Passports

[C-5 MEM]

Anyone ever walk you own passport in to one of the passport offices instead of allowing one of those companies to do it for a fee?

TV

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

C-5,

I've never personally done this but I do know of a few people who have had good luck with renewing their passports at a consulate or embassy... quick and easy, you can do it with a couple of days layover on a trip. However, I don't think you can just "walk into" a consulate, embassy, or passport agency and renew anymore, you have to have an appointment. I've renewed a few times by mail and it's also painless... you can get the form off the Dept of State website (just make sure you get the form for renewals and not initial application). If you need it really quick you can pay an extra fee and have it expedited. FWIW, I've found that it's quickest to send it to the Charleston office (and I don't live anywhere near CHS). I don't know why but it seems to be so. Just my experiences... hope it helps.

cc

 

[TonyC]

Anyone ever walk you own passport in to one of the passport offices instead of allowing one of those companies to do it for a fee?

TV

What are you trying to do? Apply for an original? Renew? Replace? Add pages?


You can do most everything at a Post Office.


Oh, and a trick I learned the last time around. Attach a letter asking for the one with a lot of pages. (I don't recall how many it is, exactly... I'll have to dig out my old paperwork.) It saves you needing to have more pages sewn in so soon.





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[Clutch_Cargo]

What are you trying to do? Apply for an original? Renew? Replace? Add pages?


You can do most everything at a Post Office.


Oh, and a trick I learned the last time around. Attach a letter asking for the one with a lot of pages. (I don't recall how many it is, exactly... I'll have to dig out my old paperwork.) It saves you needing to have more pages sewn in so soon.





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Agreed, you can do most everything at the Post Office and, if you're applying for the first time, this is a good way to go because your initial app has to be in person. I don't know if there is any advantage to doing a renewal at a Post Office though because I think they just do what you can do yourself... mail it into a passport agency. Any words of wisdom on that point Tony? I really don't know because I've never tried to renew that way. Tony is right on w/ the extra page request... gives you 48 pages instead of 24 and saves you the hassle of having to do it later. Plus some countries get testy about not having clean pages to stamp.

cc

 

[Huggyu2]

Applied for mine at the county courthouse. Very easy.

 

[Gearmunky]

I just did this back in January.

Log onto Travel.gov and click on the link to the passport page. There will be a 1-800 # to call your nearest consulate office. They also have a locator. You will need an appointment. From there they will tell you what to bring. I was getting a new passport and had it in about 5 hours. I had to get my chief pilot to write them a letter stating the reason I needed it so early. I also needed my pictures, birth certificate, and I think another photo I.D., they also needed my pilot's liscense.
It worked out great, it took me all of 15 minutes to hand them all of my stuff, I walked to an Irish pub down the street got lunch, had a couple beers, and watched sports center until my time came up.

I think it ended up costing me a hundred and some bucks, but the company paid for it. Hope I could help.

 

[C-5 MEM]

Thanks everyone for the info.

 

[knelson]

I am not sure where you will be going to get your passport, but in '98 or '99 I went to Chicago to get mine. I was working as a ramper for American Eagle at the time and non-rev'd to ORD, took the L to the Federal Building and turned in my paperwork. They will tell you what time you have to be there, but it's best to be about an hour or two early. The place was jammed with others just like me. I think I had to be there at 8am to turn everything in and then come back to pick it up about 2-3pm. It was a no brainer and really pretty easy to do. I know you can do it in NYC and Houston as well. Check the State Department website to get more specifics. If you can get to the passport agency for free, it will save you money to do it yourself. If not, just use FEDEX/UPS and a handler. Good luck.

 

[Whale Rider]

Never mind.