My old one didn’t expire until December of 2024 but I alresdy received an alert from Delta reminding me that international travel demands that you have 6 months validity remaining on this document or you don’t leave the USA!

Since I’m a little OCD and also a worrier I sent it in as soon as I completed my last trip. (In other words I met the requirements for my desired status on Delta.) I was concerned when I heard how long it was taking due to the pandemic and other staff shortages…and what if the government does shut down? I won’t talk politics but this passport is really important to me as it might very well be my last since I “like sugar and butter a whole lot” and I recently turned 76!

I paid for expedited service, double checked all the requirements and prepaid my rush mail service for the return. I sent it in on August 18 and received my new one a few days less than one month. YEA!

The back of this new one has a QR code which gives you passport information such as: sign it; when you can expect your old one to be returned; how to update Global Entry and suggests you register for STEP.

What a relief. I will start planning my next trip tomorrow! Need to dream a little bit first. And oh, they no longer do the extra pages.