Aren't you supposed to get your old passport back when you renew? I didn't receive mine and it had a visa I needed to transfer over.

You should get it back, but I believe they ship it and the rest of your documents separately from the new passport.

I thought they sent it back with a hole punch in it to show it's invalid?

It'll come back but it's several weeks after your new passport arrives... they don't seem to punch holes in them anymore.

Thanks

If you renew online you don't have to send the old one back.

for posterity's sake the FAQ answers my original question...
Renew my Passport by Mail (state.gov)

How will you send my passport and supporting documents?

After we print your passport, we will send it to you and return your supporting documents. How we send your passport and supporting documents depends if you applied for a book and/or a card, if you paid an additional fee for 1-2 day delivery, and where you live.
I applied for a passport book only: You may receive your newly-issued passport and your citizenship documents in two separate mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport before you receive a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We can send your passport book via a 1-2 day delivery service.
I applied for a passport card only: You may receive your newly-issued passport card and your citizenship documents in two separate mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport before you receive a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards via 1-2 day delivery services.
I applied for both a passport book and passport card: You may receive three separate mailings; one with your citizenship documents, one with your newly-issued passport book, and one with your newly-issued passport card. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport book before you receive a second and third mailing with your passport card and citizenship document

Yes you do

AgOutsideAustin said:

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I thought they sent it back with a hole punch in it to show it's invalid?

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They don't do the hole punch anymore since they are "Smart Passport". They old one would not scan.

JustPanda said:

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Yes you do

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Renewed online last year and definitely did not send in old passport

Sazerac said:

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Aren't you supposed to get your old passport back when you renew? I didn't receive mine and it had a visa I needed to transfer over.

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To follow up, Visas will not transfer over.

Yes they do. Well, you have to carry the old passport+visa with the new passport.

Sazerac said:

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Yes they do. Well, you have to carry the old passport+visa with the new passport.

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Where too, if you don't mind me asking? The international I have had required 3 months left before expiration.

Chy-na

Sazerac said:

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Chy-na

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It took me a month just to get that Visa. Glad they will let you transfer it.

Just FYI...I needed a renewal for a trip about 10 weeks out so I booked refundable flight within 14 days and called today and got an appointment in Houston.

They had a block of appointments on a Tuesday morning from 730-1030 so it didn't seem like appointments were that hard to get.

Data point- I received my new passport the last week of May and just got my old one returned 2 days ago.

07ag said:

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JustPanda said:

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Yes you do

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Renewed online last year and definitely did not send in old passport

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Renewed online earlier this year. There was no requirement to send in my expiring passport.

Urban Country Boy said:

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AgOutsideAustin said:

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I thought they sent it back with a hole punch in it to show it's invalid?

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They don't do the hole punch anymore since they are "Smart Passport". They old one would not scan.

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I renewed my passport last year and:

• I had to send it in
• It came back a few weeks after I received my new passport
• Holes punched through the cover and through to the picture page

Sounds like a case of - your mileage may vary

ETA: Forgot to add that the Smart Chip in my passport broke after about 18 months. So I went another 8 1/2 years without a working chip. It was only a hassle a couple times entering Australia after they went to the passport kiosks. The American kiosks are smart enough to read your picture page. The Aussie ones rely on the chip.

Urban Country Boy said:

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Sazerac said:

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Chy-na

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It took me a month just to get that Visa. Glad they will let you transfer it.

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Pro-tip - I always apply for my India and Chyyna Visas in person.
It was easy when I lived in Sydney, more difficult to do in the US unless you live in San Francisco.

Main reason for the in-person visa applications is that it required the minimum amount of passport surrender time. Even with the courier service in Sydney, many times I couldn't afford to be without my passport for a week. It was much faster in person - even though ironically - the Indian Consulate outsourced the work. To another Indian company.

Urban Country Boy said:

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Sazerac said:

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Yes they do. Well, you have to carry the old passport+visa with the new passport.

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Where too, if you don't mind me asking? The international I have had required 3 months left before expiration.

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Funny story time.

Took the wife and kids with me on a business trip to Singapore. We had to go to the US Consulate in Sydney and get limited validity 7 month passports for the kids because Singapore requires 6 months validity after you depart SG. The US Consulate wouldn't renew their passports and wanted us to come back in 7 months when the limited validity passports expired.

Leaving Australia was no problem but when we were checking in to return from Singapore, the girls Visas to Australia were no longer valid. Lucky for us, the airline agent got on the phone with somebody in Australian Immigration who was able to update their passport information to reflect the new passport numbers.


Another funny story, I used to work with an Indian guy who carried 3 passports because of all the Visas he had accumulated that were still valid. Especially his 10 year business travel to the USA Visa.

HollywoodBQ said:

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Urban Country Boy said:

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Sazerac said:

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Yes they do. Well, you have to carry the old passport+visa with the new passport.

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Where too, if you don't mind me asking? The international I have had required 3 months left before expiration.

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Funny story time.

Lucky for us, the airline agent got on the phone with somebody in Australian Immigration who was able to update their passport information to reflect the new passport numbers.


Another funny story, I used to work with an Indian guy who carried 3 passports because of all the Visas he had accumulated that were still valid. Especially his 10 year business travel to the USA Visa.

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That is lucky. Australia Immigration is difficult.

JustPanda said:

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Yes you do

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Ahh online vs mail - yeah you don't need to mail in if online but I thought online renewals were paused.

Yeah online renewals are paused only mail in that requires the old book sent in is available.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html