim to the expiration in less than 6 months hassle. We went to the passport office in DC and had a new one in less than an hour.

Normal renewal is no big thing. Just get a new set of pictures and visit the local passport office. It usually takes less than a couple of weeks and they will return your old one.

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