Tag Archives: passport card

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!