Originally Posted by shak (Post 9415250)

Wow...this thread is making me nervous! I wish I looked this up before...
I need to renew my passport, I will be sending my form on Wednesday...I'll be traveling on a one way ticket back to London on August 3rd(passport expires on the 2nd). I really hope I get my passport by then.

Just to be sure, it seems that the best thing to do is send by UPS or FedEx and not USPS?
Using a credit card/debit card instead of a money order so that I can see when they've taken the money out...
Having the picture taken at Walgreens, since they have a "UK Passport" option... am I on the right track here?

By what date should I really be worried...A week before I travel?

As another option...should I just bump up my date of travel by a few days and just renew my passport when I get to the UK? I'm not sure how close to the expiry I would be able to travel...but it expires Aug 2nd, could I perhaps travel up to that date?

Originally Posted by penguinbar (Post 9413873)

The timeline actually starts after your credit card was charged not from when you sent it out or it was received. So your timeline is actually 3 weeks.The website had originally mentioned about 4 weeks after your credit card was charged but there are longer delays now. Our credit card was charged April 14th and still nothing.

Originally Posted by shak (Post 9415250)

Having the picture taken at Walgreens, since they have a "UK Passport" option... am I on the right track here?

By what date should I really be worried...A week before I travel?

As another option...should I just bump up my date of travel by a few days and just renew my passport when I get to the UK? I'm not sure how close to the expiry I would be able to travel...but it expires Aug 2nd, could I perhaps travel up to that date?

Originally Posted by shak (Post 9415250)

As another option...should I just bump up my date of travel by a few days and just renew my passport when I get to the UK?

Originally Posted by shak (Post 9416428)

Thanks everyone! Good to know about the expiraton date...I was a bit worried about that. Has anyone tried this already?
I've been getting conflicting answers...some say you need to have 6 months on your passport for entry. Bumping up my flight by a few days shouldn't be a problem(unless they try to charge me some ridiculous fee!), I will check with the airline today to see the availability.

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 9416441)

If you mean entry back to the US...the answer is no...you have a GC/visa/US PP. The answer is no for entry into the UK too. :)

Originally Posted by shak (Post 9416466)

I meant entry into the UK, but thanks :)

Next time my passport expires I'll start the process 6 months ahead of time, this is stressful!

Originally Posted by jlrmatt (Post 9416462)

I have to leave the US for good on Tuesday (June 14th) and haven't received my passport yet.

I sent it on May 12th allowing 5 weeks for it to be processed. I didn't know there were horrendous delays. My father renewed his from Spain and it took only 10 days from sending it to getting it back - I thought it would be as efficient here. I already called the "premium number" twice, and I'm not even in the system :(. They said they'll call me back within 72 hours (24 hrs had passed and nothing). At this point, I wish I could get my old passport back to renew it in Spain.

I have to vacate my flat in NY on Tuesday, and have a research trip arranged in Spain followed by a conference in Lisbon - both are crucial for my work. I'm really desperate to get my passport back.

Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks.

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 9416483)

Read through Dean's (username British Consul) posts...there's info in his posts about emergency UK PP.

Originally Posted by jlrmatt (Post 9416488)

Many thanks, I'll look now.

Originally Posted by jlrmatt (Post 9416471)

Has anyone had any luck actually talking to someone human in Washington? Might it be possible to courier my old passport back if I pay for the service?

Originally Posted by shak (Post 9416428)

... some say you need to have 6 months on your passport for entry.