The World is Ours

[sabotlours]

The last time Kitty and I were out of the country was on our Panama Canal cruise of 2014. Right after that Kitty told me that her passport would soon expire. Since we weren't taking any trip abroad it really didn't matter. Earlier this year she once again reminded me that her passport had expired. When I went to check on hers I saw that mine, too, had expired. I would have jumped at the chance to get them renewed, but I had heard that getting passports in NM was a headache since we were no longer compliant with the federal Real ID Act. Since NM gives drivers' licenses to wetbacks, our licenses were going to no longer be recognized as secure IDs for air travel. This caused a stampede to get passports since they WOULD be valid ID. Rather than do the proper thing and push for proper ID reform, our politicians decided to due the easy thing and kick the can down the road for a few more months and hope that Jesus would miracle a solution to our state where there would be no political backlash. Anyway...I had feared standing in long lines just to get our passports renewed. Fortunately we went to AAA to get our passport photos taken. Not only was that a good move financially, since we are premier members and got the photos for free, but the person there told us that since we were simply renewing, the entire process could be taken care of via mail. The amazing thing about the whole process was that it took less than 2 weeks to get everything done. Even though Kitty had her name changed after we got married, it didn't even cause a bump in the road. So now we both have valid passports are are ready to take on the world. There is something very powerful in having a valid passport in your paw. You can go anywhere! You can do anything! Next stop...North Korea! *LOL*

Comments

[d-bandit.livejournal.com]

I got my passport 25+ years ago so I could take a trip to England. I had to jump through all sorts of hoops to get it in time for my trip. It eventually expired and I let it sit because I wasn't planning any more trips overseas. Unfortunately, the gubmint decided that them pesky Canadians were sneaking across the border and insisted that a NYS license was no longer good enough to get back and forth across the border. I looked into my options and renewing my passport seemed the easiest route but I dreaded it. My passport had been expired for nearly 5 years but it turned out that was just under the cutoff. I filled out a form, sent in my expired passport and my fee and, like you, I had my new passport in hand within a couple of weeks. :) Easy peasy!

Crap, doing the math in my head, I think mine must be coming up due for renewal again as well! Yikes, I had better verify that!

[allaboutweather.livejournal.com]

Are you saying that Trump should build a wall and have the Canadians pay for it? :O)

[d-bandit.livejournal.com]

The US/Canadian border is much, much larger than the US/Mexican border and much more porous. There is no way we could ever build a wall to protect it. With the current exchange rate, they could never afford to pay for it anyway! :)

[allaboutweather.livejournal.com]

Minnesota, Canada, what's the difference? Both places are the same to me! XP

[chaysefox.livejournal.com]

I should get a passport myself--no true reason, just a just in case. Although I did have to jump through many hoops here to get my license renewed. Maybe with a passport come license renewal in a couple years, a bonafide federal document would make the process less painful.

[furahi.livejournal.com]

I've basically always had a passport, I was so surprised to find out so many of my Anerican friends did not have them, I thought it wa sap merging everyone around the world did

I did have to get it renewed 12 or so years ago when I went to Califur.0 where you picked me up in your suit from LAX

Man, how time flies... And things change. I now have an American and a Mexican passport

[allaboutweather.livejournal.com]

Damn.... I need to get my passport still. I'm very untraveled. :(

[procyonid.livejournal.com]

It only took two weeks?? Sheesh, the renewal site is filled with warnings that there will be HUGE DELAYS and we should expect 6 weeks processing time. I actually need to get mine renewed soon - not because it's about to expire (it won't until 2022!) but because it's about to fill up with entry/exit stamps because I travel such an absurd amount now. And six weeks is a real problem because there's no point on my schedule where I can spend six weeks in one country.

Anyway, yeah, if you already have a passport you can just renew by mail, the whole ID issue is only relevant for first-time applicants who have to prove their eligibility some other way. Also, FYI, Wal-Mart will take passport photos for about $1.

Let me know if you ever decide to come visit Europe sometime :D

[d-bandit.livejournal.com]

"You may request a larger passport book with 52 pages at no additional cost by checking the '52 page' box at the top of the DS-82." :)

[procyonid.livejournal.com]

Right - problem is, last time I renewed my passport (in 2012) I didn't yet know that I would be moving overseas - plus, back then they actually charged for the bigger book, AND gave you the option to insert pages later. None of that is true now.

Next time I renew I'll almost certainly get the bigger book, but the trick is finding a gap in my travel to do the renewal without endangering my other plans...

[dexter-fox.livejournal.com]

Did the same with ours just a couple months ago. Very simple process - much easier than getting a fresh one. Also decided to get the card this time around, just in case it may come in handy.

[nexrad.livejournal.com]

Loop and I need renew ours before November, though my earliest travel outside of the U.S. won't hit 'til next summer at the very earliest. *shrugs* Glad it was an easy process.

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the AAA advice... I might do dat too!