Passport renewal--should I go for expedited?

My wife and I renewed ours in late January via snail mail (same envelope so we would get sequential numbers) with regular processing. We received them back in just under 4 weeks from the day I placed them in the mail. I did send send certified mail to ensure they were received.

Well, they have the option of renewing online now, which doesn't require sending in your old one, but does require taking and uploading a photo of yourself. We got our new passports in less than 10 days. But who knows what might be faster now.

PS a reminder that if you have Global Entry, you have to update that yourself online with your new passport numbers.

Curious ?? did you get your sequential numbers? We did the same thing last year and didn't even receive the same type of passport. I got the old format and she got the new format. Anything related to the government today is a dice roll. Send it in and hope.

I have TSA Precheck but not Global Entry.
I'm going to do it online.
What worried me a bit is that the minute you submit your online application, your current passport becomes null and void.

I would pay for expedited. One less thing to worry about. It will definitely be quicker.

There is no need to renew for your trip to England assuming that you are not staying for months. Ovid you have another international trip over the Summer that another matter.

Yes we did get sequential numbers and the new format passport. Maybe it helped that I wrote one check for both passports.

If you're worried about not having a valid passport while you wait then don't renew online. Spring for the expedited passport and you should be ok for May. No way to predict future drama or processing times, but I wouldn't wait to submit by either method. You want to be in line, not looking at the line.

Current passport times per State Department https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

• Routine: 4-6 weeks
• Expedited: 2-3 weeks

And FWIW many countries require 6 months or more on your passport to enter the country, so you really need to get it taken care of now. And I think you'll probably have to wait to get your ETA for the United Kingdom as it requires the info from the passport you are using to enter the country.

Once your passport renewal is submitted online the current passport becomes invalid.

My husband and I both renewed our passports online in mid-January. I got mine back in less than 3 weeks. My husbands took a little more than 3weeks I think because he had hair 10 years ago and doesn’t have much now. :-) By the way, your trusted traveler number doesn’t change when you renew your passport. You would only need to input a new passport number if you have Global Entry or Nexus. The hardest part of doing an online renewal is finding a blank white wall for your photo.

I have already done my ETA with my current valid passport.

You will need to reapply for the ETA once you have a new passport number.

From the official website:

When applying you need::
the passport you will travel with

“Your ETA lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner.”

There is no 6-month requirement for travel to the UK.

As long as it is valid for the duration of your stay, that is sufficient.

https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control

I looked at both the U.S. and UK government websites and it appears that the 6 month requirement doesn't apply. Both say that you only need to have a vaild passport for the duration of your stay. I think as long as you are staying in the UK and not going anyplace else, you can use your current passport. As mentioned above, if you do get a new passport, you will need to get a new ETA.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/UnitedKingdom.html

https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/before-you-leave-for-the-uk

I'm confused by the term "new passport." If I'm renewing it, is that considered new?

If so, I guess I threw $12 down the flusher because I already did my ETA.

However, if I don't need to renew it before my May trip, then I can save myself another $12 because my ETA is valid.

Am I getting this correctly?

Correct. If you can use your current passport for the upcoming UK trip (I.e., it expires after your trip is over) then you can hold off getting a new passport until then and you won’t have completely wasted $12 +/-.

A new passport is one you get when the current one expires. The new one will have a different number than the old one.

Thanks for explaining. I think I will wait, since mine's good until November.
Thanks, all, for your input!

When you pay extra, is it really for expedited processing and shipping, or just expedited shipping?

If you are only travelling to the UK and Ireland then US state department advice is merely that your passport has to be valid for the duration of your stay in the UK- no 6 month rule.

If your itinerary includes a Schengen Country then the rule is 3 months after departure from Schengen so that is still OK.

Finland, Norway and Greece for example have the six month rule. So check each country for this trip on the State Department website.

When you pay extra, is it really for expedited processing and
shipping, or just expedited shipping?

It’s expedited processing. My sister received hers in less than 2 weeks from when she mailed it. You also have the option to pay for faster delivery. These are two separate things.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html

Thanks for clearing this up!