MrsMJonTravel and I spent Sunday morning on the US State Department’s website filling out our passport renewal forms. Mine expires in August while her’s was good for another year, but we elected to bite the bullet together and get on the same passport schedule. We actually started this process a couple of weeks ago with a visit to our local CVS for new photos. Gosh I’ve gotten older and balder since my last picture! đŸ™‚ We picked CVS because it was close, and they have a handy coupon available online for $2 dollars off your photo.
This morning we surfed over to the State Department’s website for passport issues and started the paperwork, filled out our forms online, and within just a few minutes had our renewal applications printed and ready to go. We went with standard passports, no passport cards, and no expedite since the next time we will need the passports at best is August. The fee is $110 dollars per passport for renewal. We’ll dispatch them to the passport renewal center tomorrow via certified mail. After debating whether we could put both applications in the same envelope, we decided that would be just the kind of thing that some clerk would find fault in, so we’re even sending them in separate envelopes.
There are some great memories packed in the pages of our expiring passports. Iceland to Italy, Greece and Turkey, the U.K….and a whole host of Caribbean islands in between. We can’t wait to fill the pages of our new passports. Maybe we should expedite them….I just love having my passport in hand, ready to take on the world! đŸ™‚
[…] might remember my missive about renewing our passports here at MJ on Travel. We sent the paperwork off on May 14, 2012, […]
Mac: Great idea. However, I have never printed a digital photo, viewing on screen has always sufficed. If you go to CVS/WG, are you able to crop the photo properly for pp/visa use? Thanks.
Just an FYI no need to spend $10 on the passport photo – just have someone photograph you with a digital camera and a white background. Then print at CVS or Walgreens photo machine for about 19 cents.
MJ did you get a passport card? or do you already have one- might be worth it since you are a frequent cruiser
Og, thought about it but decided not to. Agree it makes some sense for frequent floaters.
MJ – Thanks! I don’t remember that option when I did mine, I’ll take a look.
I just renewed my passport in January and it only took about 10 days to receive the new one. No need to expedite.
Just did the exact same thing three days ago…also opted for two envelopes…didn’t want to risk an issue!
Do you know how to order with additional pages from the start? Does this have an additional cost? I filled mine within two years and adding pages seemed almost as expensive as getting a new one
Dave, just select the 52 page version. No additional cost.
Getting a new passport is sort of sad. I’ll have to get a new one next year and will miss my raggedy passport that had extra pages put in 4 years ago. I’ll miss my South African visa, my stamps from Swaziland, Morocco, The UK, Germany…..
Oh well, guess I better get busy and plan some travel so my new passport looks like that of someone who really travels!
@Kevin, didn’t make any copies. This is my 2nd or 3rd renewal and I’ve always gotten my original back, but I think you probably have a good idea there just in case the original passport gets lost.
My wife and I are looking at the same early next year. Lots of memories in our passports… which have had additional stamp page booklets added twice. Typically we do about 6 international trips a year, and have had a goal to see 2 new countries each year – which we’ve achieved every year for 15 years. Did you make a copy of your passport for the memories?