Update for Passport Renewal (made an appointment)

Frankly, I don’t know why anyone would want to wait for several weeks to renew a passport in person when you can just mail it in and probably have the new one before your in person appointment. I’ve applied for passports in person, because that’s what you have to do for a child, and it’s a total hassle. I did it at a post office. It was more expensive because they charge an extra fee, didn’t save any time (they don’t do any actual processing, all they do is accept the application and mail it themselves to State Department), and we had to make a special unnecessary trip to our safe deposit box because the arrogant clerk wouldn’t apply the State Department’s rules about whether a birth certificate had to have a raised seal on it or not, even though I showed her that actual rule in writing. It was a great relief when our son turned 16 and we could renew his passport easily by mail, like ours. Nor was there any benefit about the photo. We had to bring the photo so they could staple it to the application, same as we do ourselves for mailing. Sure, maybe this library will take the photo of you, and charge you for it, but just about any drug store will do the same.

Each to his own. Mailed my wife’s and mine off the end of January, standard handling, and had the new ones in less than four weeks.

The problem is not uploading the photo. It's taking a photo that meets the standards - light-colored background, no shadows smiles or glasses, etc. We did ours at home with our iPhone cameras and a tripod to hold it steady and we managed the process successfully. The system is designed to help make it simple.

We used a piece of white mat board for the background, as we could not find a bare wall that was light enough.

Hello Slate and jaimeelsabio

Thank you for your responses but for myself, assistance and convenience are important.

The best option for me would be if I could renew online but if not going to a place where someone can assist me is the next best thing.

The library is going to charge me a $35 fee which I am glad to pay for the assistance.

Obviously I am not homebound. If I were, I would not be able to go on a. cruise once a year but sometimes getting to places can prove challenging due to weather, transportation (I do not drive and public transportation is mediocre ), health issues and budget (I can not afford taxis or Uber / Lyft)

Stan, I have about 5 pictures on my dashboard. A friend took the last one with an iPhone and had someone else edit it. This someone else had to help her. Unfortunately while I was not smiling.my mouth was open and truthfully I look like a frog trying to catch a fly. Still maybe it will be accepted. We will know in less than three weeks.

And Stan, you have reminded us that we need to put in the new passport number if we have global entry. I do and I did go to global entry and find where I have to edit my new passport number but when the time comes, I might need another reminder on how to find global entry.

I renewed my passport online in January. My husband took my picture in our kitchen, with our off white wall in the background. No edits (they tell you not to edit it). No problem with the photo. Just read the instructions. They have examples of what is acceptable or not: facial expressions, glasses, etc.

I received my new passport in 4 weeks.

hello travel4fun

were you able to upload your picture the first time?

I have a friend who works in technology. He is tech super savvy, even codes, and it took him 6 times before his picture was accepted.

Another friend had to help a sister upload a picture. The sister is either an accountant or attorney and the sister was unable to upload her picture. Furthermore my friend ws unable to do it either and finally the sister had to go somewhere else to get help.

I know that you can not smile but the last picture that I took, my mouth was open. I did not realize it until I was sent the picture, However, I also have about four other pictures on my desktop.

I had no problem uploading my photo. The first photo said I was too far away from the camera (I think they say should be 4 feet). I was closer to 2 feet away but my head was tilted a little back so I tried one that was not. It was accepted. I got notice that payment cleared and acceptance in office on 16 Mar.

Thank you CanamCherie

So if there is a problem, they tell you what the problem is??? That is helpful.

I can begin trying as early as Tuesday to renew online but i am also trying to set up an appointment at an acceptance center as backup.

I am hoping to cruise in October but I have lost some of the ones that I hoped for because I will not pay until I have my renewed passport in hand.

I applied for my passport online March 24. Yes, trying to get the photo accepted was kind of a pain, but I did it.
The service was not expedited and I received my new passport today, April 1. Just one week…I’m impressed.

To clarify it was a passport RENEWAL….

I was able to renew online today. Had minor problems with uploading photo. Twice.a photo was not accepted but the third one took.

It was not bad and I hd set up an appointment with my Central Library just in case.

Now, I need to make a decision about which cruise to book.

Hi Phil, I recently applied for my passport renewal online. It took exactly two weeks for everything to be processed and the passport delivered to me. Good luck with your renewal!

Thank you, Mary

It has been about 24 hours since I renewed and my payment is still pending although I read that it takes between 24 and 48 hours for payment to be completed .

Still I am antsy and anxious because I am so excited to be going on my next cruise. I will not book the next cruise until I have my passport in hand.

Now, I have three cruises in mind and I m going to have to whittle it down to one. Doing lots of research.

I have been hearing very good things from many people who renewed on;line.