How to deal with expiring passport

[Me262]

Hello all.

GS starts in Jan. My passport expires in Apr. My understanding is I need the passport for the RAIC application. GS takes 2 months (no US trip during this time). I'd also need the passport once I start working.

How do you deal with renewing the passport?

[Liftdump]

Expedited,costs about 80 bucks,easy

[I WAS Pez]

Just go and renew it. I'd go to an actual office, and request pickup at that office (which costs $20 more for standard service).... You must surrender your old passport to them while new one is being issued, so you won't have one for however long it takes them to issue a new one.

Standard processing time now seems to be about 2 weeks. Expedited can be 1 or 2 days for $80. HOWEVER, they are sticky about that at some offices and want things like a letter from your employer saying you need it for work, or proof of confirmed travel plans. I didn't want to get a letter from my employer so I just booked a full fare ticket for proof of travel and then refunded it last time..... I think that's likely the easiest/fastest route, but that's my opinion.

Note that 10 yr passports have now been available for a few years, which are really nice.

[I WAS Pez]

Also, you're allowed to renew within 1 yr of expiry.

[Me262]

What is i take it for RAIC application then once that's done, i do the renewal through mail? A month should be sufficient if it takes a month for RAIC?

[co-joe]

I booked a stand by trip to the US in case they asked to see proof of travel, and canceled the flight 5 minutes after walking out the door with my new passport. Ipaid for the expedited service at the federal building passport office. They asked if I had an upcoming trip requiring a passport, but never did ask for proof. It's dumb to have to play the system to get good service from the government, but we require passports for our jobs so the way I see it, we shouldn't need to prove upcoming travel.

[rigpiggy]

[quote=".

Note that 10 yr passports have now been available for a few years, which are really nice.
[/quote]
Careful with your ftsa application. According to DHS I had a 10 day passport.