ian-mstm

They will send back your old passport. Visas are not transferrable... so in the future, you'll carry both passports: one valid for travel, the other with the valid visa.

Ian

amydls

I just got my passport photos done at Walgreens, they came 2 photos on one big sheet as they said they do not have the machine to make them the correct size, can I send these whole sheet or do I need to cut the photos into 2 ?

kodokan

I did mine a few weeks ago at Walgreens, and sent in the whole sheet untrimmed. Worked fine, and I got the passports 10 days after mailing the package.

amydls

Out of interest, how did you send them ? USPS doesn't seem to have an international tracking option and FedEx/ups are quoting me $120

jkeller

This is what I used 3 years ago, about $60 from Texas to Durham. I just went to a UPS store.

https://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/sh...ess_saver.html

MidAtlantic

USPS Flat Rate Envelopes track the whole way. I used it and it was fine.

kodokan

UPS store, using their 'international, tracked and signed for' service. It was around $70.

PaulineMurray

I sent by sons renewal application on the 4th of Feb via FedEx priority envelope which cost me $60 and had the new passport returned to me by the 13th. I was totally flabbergasted!!,

morpeth

USPS does have tracking option, but only highest level of service category seems to have guaranteed dates that are kept on other end- that category in conjunction with FedExpres. The lower categories very good at tracking until leaves US, but then at mercy of post office on other end which sometimes reports back tracking data late.

Having said that, my best experience has always been DHL. But for cost savings top category at USPS I have never had problems with.

Britexmom

Quick question, when your passport was sent from Durham did you receive tracking ? If so was it sent by email or did you find it on the gov.uk site ?
My application is showing that is has been dispatched but I don't see anywhere to get tracking info. I had sent it in using usps which took 5 days to arrive ( counting a Sunday as one day) . Trying to figure out when to expect it to show up in Texas, knowing that I have to sign for it I don't want to miss the courier.

kodokan

Yes, I was able to track it, but sorry, I can't remember how I found the link to do so. It must have been via the website as I've just done an email search and can't find anything they sent me other than the initial emails when I first made the application. It came via DHL, as four separate packages (old and new passports, x2) but all arrived together. I also received a text from DHL on the delivery day asking if I wanted to give permission for the courier to just leave them without a signature.

PaulineMurray

I received the tracking info from DHL and then another email to advise that it was put for delivery on the day that it arrived. Our new passport came first then the old one didn't arrive for another 10 days at it got delayed by customs. This was no trouble for us as we didn't require it as we have green cards but could be an issue if you need the old one to travel with the visa inside it.

jkeller

I got a text message from DHL. It was all ready on the plane half way across the across the Atlantic when I got the text. DHL courier showed up at my door the next morning about 10.30. I used flight aware to track the airplane. As I recall, it went from Durham to Heathrow by royal mail, then to a DHL substation nearby, then by DHL truck to East Midlands airport, then plane to DHL's hub in Cincinnati.

Here was yesterdays flight...

DHL Air Ltd #972 ✈ 23-Feb-2017 ✈ EMA / EGNX - KCVG ✈ FlightAware

Britexmom

Thank you for the replies, hopefully I will receive a text or email in the next day or so.
This is my first time renewing since the change of having to mail back to the U.K...my previous renewals were done in Düsseldorf and then Atlanta.
I have my green card so no worries about a visa, but I did have to send in my full BC and two marriage licenses along with a divorce decree to make a name change so will be anxious to get those back .

Britexmom

New passport was delivered today, 12 days since I mailed it here in Texas. I was very happy with the quick turnaround. Dhl texted me 5 minutes before they knocked on my front door, hoping the documents package shows up tomorrow.