How often do I get the chance to compliment someone on a job well done? It seems all I’m ever doing is pointing out the flaws. Well, today is different.
Kudos and thanks to (of all people) the US Government, passport office!
I submitted my expired passport, by snail mail, Friday June 6th. My replacement passport arrived, by mail, today, June 14th. Subtracting out one day each way, they got that processed in 7 calendar days. They haven’t even cashed the check, yet!
Not only did I receive my passport by priority mail, but, in a separate mailing, standard mail, I received my old passport back, too. That has a postmark, so I know it was mailed two days ago. They must have processed my passport in 6 days. Amazing.
That’s nowhere near the 6 weeks they tell you to expect. I pity the people who pay the extra fee for expedited service.
Once again, I’m free to roam the world, and my new passport book is rather sad because it’s empty…
Looking at my old one, I have all those stamps and visas:
- Taiwan 15 May 1998 to 24 May 1998
- Taiwan 15 Dec 1998 to 20 Dec 2000
- Singapore 20 Dec 1998 to 26-Dec-1998
- Taiwan 26 Dec 1998 to 05 Jan 1999
- London Gatwick 21 Jul 2000 – No exit stamp – I guess I never left
- Taiwan 26 Mar 2000 – 22 Apr 2000
- Tokyo Narita 01 Jun 2001 to 05 Jun 2001
- Taiwan 05 Jun 2001 to 25 Jun 2001
- Taiwan 15 Jan 2003 to 20 Feb 2003
- Taiwan 29 Sep 2005 to 07 Nov 2005
- Taiwan 05 Jun 2007 to 25 Jun 2007
They’ve all been fun, but looking at the list, I think we’re in a bit of a rut… and that’s why we’re UK-bound in Jun 2009…