quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
My Global Entry application still hasn't budged in 10 months or so.

::sigh::

What part of the process is it at? Once you set-up your interview appointment, it's pretty smooth sailing after that - get the interview set-up, show-up with necessary docs and you should get the card within a month.

Have you logged-in to your profile and checked?
Get all this stuff completed now because it's going to be a LOT more busy once school is out, families are traveling and everyone is looking to expedite things.

My wife and I just renewed our passport books Thursday at our City Hall passport office. Filled out the applications, took the photos, packaged everything, including our books into a large priority mail envelope, the woman helping us was excellent. We paid the regular $130 for regular delivery each, she said it will take 2 months.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:

That is waaaaay too long, could it be you're approved and need to set up an interview appointment (which is another PITA)?

You should be able to log in and check the status, if not start here:

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/tru...bal-entry/contact-us

If you have travel coming up soon you won't have Pre-Check, but coming back in the Mobile Passport App is supposed to be almost as fast as Global Entry.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-...ile-passport-control

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

What part of the process is it at? Once you set-up your interview appointment, it's pretty smooth sailing after that - get the interview set-up, show-up with necessary docs and you should get the card within a month.

Have you logged-in to your profile and checked?

I log in several times a month. It is still "pending initial review". I also called; they said the wait could be up to 2 years.

I'll be calling again on Tuesday.

I did download the app for when I return.

Passport on-line renewals are now an option in this beta release, I have no idea how well (or poorly) the process works. Suggest starting with "confirm you meet the requirements."

https://travel.state.gov/conte...rt/renew-online.html

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sigmund,

News article from AOL:

The State Department has launched a beta program for passport renewal applications that will be open to the public, according to senior officials at the department.

According to the officials, the program will begin by accepting a small number of online applications each day, with that limited number gradually ramping up as time goes on to ensure the State Department "can track any issues that arise and address them quickly and continuously improve the experience for the American people."

"The goal of online passport renewal is to save Americans time and effort, making it more convenient to renew their U.S. passports," one senior State Department official said.

Eligible applicants must be 25 or older, live in the United states or one of its territories, currently hold a passport that is or was valid for a 10-year period, was issued between 2009 and 2015, and the biographic data on the document must be accurate and not require any changes to name, gender, date or place of birth.

Applicants should also not have scheduled international travel for at least eight weeks from the point they submit the application and must be requesting routine -- not expedited -- service.

Officials didn't specify how long this beta program is expected to run, saying only that it will "continue over the course of the coming months."

Initially, officials say processing times will be the same as wait times for regular, mail-in renewals, but they anticipate the overall wait will "eventually" be shorter because applicants won't have to mail in their documents.

The State Department has previously conducted several rounds of testing for the digital system, processing 565,000 online applications to date.

The creation of an online passport renewal process was first announced in 2021 by President Joe Biden. The White House originally anticipated rolling out a finished product much earlier, by the end of 2022.

One senior State Department official explained that the delay was because the administration wanted to ensure the experience of applying for a new passport online was the best it could be, but the department was also bogged down through 2022 and much of 2023 by a backlog of passport applications created by pandemic restrictions.

As for regular passport processing times, the officials say they are still seeing a "strong demand" from the public, but that they should have "no trouble" meeting it and "no significant delays in processing" throughout the year.

Link

My wife has been waiting 7 months for her Global Entry.

Global Entry Renewal was fast. Feds have a disclaimer online that it will take months. As long as there are no changes in your status--you should be approved quickly.
New Global Entry applications take forever. Background check is done which delays the application. In person interview is done AFTER the application is approved which consists of digital photograph and digital fingerprints--done at the larger airports (which have additional wait times).

Just renewed my Daughter's passport. Mailed from the local post office on 25 May, new passport was shipped from the Hot Springs passport office on 5 June. I was impressed.

My Global Entry renewal took 13 months.

quote:

Originally posted by SIGfourme:
Global Entry Renewal was fast. Feds have a disclaimer online that it will take months. As long as there are no changes in your status--you should be approved quickly.
New Global Entry applications take forever. Background check is done which delays the application. In person interview is done AFTER the application is approved which consists of digital photograph and digital fingerprints--done at the larger airports (which have additional wait times).

This has not been my experience, unfortunately. I applied to renew GE in February, and it still says "Pending Review". Thankfully they have extended the expiration. I check it a few times a week for updates. There has been no change to anything on my application, and this is my second renewal.

For those of you without Global Entry, Mobile Passport appears to be a good - and FREE - substitute for coming back in:

Not enough travelers are using this Global Entry alternative, the federal government says

Sean Cudahy
June 24, 2024

Are you waiting for a Global Entry interview — or simply don't want to pay the $100 application fee? There's another option that can help you save nearly as much time at customs. Plus, it's completely free.

"It's not Global Entry. But it's pretty close, " said Marc Calixte, U.S. Customs and Border Protection port director of Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C.

We're talking about Mobile Passport Control, a CBP app that lets you handle most of the international arrivals process right on your smartphone. After submitting some personal information online and snapping a selfie, you can skip the long line at passport control and head to a separate — usually far shorter — lane.

This time-saving option is available to a slew of travelers, from those not yet approved for Global Entry to those who don't travel frequently enough to warrant the program's cost...

Complete article:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/...le-passport-control/

We applied for Global Entry for the first time last month.

Within 3 days of submitting the application we had conditional approval. The longest part of the process was getting an in person appointment as they were only scheduling out about 2 weeks. Central PA does not have a lot of options. I snagged the first available appointments which were about 3 weeks from my initial application. Approved on the spot at the in person appointments and had the physical card within 2 weeks after that. A little over a month for the whole process.

I also have to give a shout out to El Paso Passport Office. I had urgent travel to Canada and they hooked me up same day, photos and all. Very friendly and well organized in the office!!

Can you get a same-day passport? We break down your options for a last-minute renewal or replacement

Tarah Chieffi
June 27, 2024

Some travel mistakes are minor and can be solved pretty easily. Others — like an expired passport — can ruin your vacation before it even starts. Most countries will not allow you to travel with a soon-to-expire passport, so you could be out of luck if yours is close to the expiration date.

Of course, our No. 1 tip is to do whatever is necessary to avoid this dilemma in the first place. Here at TPG, we are big fans of calendar reminders that alert you when it's time to renew your passport. That said, you probably wouldn't be reading this if you weren't worried that your upcoming trip could be jeopardized.

Regardless of your exact circumstances, we have some tips for your predicament. Here's what you need to know to get a same-day passport — and save your vacation...

Complete article:

https://thepointsguy.com/guide...t-same-day-passport/