Got my passport renewed in just 8 days.

**str8shooter** · January 8th, 2009, 08:54 PM

So why do some counties need 45+ days to issue a LTCF?

Since 9/11/01, I've heard reports that passports would be needed to get into Canada and Mexico, but even as recently as August '08, my kids and I got in and out of both countries with just my DL, and warnings that we could be denied entry or reentry without a passport, so we should get them.

Then I saw that on 6/1/09 passports will supposedly be required, no ifs, ands or buts, so I decided not to chance it on our next vacation and took the kids down to the Post Office to apply for passports and get my expired one renewed. For an extra $10 each, I decided to get us all passport cards too, which can be used as ID throughout the U.S, as well as crossing the Canadian and Mexican borders on land.

I was told to expect 3 weeks for the cards, 6-8 weeks for my renewal, and up to 3 months for the kids' passports, but much to my surprise, my renewed passport came in the mail today (how safe is that, a passport sized envelope clearly marked as sent from the dept. of the interior). I'm not complaining, but it got me thinking about how some counties can hand you a LTCF 15 minutes after you walk in the door, and others make you wait months. If the feds can turn around a passport renewal in 5 business days, what possible excuse can a Sheriffs dept. have for taking longer to process a LTCF application.

**str8shooter** · January 10th, 2009, 01:09 PM

Looks like this should have gone in the useless post thread, but oh well.

Anyway, here's an update. The kids' passports came yesterday, which was 11 days after applying at the USPS.

I only followed up to let anyone who might be thinking about getting a passport that this appears to be very good time of year to do it. I'm guessing that as June 1 approaches, the wait time will be much closer to the 3 months I was told to expect, rather than the 5 business days it took for my renewal, and the 8 business days for the kids first time application.

Carry on.

**imashooter2** · January 11th, 2009, 09:54 AM

If you fly, you had to have a passport some time ago. Not sure exactly when it started, but I know at that time you could drive or walk over the border without a passport.

Anyway, I was assigned a "gotta go" trip to Vancover last year. I was told a week in advance. It took me 2 days to get an appointment and then I got my passport same day at the service center in Philly.