Los Angeles Consulate and Passport renewal

[lyscra]

Hello,

I tried looking on the consulates webpage, and they have nothing, My wife needs to renew her passport and the final word seems to be that she must go to the consulate. My questions (for anyone familiar with the LA consulate) are:

 

1) do they mail back the passport if we provide a self addressed stamped envelope? Getting her there for one day is already going to be a huge inconvenience. If not, can anyone pick up the passport from the consulate?

 

2) where can she get the passport photos (I read cannot be CVS or walgreens)?

 

3) What is required for her to have her married name on the passport?

 

4) What forms are required to get the passport?

 

Thanks in advance

-Sy

[yuehan123]

Well, they are talking about lots of consulates. Yet, I believe the answers you seek are in this thread. Just a few topics below yours....

 

Anyway, as discussed here, the instructions are only given in Chinese!

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=34723

[lyscra]

Well, they are talking about lots of consulates. Yet, I believe the answers you seek are in this thread. Just a few topics below yours....

 

Anyway, as discussed here, the instructions are only given in Chinese!

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=34723

 

 

I read that thread before I posted... nothing about LA consulate. I also read each consulate is different for whether they mail the passport back. Thanks for the effort though!

[Dennis143]

Hello,

I tried looking on the consulates webpage, and they have nothing, My wife needs to renew her passport and the final word seems to be that she must go to the consulate. My questions (for anyone familiar with the LA consulate) are:

 

1) do they mail back the passport if we provide a self addressed stamped envelope? Getting her there for one day is already going to be a huge inconvenience. If not, can anyone pick up the passport from the consulate?

 

2) where can she get the passport photos (I read cannot be CVS or walgreens)?

 

3) What is required for her to have her married name on the passport?

 

4) What forms are required to get the passport?

 

Thanks in advance

-Sy

We renewed my wife's passport at the LA Chinese Consulate.

 

I can't answer question #3.

 

Here's what we remember...

 

You can get a passport photo at the consulate, if you choose.

 

The forms are at the Consulate and are very simple, as she is simply getting her current passport validity date extended.

 

When she surrenders her expired passport they will cut out a corner to show that it's voided.

 

They will give you a date to return to pick up her new passport, ~3 months.

 

Sorry, that last part isn't what you wanted to hear. I hope this is information is still valid today. It's what both my wife and I remember.

 

Good luck.

[lostinblue]

What I did for the NY chinese consulate was correspond by e-mail. Calling did no good .They never picked up the phone. I understand some phones have an actual busy line that one can punch. Phone never rings but you get a busy line all day. I was answered within 1-2 days of my sending an e-mail. One thing for certain they do need a new web designer working for the consulates.

China Consulate , United States

 

443 Shatto Place

CA 90020

Los Angeles

California

USA

Phone:

+1-213-8078088

+1-213-8078011

Fax:

+1-213-3801961

Email:

webmaster@chinaconsulatela.org

Website URL:

www.chinaconsulatela.org

Edited January 1, 2009 by lostinblue (see edit history)

[LeeFisher3]

We got photos done at Kinko's, but have used Office Depot for other items with them.

 

Mail back service will cost you $5 at the consulate, they only use FedEx, UPS or USPS express envelopes and you must complete the shipping label with your wife's name as the sender and receiver. This must be prepaid. A credit card will work on the label. The USPS Priority Mail is by far the least expensive.

 

If you use http://babelfish.altavista.com/ you can navigate through the Chinese pages to get the forms, but it's easier just to complete them when you arrive. Passport renewal cost $55.

 

The name change document is also available at the Consulate and I believe the cost for this is $10.

 

They will return the new and old passport when they are done. In our experience working with the Chicago Consulate we got everything back in 5 weeks.

 

If you have a trip scheduled within a couple of months let them know, they may have a method to expedite the processing that will cost you money.

[Squonk]

Here is a link that might provide some additional information:

 

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