General Discussion

was easy. Last year I was going to renew but there was no in-person option. They wanted my old passport, photo and form mailed. The form, for some reason, defeated me and I put it aside.

This T’giving figured I better get on it before chaos of new admin, and my cousin wants me to visit (Switzerland.). Had misplaced my old one, expired maybe 3 yrs ago, so decided to apply for a new one so I could do it in person, have my hand held, and do it right.

Made an appt at my local post office for the next Monday, Dec 2 - easy! Last year they weren’t allowing that option since it wasn’t expired enough and I had physical possession it.

Needed to fill out the online app to bring with. Since it had been expired less than 5 years I needed to report it, then the problems started. So I lied and said it had expired more than 5 years ago. Yay! Easy again!

Next lie:

They asked parents info at the time of birth. Easy. Then, were they citizens? This was on the at-time-of-birth line. Well no, they weren’t, and given the new incoming admin I got unnecessarily paranoid and decided to say ‘yes’ since they later became citizens. I’m 74 and had my 1st passport at 16 and seemed like a safe, if unnecessary, lie. But these being weird times …

Did not pay for expedited because at the post office they said I should get it later in January. Good enough.

Imagine my surprise when I got tracking information saying passport book + card were approved, being printed, and to expect them Dec 23! Next day an updated tracking notice said to expect them Dec 24th!

Three weeks!