Each Friday, we feature a reader-inspired tip as our Travel Tip of the Day. This week’s tip—a two-parter—follows Wednesday’s tip about how to renew your passport with an app and concerns the passport renewal process as people are experiencing it now. First, from reader Rich E.:
“I have another tip or two. First, send in the passport renewal by Priority Mail (2 or 3 days). It only adds a couple of bucks and you can track it. Second, a week after you send in the passport, check your bank account to see whether passport services have cashed your check. Even though I received a response of ‘status not found’ on the gov’t website, my check was cashed, so I know that the envelope was received.”
Then, from an email sent by reader Jim:
“Just an FYI – I submitted my passport for renewal back in February. It was received by the passport application office in Philadelphia on February 26 (I shipped it Priority Mail so I could track it), the check was cashed immediately, and I still have not received my new passport. They are backlogged quite a bit.”
So, yes, it seems like passport applications and renewals are backlogged. And with all the backlog, you may have a harder time contacting a representative for a status update. All the more reason to get started renewing your passport sooner rather than later. If you don’t go through the ItsEasy app, consider using Priority Mail to track your application—and keep an eye on your bank account to see if your check has been cashed!
Have your own tip? Email it to whitney@johnnyjet.com!
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