Grrrrrrrrrrr passport
 

Never had one, never needed to. Now I need one. Anyone have any advice or directions for me?

They are $100.

I guess I'll be paying closer attention to the updates, myself. You inspired me to dig mine out to see if there was any cost references. It expired December 3rd ............................ two years ago. And I had it to attend PAGAN. :rofl:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_832.html



Everything you need to know about getting a passport.

I went to the state dept. site earlier. I read it takes 6 weeks. I am leaving mid June so hopefully I'll be safe.

As a Canadian, we now need a Passport to enter the US if we are flying. By the summer any Canadian traveling to the US by land, sea, or road will need a Passport. I think ours last for 5 years. Ours cost $80.00. I know a lot of folks that will not be taking weekend trips down into the States because of the Passport issue. It becomes an expensive addition if the whole family is going. That and now a days you can count on a 1 hr delay at the Border.

I'm just taking a cruise and you never needed passprts before but now you do.

I use an expedite service when I need visas and such. I have a firm that does a great job, but they're expensive. PM me if you need it quickly enough to want an expedite service.

PS - I can't wait for my passport to expire. I absolutely loathe my photo.

Not to worry CB. :D
Take the summer off, save a few $$ and practice saying "Mr. Bush, .. Tare down that wall!" Then the US will acknowledge it is bankrupt and EVERYTHING will be for sale, cheap.

Want to buy a submarine? :cool:

Does it come with cheese and mayo?

Only a lot of bologna.

Nowadays in the UK, children aren't allowed to travel on their parents passports, so before our next holiday, I'll have to get one sorted for Jr. How ridiculous to have to take a photo of an 8 week old - all babies look the same unless you know them, surely!

Our passports are about $US100 each for 10 years. Biometric data adds cost.

Lil, get started on it NOW!!! The paperwork backlog has increased recently, due to the new requirements, they're now saying 8 weeks...the state dept. website has a link that can help you find the closest office (likely the main Post office near you)

Just went thru that ordeal with #2 son, we stood in line in the PO lobby for nearly 2 hours, & had to write 2 checks (they wouldn't take my plastic), $52 to State, $45 to the Postmaster...They also now have his certified birth certificate (not a copy), which they will send back someday, but I need it now for some SSDI paperwork, so it's off to Vital Records for another copy unless it shows up in the next few days...

So after all the crap we've gone thru, #2 announces last week that he really doesn't wanna go on that Australia trip after all...dear Lord, please don't let me kill my own child... :sad: :hair: :whack: :banghead:

Thanks for the heads up. I will go on the 2nd and do it all.

Good idea.

Best to use a photo that everyone will recognize. :D

Lilith,

The sooner you start the better. I had to contact Senator Mikulski's office to get State to move on my passport. It can take a long time.

The website says photo on thin paper. Do they mean like regular photo paper you get pics printed on?

I was going to take digital pics and have them printed at Wallyworld. Is that going to work?

Everyone I know has gone to Walgreen's and had them take their passport photos... it's more expensive than doing it yourself.

I recall they had very specific requirements for the photos BEFORE. I'm sure they are at least as picky now. There may be more places doing them, to the spec, around now that the demand is higher, but that use to be a free service with most full service travel agencies if you were a client or they would do them for a minimal fee for non-clients.

Passport service has become another profit center for everyone, including the government.



(read The Last Days Of The Roman Empire) ;)

Your passport issuance authority will have a set of rules, lighting, size, backgrounds etc.

You should be able to print them at any of the photo-print places.

I had a passport before I retired, but when we started planning for PAGAN, we got one for my wife. I think it took about 4-5 weeks to get it. The pictures were digital and I printed them on standard photo paper (matte). I forget the dimensions, but it was relatively small. I think costs were right around $100 with extra if expediting was required.

Even though I liked it before when border crossing was a simple matter, probably should have always used passports. That was, after all, the purpose ... to provide reasonably safe identification of a person traveling outside their country. I guess I'm not terribly upset by the requirement. I always hated digging around to find a copy of my birth certificate to take with me. :(

I agree that very small children should be able to travel on their parents passports. Silly to have them for a child that within a year no longer looks like their picture. Thats goofy.

This is what I found our government wants today at 21:24 EST. (Better check again tomorrow)


Make sure photo presents full head from top of hair to bottom of chin; height of head should measure 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm)

Center head within frame (see Figure 2 below)


Make sure eye height is between 1-1/8 inches to 1-3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) from bottom of photo


Photograph subject against a plain white or off-white background


Position subject and lighting so that there are no distracting shadows on the face or background


Encourage subject to have a natural expression

Lucky for me, our passport office has their own photo service, so I just let them do it...didn't wanna give them any other excuses for sending us to the back of the line...

I hope you're not going on the QE2 !