I understand feeling trapped, and I don’t know your specific circumstances, but the likelihood that you’re gonna need some emergency international trip before your passport gets renewed is very slim. You’ll be good, but I get it.
this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2026
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Trapped is perhaps a bit melodramatic on my part. But also can't think of a softer suitable synonym.
But yeah, you're right I'll be fine. Thanks!
Yesterday I mailed in my passport for renewal. It expires in a month so it’s effectively useless right now anyway, so it shouldn’t matter. But I feel trapped in a way I didn’t before yesterday. I hate it.
Yep, I know that feeling. I renewed recently. I did not pay for expedited renewal and it took just short of 4 weeks. I was pretty happy with how fast it went.
If you're in the USA, one thing I learned only after renewing is that you can have the passport book renew off-cycle from a passport card. Since passports last 10 years, the ideal way to do it would be to renew your card at the 5 year mark. So when your card is being renewed, you could still travel internationally with your book. When your book is being renewed, you could still travel to Canada and Mexico with your card. After that, just renew each near their 10 year expiry date.
Where are you located, I have never had to send my passport away to get a new one, I just go to the police station and request a new one.
And when I collect my new passport, I hand my old one in.
Simple as that.
I know that if you need an emergency passport you can get one at the airport in 30 or so min.
I'm in the United States. I honestly don't fully understand the nuances of it myself. When I applied for my passport I did so at a post office. But you got me curious so I did a quick search and looks like they can be at clerk's offices, libraries, city halls, courthouses. So depends on where you are I guess.
I landed on doing it this way because I found an online renewal option on https://www.usa.gov/passport which sounded convenient so I followed that process and after filling out the form it had me print it out and instructed me to mail the form, my current passport, and the processing fee. So I did.
Had to renew my kids’ like a month into his term (read somewhere couldn’t do it before 9 months out).
Nervous as hell the entire time before they were back in our hands, so I know your fear. FWIW we didn’t expedite and still got them in like 2 weeks with supporting docs a week after.
Two weeks is so fast! That's awesome.
I've been living abroad for 15 years and would be horrified if i was forced to stop traveling and couldn't leave the US. I'd feel very cut off from people, quality healthcare, good diverse food, learning, everything.
I've been building up a more active travel community the past year and travel full time myself, reach out if you ever want any travel advice or information.
Glad to hear you're getting your passport renewed, congrats! You know where you want to go next?
As I'm sure you're aware, it's a real shit show here. You'd be right to be terrified! Abroad 15 years is awesome. Part of me envies that for sure.
I will check the community out for sure!
I do. Headed to The Philippines and Hong Kong in November.
oh yeah, I thought the US had problems back when I left 15 years ago. It's insane to be watching what's happening now from the outside.
cool, i was just in the Philippines last month.
If you find grilled balut rather than steamed, I recommend that 800%. There are a couple pictures in the travel com.
if you ever want to chat travel, I'll be here. just landed in beijing. lemmy used to be blocked here but not anymore!
It'll be my second time to the Philippines. First time in Hong Kong though.
I consider myself a fairly adventurous eater, as compared to most Americans anyway. But I admit balut is well outside my comfort zone.
I wouldn't mind getting a pulse on what traveling in China is like. I'll shoot you a message later!
Hong Kong is an interesting spot, I used to stay at Time Travel Hostel, an active martial arts school near Tsim Sha Tsui, so you could see lessons happening. Yea, I get that about balut. The grilled ones are more hard-boiled and have chili oil to mix in for improved taste and texture, but I totally get the general discomfort. China has become wayyy easier to travel in for non-Chinese people the past year or so, I'll probably put up a post about that soon.
I’m anxious of it getting lost when it’s not in my possession, not necessarily because I feel trapped when I don’t have it. I’m paranoid of it getting lost in the mail, either the old one being sent out or the new being sent to me.
I think that's part of it for me too. I mailed it priority even though I have quite a bit of time (next trip is in November) just because I knew I'd get a tracking number. So I can know it arrived, at least.