Passport applications and Passport Renewal

[mevinyavin]

Posting in case the info is useful.

In May I reserved an appointment at the Jlm embassy for August 2nd to renew my 4-yr-old's passport. In June I reserved an appointment for December to renew my 9-yr-old's passport, when I belatedly realized hers was expiring too.
I've been checking since July to see if there was an earlier appointment to change the latter one, because it is worth good money to me to have it in hand before the end of the year. Not only were there no earlier appointments, I haven't see any at all available. (I remain mystified regarding how easy it was to book those two, because now, there seems to be nothing at all.)
Anyways, I came across an option to "place a request to combine two existing appointments." Having nothing to lose, I requested that the December one be moved to August. This was Wednesday. Today, I got an email confirming that the request was accepted!
I hope this info is useful.

[chff]

Called regular passport number?

Yes, at 8am

[tzifanya54]

This was for my wife’s passport. While I have not yet confirmed this to be the case for us, my wife was just talking to someone that had their photo denied due to wearing a fall sheitel with a band. They do allow it for religious purposes but you need to send them a letter saying that.

Just a PSA to be super careful with the picture. They won’t tell you this until you push them…

Confirmed. It was a band and fall sheitel issue. Posting so that no one else makes this mistake. Only found out because I got senator involved.

[mevinyavin]

Fed says apply for passports six months in advance.
https://thriftytraveler.com/news/passport-wait-times-update/

[Yoel1]

FYI, I heard from someone the government will start cracking down dealers selling passport appointments and an active investigation is going on in the state department for those agents that change names for appointments, I would highly advise anyone in this business to leave this market ASAP.

[tzifanya54]

Confirmed. It was a band and fall sheitel issue. Posting so that no one else makes this mistake. Only found out because I got senator involved.

Got it today. Senator involvement really does work.

[aishel]

Update for my 5 year olds passport renewal/application:
4/14/23 - applied, routine service at USPS
4/19/23 - shows up as application received/accepted
Radio silence
7/28/23 - passport arrived at my house.

A total of 15 weeks!

[Yaalili]

My passport does not expire until February 2028, though I have only 3-4 pages left, so it looks like I will have to renew in the next few months. Based on comments, I am not looking forward to that process!

[tzifanya54]

My passport does not expire until February 2028, though I have only 3-4 pages left, so it looks like I will have to renew in the next few months. Based on comments, I am not looking forward to that process!

Expedite it for sure. Also get local politicians involved at the first sign of trouble. They have dedicated email reps, and get answers within a few hours max.

[mevinyavin]

Fun at the embassy this morning.
They switched their process for mailing back the passports - you now need to show up with a prepaid label. But their communication can obviously use some work, because there were at least eight people being sent away that I could see because they hadn't prepaid the 60 shekel cost. Ridiculous. The guard gives you a QR code and tells you to go to it and pay, then Wattsap the label to a specific number. These are all people with dumbphones, mind, and no internet in their pockets nor WhatsApp.
A big-hearted Teimani fellow whips out his laptop and immediately processes everybody's labels. His kid is receiving the emails and Whatsapping them for everybody. He must have spent an HOUR in the brutal sun doing this for everyone (instead of going inside to get on with his own application - he got in TEN MINUTES before the deadline). Mi K'amcha Yisrael.

[Yaalili]

Expedite it for sure. Also get local politicians involved at the first sign of trouble. They have dedicated email reps, and get answers within a few hours max.

Thanks!

What are people's recent experience with getting an appointment within 15 days of international travel at NYC office. If I call at 8am, any chance of getting an appointment these days?

[chff]

Thanks!

What are people's recent experience with getting an appointment within 15 days of international travel at NYC office. If I call at 8am, any chance of getting an appointment these days?

If you call 7:59am for 2 weeks out when the schedule opens you will get an appointment

[TimT]

Expedited took 6 weeks to arrive.

[JMHO]

If you call 7:59am for 2 weeks out when the schedule opens you will get an appointment

*and get through!

[Saulius]

Thanks!

What are people's recent experience with getting an appointment within 15 days of international travel at NYC office. If I call at 8am, any chance of getting an appointment these days?

Friend of mine recently got an appointment in Manhattan, took many attempts, but Monday morning is when he had luck. By passport appointment they did verify that the proof of travel and that the ticket is valid.

[Yaalili]

If you call 7:59am for 2 weeks out when the schedule opens you will get an appointment

Friend of mine recently got an appointment in Manhattan, took many attempts, but Monday morning is when he had luck. By passport appointment they did verify that the proof of travel and that the ticket is valid.

Thank you, will try that route when only 2 pages left.

[Joe4007]

Friend of mine recently got an appointment in Manhattan, took many attempts, but Monday morning is when he had luck. By passport appointment they did verify that the proof of travel and that the ticket is valid.

You mean they asked for print out of ticket or they actually went to the airline to make sure it's a valid reservation?

[AsherO]

Thank you, will try that route when only 2 pages left.

Shouldn’t you try that route when you have the longest expected lull in travel? Get an appointment with a refundable itinerary within 3 days, you’ll have your passport in hand by then.

[ckmk47]

By passport appointment they did verify that the proof of travel and that the ticket is valid.

My son got an appointment 13 days after his phone call.  He had a plane reservation printout with him at the appointment that they barely looked at.

[Yaalili]

Shouldn’t you try that route when you have the longest expected lull in travel? Get an appointment with a refundable itinerary within 3 days, you’ll have your passport in hand by then.

Don’t have any reasonable lull in travel coming up before I will need a new one. But hoping to wait till the summer rush is over.