Travel is a great thing, but there are plenty of things that can
take an anticipated trip and turn it into an absolute nightmare. While
many of these things are beyond our control, something like an expired
passport can be avoided. If the expiration date on the passport is
before the trip that is scheduled in a few weeks, expedited passport
renewal is there to help save the day.
Remember the story of the
friend that got to the gate and realized that their passport had
expired? Everyone knows someone that this has happened to or is the
person that actually has done this. The horror of realizing that the
entire trip is in jeopardy is a sickening feeling, especially if there
are other people that are traveling.
While this situation is
horrible, it is a great example of how passport renewal can help make
everything better. As long as the person is literally not standing in
line with their ticket, there is a way to get the passport in hand in
time to make the trip. There is a fee for this service, but at least the
vacation will not be ruined.
The good news in all of this is that
there is no need to have to wait in any lines again. Renewals services
are done via the mail. All the applicant has to do is go on the Internet
and download form DS-82 from the State Department website, fill it out,
put in the required documents and fees and send it on its way.
Since
the old passport and copies of the current ID documents will be
included in the package, it is best to take some extra measures to make
sure that everything gets to its destination safely. First, it is
recommended by the State Department that Tyvek packing is used for the
contents. In addition to that, we recommend that overnight shipping is
used with delivery confirmation for an added level of security.
When
standard processing is chosen, the delivery time for the renewed
passport is about 6 weeks. If this is not quick enough, expedited
service can be ordered for an additional $60. It may sound like a lot,
but the alternative is to risk not making the trip at all. That can cost
thousands in unreturned payments if the trip was prepaid and insurance
was not purchased.
If expedited service is used, the passport will
usually be returned in under a month. If the trip is scheduled before
that time, there are some other services that can be purchased that will
have the passport arriving much sooner. They are of course more
expensive, but that clock is not going to stop just because someone
forgot to get their passport renewed.
There are so many things that can go wrong on a trip; it is a shame to add one more, like having an expired US passport, that is our own fault. The glory of this mistake is that it is still very fixable, even up to the very last moment. Using expedited passport renewal can literally turn that frown upside down and allow everyone to enjoy their trip as planned.
