Passport renewal while at the Academy

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acecreator71

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My DD's passport expires in October 2022. Her paperwork says she needs to bring a passport that is valid until at least August 2022. So she is good to go, but she will obviously need to renew soon. How difficult is this to get done while at the academy? She leaves in 10 weeks for Swab Summer, so we are contemplating if trying to get it renewed now and expedite is the better way to go, or just leave it and have her do it once she is there.

There is obviously a lot to juggle right now at the end of senior year and then getting her off to Swab Summer, so if it would be easy for her to handle here, I would just prefer to go that route. Thoughts? Thanks!
 
She can fill out the renewal form now, go get the photo taken and affixed, get the mailing envelope addressed and ready, when she is not as busy as she will be once at USCGA - she can make a “kit” for herself - you mail that off to her in September or right after summer is over. She quickly assembles and mails off with old passport from P.O. there. She can have it sent to home or CGA address. She won’t be going anywhere she needs it, I don’t think, in that timeframe.
 
We expedited our daughters last spring before Swab Summer. She was 17 so it required both parents at the appt but it was really no big deal. We made an appt at the PO on a Saturday morning, we all went, it took about 45 minutes, and she had it before the summer. I do not remember when she was due to expire.
 
CGAGOBEARS said:
We expedited our daughters last spring before Swab Summer. She was 17 so it required both parents at the appt but it was really no big deal. We made an appt at the PO on a Saturday morning, we all went, it took about 45 minutes, and she had it before the summer. I do not remember when she was due to expire.
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My daughter is 17 as well. I didn't think of that causing any issues with renewing, though.
 
Converting a passport for a 17 year old does not represent a big expenditure of time or effort, unless you live far from a decent sized town.

Minor's passports cannot be converted to adult through the mail, so an in-person appearance is required. No parent needs to be present, although 1 is recommended to serve as a witness.

Just get it done now.
 
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We recently did my DS‘s renewal (on 04/02) and expedited it as his was set to expire in 2023. We made an appointment, had the paperwork ready and required docs (current passport and DL) and was super easy. We should receive his within the next month. We didn’t want it to be an issue in the academy or risk it not getting here on time for regular processing.
 
Capt MJ said:
She can fill out the renewal form now, go get the photo taken and affixed, get the mailing envelope addressed and ready, when she is not as busy as she will be once at USCGA - she can make a “kit” for herself - you mail that off to her in September or right after summer is over. She quickly assembles and mails off with old passport from P.O. there. She can have it sent to home or CGA address. She won’t be going anywhere she needs it, I don’t think, in that timeframe.
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Only exception to this is if their current passport was issued while they were under the age of 16, as our DS’s was. His application had to be presented in person, not considered a renewal then, doesn’t qualify for mail in. Even waiting until they are 18 doesn’t get passed this. Wasn’t that bad for us, our library has an annex office that takes appointments and even takes the photo. Hubby and son were done in 15 minutes 👍
 
No appointments available at all in the next two months. And our passport offices don't take walk-ins. Ugh. We might not have a choice but to just send her with the one that expires soon.
 
CA946 said:
No appointments available at all in the next two months. And our passport offices don't take walk-ins. Ugh. We might not have a choice but to just send her with the one that expires soon.
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So for us, getting the appointment was tricky. Our library annex would have nothing listed at all, then it would say appointments open up at midnight, so that’s how I was able to book DS’s. Sure enough at midnight slots opened up and I grabbed one. Maybe keep looking and something will open up, good luck!
 
Capt MJ said:
She can fill out the renewal form now, go get the photo taken and affixed, get the mailing envelope addressed and ready, when she is not as busy as she will be once at USCGA - she can make a “kit” for herself - you mail that off to her in September or right after summer is over. She quickly assembles and mails off with old passport from P.O. there. She can have it sent to home or CGA address. She won’t be going anywhere she needs it, I don’t think, in that timeframe.
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This is the way to go.

Don’t stress over renewing now. They don’t go abroad on the Swab summer Eagle trips and the passport is primarily used to confirm citizenship.
 
CA946 said:
No appointments available at all in the next two months. And our passport offices don't take walk-ins. Ugh. We might not have a choice but to just send her with the one that expires soon.
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You might want to call directly and tell them it's for a service academy and see if they can fit you in. You might get lucky, especially if it's only a renewal.
 
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