How long to get a passport now?

AGDee · #1 11-29-2007, 11:54 PM

Anybody apply for/or get their passport recently? How long did it take? I'm not sure if I should do expedited or not...

GymnastA · #2 11-30-2007, 12:08 AM

I don't know if this is recently enough for you, but I applied for my passport at the beginning of August, and had it in three weeks. I didn't expedite my passport, and I was shocked to get it so quickly. I filed it in Massachusetts...I'm not sure if where you file it makes a difference.

PiKA2001 · #3 11-30-2007, 01:24 AM

This lady I work with got hers in about three weeks. This was about a month ago.

AGDee · #4 11-30-2007, 07:03 AM

Sounds like maybe the big backlog from last year is all settled. Thanks folks!

kddani · #5 11-30-2007, 07:23 AM

Allow yourself plenty of time, though the back up has cleared up. My boyfriend ordered his a couple months ago. While he got it in what I thought was a relatively quick amount of time, it was certainly longer than 3 weeks.

Scandia · #6 11-30-2007, 08:16 AM

I applied for mine last year. But it was new- I had not gotten a passport since I was 10. The toughest part was the waiting at the post office. I think it took 6 weeks- if it is a renewal, it will probably take a lot less than that.

DaemonSeid · #7 11-30-2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGDee

Anybody apply for/or get their passport recently? How long did it take? I'm not sure if I should do expedited or not...

went for mine back in january and got mine expedited...had it it 6 weeks...just don't wait til 2 months before your trip and try it tho....and for the intial paperwork submission it does depend on where you go...in downtown DC there is a place around the corner from where I work that keeps a line daily of people trying to appply for one....if you know of a post office that is kind of out of the way that does passport paperwork, I suggest you go there.

AGDee · #8 11-30-2007, 11:50 AM

Yeah, we have an out of the way post office that even does them on Saturday. My daughter will be travelling in June and I planned to do the application on the 8th, so I think she'll be just fine.

ThetaPrincess24 · #9 11-30-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGDee

Anybody apply for/or get their passport recently? How long did it take? I'm not sure if I should do expedited or not...

I applied the first week of this month (november) and got mine last week. I did not pay to have it expedited since we arent traveling outside the US until summer (hopefully to northern europe). Unless you need it asap i wouldnt pay the extra fee to have it expedited. It's expensive enough.

GeekyPenguin · #10 11-30-2007, 09:10 PM

Alright, so I have two questions:

1) I'm applying for a passport for the first time. How long does this take?

2) Has anyone applied for Irish citizenship? I'm eligible and am thinking about doing the dual-citizenship thing just because I can.

ThetaPrincess24 · #11 11-30-2007, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

Alright, so I have two questions:

1) I'm applying for a passport for the first time. How long does this take?

2) Has anyone applied for Irish citizenship? I'm eligible and am thinking about doing the dual-citizenship thing just because I can.

When I applied for mine which was the first time this month and got it this month. I dont know the answer to question 2. However, if i was eligible for Irish citizenship I'd probably do it just because most of my ancestry is from Ireland and I'm proud of that.

Buttonz · #12 11-30-2007, 09:40 PM

Your daughter should have more then enough time if you apply now for the summer. My first time getting a passport I applied in early spring and had it in time to leave in July.

I hope she has a good time!

BigRedBeta · #13 11-30-2007, 10:10 PM

Even with the backlog, I still had my passport within about 10 or 11 weeks. Getting it put in now should be no problem.

jon1856 · #14 11-30-2007, 11:17 PM

I just read in one of my local papers that the wait is back down to 3-6 weeks.
Back to normal. More or less.

Still, do not wait for the very last moment.

Also, if a member of AAA, you can get free photos.

AKA_Monet · #15 11-30-2007, 11:24 PM

Mine took 12-13 weeks because I messed up somewhere along the way...

Basically, to do it without screw-ups, go to your US Postal Service, act very ignorant like you have never been overseas, and let them do the work for you. Just bring 2 passport sized pictures from AAA, drug stores, or Kinko's FedEX.

Remember, if you need your passport VERY SOON, go directly to the US Postal Service--they are your greatest ally... When I went to them, I got all the help I needed. I should have started off with that. None of the other shipping companies could help...

I did dumb things, like failed to send the passport folks a cashier's check/money order...