For the past month I have been working on getting my U.S. Passport renewed. If you live outside the USA and do not desire to wander back to the US and renew there, you can, in most countries renew your passport while in another country…
Now this article is the basics and the next article will be my experience, going through all this. (Won’t be a next article!) Your mileage will very according to your experience and country you attempt to renew from…
This experience is from Russia and at the Moscow Consulate…
Tidbit: I got my passport card also and they had also just received that card and I was able to pick up both passport and passport card… Yippy!
Important Links:
The order to do such an accomplishment: Follow links below and above…
- Make ACS appointment; (Make appointment Here on line for Moscow…)
- Complete DS-82 Form online and bring it for the interview;
- Bring your current U.S. Passport;
- Bring one photo;
- Pay the appropriate passport services fee.
Now there is one more form specific to keep your old passport in Russia for a US passport renewal and they will hand it to you at the counter to fill out. I cannot find it online and it is not necessary at many consulates. It is a form that allows you to request keeping your old passport (free they specifically specify) and this is a good change from ten years ago when I replaced my passport from being stolen. I had to fight to keep my old passport….they have changed that set of rules and believe you me, I was ready to fight again (I had to make a few phone calls back US home side to higher ups at that time.) and even had the bribe money (This time!) that they (US consulate (They wanted $80 to allow me to keep my old passport.)) demanded last time… (Looks like I was not the only one to have to deal with that issue and they changed it!)
As I say your mileage will very in other countries and as you would learn while traveling, all consulates from all countries have different rules for each country they reside in. Just because the US Consulate is nice in Moscow, does not mean at all that the US Consulate in Israel will care if you live or die… (Remember that tidbit as you travel.)
Yes I am grumbling, because it is important to know what you face in the real world. What the real world looks like in the USA Stateside is nothing for what it looks like at the US Embassy in each country. Sometimes it is better and sometimes much worse…
Do not expect it to be like a Big Mac and be the same the world over…
Things went well and I have my passport and as I have learned in the real world, this is a very good thing…
I do want to thank the efficiency and speediness of the US Consulate here in Moscow. There was not a delay from Gov. shutdown issues and they were always polite and okay to work with. Lots and lots of Russians working in the USA Consulate and that language barrier was the only real issue I found for many people trying to get things done…
Every window I came to. I felt like I listened to this…
I loved it, but it seemed a bit too much at times. Then when I got an American, I was like, “Wow, they do have Americans here!”
WtR
PS: What a damn relief to get this issue done…
