Tag Archives: how long

Detailed Timeline As To How Long It Took To Get A U.S. Passport In Mid-2023 (& The 12-Week ‘Wait’ Is Accurate).

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by Anura Guruge
on September 10, 2023

Click to ENLARGE. Excel spreadsheet I put together for YOU.

Last week, while I was in Maine (again), my Naturalization Certificate arrived — on September 5, 2023.

That was the last step in the process — start-to-finish, soup-to-nuts. I had got my U.S. Passport, U.S. Passport Card & my documentation. That was it. It was finally, ALL DONE.

It had taken 125 days from START-to-FINISH.

117 days since ‘they’ received my paperwork at the Texas facility, 8-days after I submitted it all at a large U.S. Post Office.

So, that is 4 MONTHS — BUT, I received my Passport & Passport Card within 3 months.

So, I was right SMACK in the 12-week WAIT they currently advertise.

Amusing that they wait EXACTLY a month after issuance of the Passport to start mailing back the documentation. Not sure why they wait a month. I guess they want to make sure the passport got delivered.

I am HAPPY. Got the Passport within the timeframe I had been told to expect. Wasn’t thrilled waiting 5 weeks to get back my documentation — BUT relieved that I am now all set.

Just thought that this timeline might help a few of you. Now you can work out where you are in the process. Hopefully things will get faster now that the Summer travel rush/bulge is history.

All the best.

I Got My U.S. Passport CARD Today — 2-Days After Passport & 12.7 Weeks (89 Days) After I Applied.

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by Anura Guruge
on July 29, 2023

Click to ENLARGE. Sorry, I don’t want to expose myself. (SMILE).

This is cool. Right on the heels of my passport. I am chuffed.

So, just like clockwork per the currently much-stated 11 to 13 week wait for a U.S. Passport.

Both were mailed from Houston, Texas. The passport was sent ‘Priority Mail’, the passport card, First Class. I suspect they were both mailed on the same day. I don’t care. Just glad to have BOTH of them.

Now just waiting on my my all important Naturalization Certificate. Hoping it will come soon. But, in a way, it no longer matters. I have these credentials to prove that I am somewhat bona fide. SMILE.

Had never heard of a Passport Card. They can ONLY be used for land or sea crossings. DEFINITELY not valid when crossing the border by air.

The land/sea works GREAT for I — when it comes to Canada (from my ‘Bold Coast‘). Maybe I will now, after a 20+ year boycott, again start visiting Canada. There were times in my life when I visited Canada twice a month!

I Got My U.S. Passport Today — 12.4 Weeks (87 Days) After I Applied.

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by Anura Guruge
on July 29, 2023

Click to ENLARGE. NO, I don’t think I will show you the inside. (SMILE).

So, ‘exactly’ per the 11 to 13 weeks, that they tell you. So, in a way it was like clockwork.

I applied in person (given it was my first U.S. passport) at a Post Office — after scheduling an appointment. That was on May 3, 2023 — five days after I got my citizenship (on April 28, 2023).

So, May 3 to July 29 –> 87 days (12.4 weeks).

But, ‘they’ (i.e., passport ‘authority’) tells you that their 11-13 week clock doesn’t start till THEY get all the documents in their hands. That, per their online tracking system, occurred on May 11, 2023. So, it took 8 days from the time I applied. The very nice postal lady who did my application did tell me that she doesn’t mail the documents in daily. She has to wait until she has a batch.

So, from May 11 to July 29 –> 79 days (11.3 weeks).

But, the passport was issued (i.e., dated) July 25. 4 days ago.

That puts it at 75 days (10.7 weeks)!

All good. I am NOT complaining. Just reporting the facts. Neat that they are working, so rigidly, per that stated timeline.

Now, I applied for a PASSPORT CARD too. No sign of that.

Also I didn’t receive my all important Naturalization Certificate either.

But, according to the tracking system I might still have to wait 8 weeks MORE to get all of this!

Got My Plastic New Hampshire Driver’s License 29-Days After Getting My Temporary, Paper One.

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by Anura Guruge
on September 9, 2022

Click to ENLARGE.

As you can see from image above this license was issued on August 11, 2022. But, per the now norm, I was given a temporary paper one, with my old license, with the top left-hand corner snipped. I was told I should get the permanent, plastic one (i.e., the one above), in the mail within 30 to 45 days.

Well, your license is in the mail is, for I, even more nerve-wracking than hearing that the check is in the mail.

To my utter relief & joy I saw a ‘State of New Hampshire’ envelope in the mail box today. WOW. Yes, it was my plastic license.

The envelope was post-marked: September 7, 2022. That was 27-days AFTER the issuance of the paper one.

I got the plastic one: September 9, 2022. That was 29-days AFTER the issuance of the paper one.

29-days is 4 weeks & 1 day.

September 5, 2022 Labor Day. If we count that out, I got the plastic one in 4-weeks. I think that is their goal — i.e., 4-week lag.

But, at least we can add this to the data points.

28- to 29-days after the paper one. OK?