Does anyone know how long it actually takes to get your passport from the time you apply (for the first time) to when you'll have it in your hands? I know the government website says 4-6 weeks but I've learned not to trust those numbers too much. I need it by November 15 at the very latest. I might be doing a 3-credit study abroad program to London over January term (studying theatre, no less -- visiting Stratford-Upon-Avon, seeing West End productions... going to be great). The college wants all application materials in by October 15, and then finances and passports in order by November 15.
Order it today. You can pay for it to be expedited if you want-I think it's around $80 extra. I think location makes a big difference in times. Here in Nebraska, it took about 2 weeks to get mine. But friends of ours in New Jersey needed more than a month.
4-6 weeks? Shooooot. Yeah you can pay to get it expedited but order it TODAY. Back when I first got mine (in 2001) it took a few months. Then when I had to order it again (in 2005) it took about 6 months. Mine came from New Orleans and it was backed up for obvious reasons.
If you order it today you probably don't need it expedited. I got my son's earlier this year and it was only a couple weeks. You still have 2 months and I don't think there is currently a back-up so you should be fine.
Can I just say that I hate you?!! Just kidding of course, that's from the jealousy I feel for you studying aboard in London! It didn't take very long to get ours when we first applied, but for peace of mind I would pay the extra money.
Pay the $60. If you don't, you may end up sweating it until November. Sometimes, I've had mine quick, other times, not so much. If its any consolation, the Irish embassy is even worse. Last time I renewed my Irish passport, it took a couple MONTHS.
Don't forget, that on top of the $60, you need to include the price of overnight mail. I wound up being in a really big hurry when I got passports for me and one of my kids (travelling within a few days), so I went to the regional passport office and had them within a couple hours.
Actually, now that I re-read your thing - you just need it for the Uni by November - the trip isn't until Jan, right? Would the university cut you a break if you said you were still waiting for your passport? You don't really need to use it until January. So I guess my answer changes depending on how strict you think they will be.
I think you'll be fine. I've never heard of a passport arriving late, only early. I guess it could happen, though. I'm actually doing something VERY similar in January and the program leader told us to order passports now to make sure we get them in time. He wasn't concerned as long as we do it immediately. Oh also, I know here it's supposedly faster if you go into the official government passport building or whatever it is rather than, say, a college campus. Not sure if that's the case everywhere, but it's worth asking around about.
When I got a passport a few years ago, I think it took 3-4 weeks for me to get the actual copy in my hands. It was right on schedule with what I was told.
Mike, in a crisis, I think you can go into NYC, spend a full day waiting on line, and leave with a passport. Or at least you used to be able to do it, before 9/11. That may have changed. I have no idea how I know this, but I do.
Do it today! I had a hard time getting the picture correct. Took 3 tries before I gave up. Went to the post office, they took the picture & I applied for my passport at the same time.
Most regional passport offices require proof of travel within 2 weeks in order to get same day passports. Some, including Minneapolis, do not require proof, but require you to fill out an affidavit of intent to travel. It's a legal document, so perjury clauses apply. But, yes, in a crisis, passport offices do issue them same day. That's how I got mine and Stuart's.
Here, Mike. Go down to the bottom: http://longisland.about.com/od/governmentschools/a/Getting-A-U-S-Passport-On-Long-Island.htm According to the link, right now you're looking at a 4-6 week lag time.
Took all of six weeks to get my kids passports this summer. You can get an expedited passport after paying a hefty fee, but I don't think it is same day service. In believe you come back to pick it up after several days.
I'd expedite it too! If my plans hadn't fallen through, I would have needed to get a passport for this summer that just ended, then I could have told ya how long it took me.
Thanks for the input, everyone. The lady at the post office said that I can call and ask for it to be expedited later in the process if the due date gets too close for comfort. I'm still trying to figure out if I can even afford to do the progam (it's $4,000 for ~10 days, compared to the $3750 I paid for the entire fall semester). Man, if I were rich!
Mike, that's a LOT of money, and finances were an issue for you not too long ago. As tempting as it is, I would probably pass.
I know . I have the option of taking out a loan through the school, and then worrying about paying it back later, but like you said, it's still a LOT of money.
Studying abroad is expensive, but that's unreasonably expensive for only 10 days. I doubt it includes food or anything, so you'd be spending even more. You could travel on your own for a lot less. I just looked up flights from JFK to London in Dec-Jan and there are a ton under $1k. I don't think it's even worth going over there for less than two weeks. It takes a couple days to get accustomed to the time change alone. If you can scrounge up some cash, maybe you can take a different trip? There's no better time to travel than now.
I'd definitely pay to have it expedited. My sister and I had to get ours renewed a while back to go to the Dominican for a family vacation. We did them the exact same day. I was in FL and she was in NY. Mine came on time 6 weeks later. My parents had to keep calling for my sisters..... it came the day before we were leaving (it took 4 months and tons and tons of calling- I cant remember who we called though-)
When you break it down, it doesn't seem that bad. Do you need the credit? Do you know what shows you will see? I saw, of all things, Jerry Springer: The Opera when I was in London, and it was great. We also saw McDonagh's The Pillowman in Brighton on the same trip.
Mike, for what it's worth, you could get in an awful lot of Broadway shows for a fraction of the cost. And Broadway is an hour from your parent's home.
$250/ticket seemed a little bit high, so I did a little bit of research on theater ticket pricing and you could do your own trip and buy the best seats for West End shows for far less. Is it a class you need for graduation? I'm studying abroad and paying about the same amount (a little less actually), but my trip is much longer than yours and it's a class I would need to take anyway. If I wasn't going, I'd be staying here and paying the stupidly expensive winter tuition. As Alice said, you are near Broadway. Can't really beat that.
Mine took about 4 weeks. I did not pay to have it expidited, but I did pay to have it shipped overnight both there and back for like 12 bucks.
Here's the vague itinerary: I'm not sure I could do this all myself :lol:. I think I might bite the bullet with the cost and do it. I'll talk to my parents about it and see if they're willing to help me out any.
It sounds like an awesome opportunity. I'd probably do what you're doing and ask my parents first and if they said no (or only gave a little) I'd take out a loan for the full (or remaining) amount. I wish, when I did my undergrad, that I had done a study abroad! For the program that I am going to be applying to they do go to Guatemala. Here is their breakdown: Cost information for Study in Guatemala 2013 Airfare – Approximate from Omaha 650.00 Registration ANA – Travel and international health insurance 160.00 Language school, meals, travel, weekend trip, & family lodging 1190.00 Administrative fee – Briar Cliff 150.00 TOTAL (ESTIMATED) 2150.00 Weekend meals & souvenirs are extra The total course fee without tuition, weekend meals, and souvenirs is $2,150.00. This is a 3 week course.
Here's what I would tell you if you were mine, Mike (my son is almost 22): "Go for it if you can swing the cost. We'll help you out a bit, although I'm not sure how much. Don't go into insurmountable debt, but if you're passionate about it, find a way. Tutor, wait tables, pour coffee to make a few extra dollars. Once you've settled into a career, these opportunities are so much harder. Don't regret that you didn't try."
That sounds like a lot of fun! A friend of a friend went to Guatemala this summer to teach music to younger kids and she had a blast. This is why you're one of my favorites
I think I got mine in a couple of weeks, but I would get on this right now. You never really know, so you want to make sure you have it in time.
