Jingthing

To add there is also a SEASONAL factor in renewals, certainly domestically anyway. Reportedly for domestic renewals, if you apply during very slow travel months, it will generally be faster, and vice versa.

When was your renewal? I'm fairly OK with the DHL proof of receipt that they received it.

Is it really true though? I've never heard about much shorter than one month for in Thailand renewals. There is no way to pay for expedited service abroad as there is for US renewals. More likely if this is true, he had TRAVEL PLANS or a VISA EXPIRATION coming up shortly which is something they ask about on the application. In that case they would have the power to expedite but again you can't pay and order for faster service for abroad passports.

Using an agent is a different ball of wax. A person would have different issues using an agent. Such as about trust of the particular agent that they really know what they're doing. Clearly, the more granular concerns of doing a self directed application are something you hopefully avoid by paying an agent.

There is a detail that I'm still unclear about. I recall reading reports that the embassy does send an email at the time that they mail you your new passport package. Is that really true? Recent and within the last few years reports about that detail appreciated.

If you read the OP, it is clearly implied that the topic is about self directed applications. Not what happens if you an agent. I'm not at all against using agents for this. I looked into it decided against that and the reason was NOT the cost. I would strongly advise others to consider agents if their locality has them that do US passport renewals though. But this topic is not about that.

I'm not neutral but there is no logical reason for practical topics about vital services like passport renewals should be politicized. I bring up State Department staff cuts because they are a fact and as yet it is unknown if that will impact the timing and service about overseas passport renewals.

Let's try to keep this more neutral. Americans of all kinds rely on State Department services.

I'm freaked out about it too. I'm also concerned about an unknown X factor. Whether state department staff cuts will make this take longer or even cause complications. That's a reason I've been asking for VERY CURRENT timing reports. It seems clear that the 6 to 8 week stated estimates have in reality been (happily) closer to one month. HOWEVER, I don't think there have been many (or any) timing reports since the State Department staff cuts have occurred. Don't call me paranoid about this. We already know for a fact that staff cuts at Social Security has negatively impacted on wait times. The concern is well founded (unfortunately).

I'll ignore your joke, but what would be to point of emailing them unless they're contacted you with a problem OR the passport is very late, etc.? I'm assuming the passport tracking link would work for internationally obtained passports, correct? (Remove space) https: //passportstatus.state.gov

Thanks for the feedback. So at this point I think I will be able to track the Thai Post courier via information from the purchase. There is also a general passport tracking system to use. Remove space and copy to load link: https: //passportstatus.state.gov

I'm in the process now too. I got the tracking from DHL that I was delivered to the embassy. I'm assuming (hoping) that they have staff to look over the application at least superficially to detect any errors and if found that they would contact applicants early in the process. But I have no proof of that. Only reports by people who had that happen could say whether errors were detected early or late in the process. So best case, if package received, and no early contact, they have looked at it and found no errors. Years ago I did a renew at a Pattaya consular visit and there was a problem which I had time to fix right away and I think the officer did at least eyeball the entire application. So that's a hint that they would do the same thing when received by mail. (The problem was missing photocopy of current passport ID page.) Photos could possibly be a more subjective determination. Obviously they can easily measure the photo size and reject any obvious issues like if you're wearing a Bozo the clown costume. But the required specs for photos are very specific and I suppose it would be possible for an officer to miss something that might later be rejected by the state department.

No doubt this president.

You left out the correct third possibility. They lied. They are gutting Medicaid if that big bill passes as it. I can't help it that you don't bother to do basic research yourself and just blindly believe regime propaganda.

I never said all agree. I said CONSENSUS of all. About the survey rating. They took the ratings numbers of ALL. They boiled that down including ALL respondents to reach a final rating number. Overall Trump was at very bottom. A consensus.

Can't fix the willfully ignorant. Basically a good definition of the maga cult.

Back to reality. They're not cutting hundreds of billions of federal Medicaid funding with cuts to transgender care and illegals. This is what the cruel autocratic maga regime does. It red baits and lies hot button issues to cover up what they're really doing assuming most Americans are suckers and won't look deeper. They're often right. So bottom line they are gutting Medicaid. Will they succeed? If I had to bet I'd say yes, but hopefully not.

Quoting white house propaganda from the most corrupt, most lying, president in history.

STOP THE NAME CALLING! You clearly do not comprehend the meaning of the word CONSENSUS. Read the flippin' article again. If you learn the definition of consensus you will then get that it was correct to say the consensus of ALL. But you won't. You're just here to flame and troll. Pathetic.

Hopefully ten years from now it will be impossible to find any American who admits they were ever maga. De-magafication is in order.

All the more reason to amp up the sanctions on Russia and arm Ukraine to the teeth so that they can actually win against Russia ASAP.

Reports I've read indicate that when the embassy mails the new passport using the required Thai courier by Thai post from the embassy envelope that if the embassy emails that they are sending it that they don't include a tracking number. I could be wrong. Looklng for confirming or refuting reports on that detail here. The Thai post courier item costs 100 baht and you must purchase it yourself online and indicate on a required checklist that you have done that with the application package. Thai post sends that to the embassy You don't. It can't be purchased at physical post offices. The product is customized for the US embassy.

Party pooper.

Israeli food culture developed differently.

You obviously don't know the definition of a cult. Yes I'm opposed to Trump.