I have been trying to get my passport updated over the last two days has been very frustrated. There are some very simple thing I have learned about the process.
- Don’t rush or be in a rush to fill out / drop off the application. Have plenty of time on the clock, or several days.
- Do use large block letters and black ink. Or fill in the online PDF and print it out.
- Make sure your photo meets the requirements exactly, don’t trust anyone including the photographer. The P/P agents are very picky and this will cost you another photo session.
- If your signature touches the box, don’t worry, the P/P agents now have stickies that can paste over top and you can re-sign. You don’t have to start from scratch anymore.
- The guarantor requirements are now much lower than they used to be. Read up on what the new requirements are and save yourself some more time.
- Double, triple, and quadruple check your information before you go to the P/P office.
- Its best to arrive before the office doors are even open to minimize your time in line-ups.
As you can probably guess, I broke all the rules I just stated and it cost me time, money, and a whole lot of stress.