Just to let everybody know. My daughter applied for a passport today (thank god! been asking her for months). She had the paperwork filled out beforehand. It took her 10 minutes and they said 4-6 weeks, although I don't believe that.

We renewed our 5 year old's passport on Dec 31, 2006 and it arrived today; so that was about 5 weeks? Renewals may not take as much time as applications, though. For what it's worth, we live in Toledo, and even though it was a renewal, it still took us 4 trips to 2 different post offices to get the process for renewal started.

Lori

Lori, just curious....why did you have to renew a passport so soon. I thoguht they were good for 10 yrs.

is it because a baby's pic has be updated since they look so different at 5 yrs old?

Until Jan/Feb 2008, there is no need for a US Passport WHEN LEAVING THE USVI BY BOAT, CHECKING INTO THE BVI ON THE BOAT AND RETURNING TO THE USVI BY BOAT. Visit www.state.travel.gov for the full story. Watch for the green box at the top left of either the home page or the Caribbean page and click on that...hope this helps.

Copied from the website:

The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:

Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

Evidently, one doesn't need a passport to take a cruise this year. My son was wanting to do one this summer, I told him he has to have a passport! oh well.

Well this is from Royal Caribbean's website:

OUR RECOMMENDATION

Royal Caribbean International strongly recommends that all guests travel with a valid passport during their cruise. This greatly assists guests who may need to fly out of the United States to meet their ship at the next available port should they miss their scheduled embarkation in a U.S. port; guests entering the U.S. at the end of their cruise; and guests needing to fly to the U.S. before their cruise ends, because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, missing a ship's departure from a port of call, involuntary disembarkation from a ship due to misconduct, or other reasons.

So, if you're stuck in a port and have to FLY somewhere else, you might be in trouble. My nephew was on the cruise ship that caught on fire last March, and they took the passengers to Jamaica and flew them back home to Florida. If that were to happen this year with no passport - you're SOL!!

Bluwater:

Children's passports are only good for 5 years - it's very much a rip-off because if you travel alot your children need them, and if you get the first one before they're 1, then you have to renew at 5, 10, and 15. The passport fee is $87 each time; you'd think they'd lower it for renewals, but they don't as they consider it a "new" passport. Once the child is 16 or over, then you get a 10 year passport.

Lori

Mountain Girl, you make a good point about being airlifted in an emergency. A ferry accident or accident while exploring the baths could happen.

LoriF, you feel my pain! And I can't believe I get to do all this again in 5 years. I have 3 kids and with different expiration dates on their passports. UGH!

We just have to remind ourselves that this will all be worth it when we see sunshine, palm trees, and crystal clear waters.