extend passport -- change in procedures?

[DocMartin817]

My wife's (Liwen's) passport expires in July of next year and we had planned to mail it into the San Francisco office in late January to extend it. Now Liwen tells me that at the embassy website they are saying after January 1st they will no longer accept extensions by mail. I said lets mail in now for the extension, but she tells me it must be within 6 months of the expiration date. I went to the San Francisco embassy website (English version) but could find no information. She also says that there is an office in Seattle that we can go to in person to renew. I have no info on this. Has anyone else seen this change in procedures? Does this mean we must go in person to SanFrancisco or is Seattle really an option? Every day I call the embassy but so far have been unable to talk to a live person. Any help on this would be appreciated.

Edited October 26, 2006 by DocMartin817 (see edit history)

[BillV 8-16-2004]

My wife's (Liwen's) passport expires in July of next year and we had planned to mail it into the San Francisco office in late January to extend it. Now Liwen tells me that at the embassy website they are saying after January 1st they will no longer accept extensions by mail. I said lets mail in now for the extension, but she tells me it must be withing 6 months of the expiration date. I went to the San Francisco embassy website (English version) but could find no information. She also says that there is an office in Seattle that we can go to in person to renew. I have no info on this. Has anyone else seen this change in procedures? Does this mean we must go in person to SanFrancisco or is Seattle really an option? Every day I call the embassy but so far have been unable to talk to a live person. Any help on this would be appreciated.

 

When I called the San Francisco consulate they said it had to expire within a year. My wife extended her passport earlier this year. We mailed it to the SF consulate the turn around was within a week. We gather alot of the information from the visarite site I attached below.

 

http://www.visarite.com/ChinaPassportExtension.htm

Edited October 26, 2006 by BillV 8-16-2004 (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

I was reading the Chinese Embassy site in DC and the Chinese page only indicates that they won't accept Visa applications by mail, but nothing about not extending a Chinese passport.

 

http://www.china-embassy.org/chn/hzqz/hzlxz/t84203.htm

 

Looks like the fee is 10 + 5 for return mail.

 

For visa, passport, authentication applications, please contact:

The Visa Office of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China

2201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Suite 110, Washington D.C. 20007

Tel : (202) 338-6688

Fax: (202) 588-9760

[audelair]

Doc, my wife just got her's extended at 'Frisco by mail. You may want to search this forum for my post. I'd heard that one of the other locations was going to stop doing mail-ins so I'm not surprised that SF is following suit.

 

As far as getting any info on the English pages, it ain't there. All of the info on how to extend and the form is only on the Chinese pages. I know if you want to "renew" a passport, you need to appear in person. To "extend" a currently valid one, you can use the mail service while it is still an option. My guess is that the consulate will accept visa services to walk in extensions after they stop doing mail-ins, like they did with us getting Chinese visas. You have to pay the service to do it, but it's better than a trip.

 

What is the difference between extending a currently valid passport and renewing it? Does renewing it entail getting a new passport? When would one renew rather than extend?

[BillV 8-16-2004]

Doc, my wife just got her's extended at 'Frisco by mail. You may want to search this forum for my post. I'd heard that one of the other locations was going to stop doing mail-ins so I'm not surprised that SF is following suit.

 

As far as getting any info on the English pages, it ain't there. All of the info on how to extend and the form is only on the Chinese pages. I know if you want to "renew" a passport, you need to appear in person. To "extend" a currently valid one, you can use the mail service while it is still an option. My guess is that the consulate will accept visa services to walk in extensions after they stop doing mail-ins, like they did with us getting Chinese visas. You have to pay the service to do it, but it's better than a trip.

 

What is the difference between extending a currently valid passport and renewing it? Does renewing it entail getting a new passport? When would one renew rather than extend?

 

My wife's decision was made based on.You must hold a regular passport, such as 1992 version or 1997 version. Your passport must be in good condition, not damaged. There are still blank visa pages in your passport.Your passport expired less than 12 months or your passport will expire within 18 months. Plus the fact that we were able to mail in the extention and the cost.

[NDTPRO]

Yep yor honey is quite right, they already dont accept passports by mail in NYC Chinese Embassy. Because of the problems with documentation theft someone has to take and pick the passports up. there are passport ggents that will deliver and pick up your passport in person for a fee. This is simular to obtaining a visa. Best thing to do is call the embassy and ask about the rules, or go on line to the website for the one nearest your location.

I just brought my wife here in April an her passport expired in December, we just had hers updated, we went to the Chinese embassy in NYC turned the passport in and returen in a week and picked it back up.

The 6 months rule is a pain in the rear, but they hold you to it.

 

Hope this helps

[newman]

Thanks everyone. This was a good thread of information for my wife and me. I just mailed my wifes passport extension and name change request to San Francisco today. I hope we're not too late. I cannot find the consulate web page that talks about extensions that I visited a couple of weeks ago. I'll post again when we hear something.

[DocMartin817]

I just mailed my wife's request for extension in to San Francisco too. So we will have to wait and see what happens -- I think we are in time before they change their policy about mail ins but we will have to wait and see.

[newman]

Appearantly the mail-in passport extension and name change is still good. My wife retrieved the return envelope from the post office yesterday. The application was sent Nov 15, received at the Consulate in SF on Nov 18, and the extension and name change stamped in the passport on Nov 21. Why it took so long in the mail is anybody's guess. We're glad it's a done deal.

[DocMartin817]

Liwen's passport extension arrived in the mail yesterday from the SanFrancisco embassy. It took a slight bit longer because I forgot to make a copy of the passport pages and include them. They sent everything back including the check with a request in Chinese for the passport pages copies. Overall it went quickly and smoothly and I was pleased at how fast and responsive they were. So now her passport is good until 2012. She is going back to visit family in February so she is very happy that this is all taken care of.

[aquach]

Liwen's passport extension arrived in the mail yesterday from the SanFrancisco embassy. It took a slight bit longer because I forgot to make a copy of the passport pages and include them. They sent everything back including the check with a request in Chinese for the passport pages copies. Overall it went quickly and smoothly and I was pleased at how fast and responsive they were. So now her passport is good until 2012. She is going back to visit family in February so she is very happy that this is all taken care of.

 

Do they take personal checks or do you need to send a money order for the $15??

[BillV 8-16-2004]

Liwen's passport extension arrived in the mail yesterday from the SanFrancisco embassy. It took a slight bit longer because I forgot to make a copy of the passport pages and include them. They sent everything back including the check with a request in Chinese for the passport pages copies. Overall it went quickly and smoothly and I was pleased at how fast and responsive they were. So now her passport is good until 2012. She is going back to visit family in February so she is very happy that this is all taken care of.

 

Do they take personal checks or do you need to send a money order for the $15??

 

I actually sent a personal check I thought they were going to return it. They did cash the check. It states I believe a money order.

Edited December 19, 2006 by BillV 8-16-2004 (see edit history)

[DocMartin817]

It says to send certified checks or money orders. I sent a money order with mine

[warpedbored]

Bing needs to extend her passport and we just spent a long time pouring over the Chinese consulate website. Apparently after Jan 1 2007 you can't mail them direct to the consulate but you also can no longer extend the passport. You must get a new one. Fee is $55 + $15 to add the married name. The H-2 form is no longer used, you must use the H-1 form

[SirLancelot]

Bing needs to extend her passport and we just spent a long time pouring over the Chinese consulate website. Apparently after Jan 1 2007 you can't mail them direct to the consulate but you also can no longer extend the passport. You must get a new one. Fee is $55 + $15 to add the married name. The H-2 form is no longer used, you must use the H-1 form

 

How did your process go Carl? Any updates?