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Home  >  Travel  >  Passport Nostalgia: Retiring My First Passport
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Passport Nostalgia: Retiring My First Passport

Carly Stewart Posted onNovember 5, 2017November 5, 2017 5 Comments

After a decade with my passport it was time to file for a replacement. Reflecting on what has transpired since my very first stamp to the point in which I find myself now has been therapeutic and nostalgic.

My Passport Story Is a Little Unique

It was almost exactly ten years ago that my (now) husband took me on our second date. During our first date, I mentioned that I had never left the country before and that I didn’t even have a passport. For date number two he felt it would only be right to take me out to get my passport photos taken. Shortly after we were planning our first trip abroad together that would take us to six cities in five countries in just nine days.

At the end of our first trip abroad with six cities and five countries in nine days.
At the end of our first trip abroad with six cities and five countries in nine days.

Quite a Lot Has Changed

It’s wild how much has changed in the span of only ten years. At age 22 I had never left the country to then traveling abroad as much as possible. At age 23 I was married and four days after the wedding we moved our lives to England. After the initial expatriation, we moved continents four more times, spending time in Asia and South America.

We loved the German Christmas Markets when we moved to England.
We loved the German Christmas Markets when we moved to England.

In just the past few years our daughter arrived and at eight weeks old had her own passport and made her first international trip which would turn into 23 countries visited in three years including spending a summer abroad in Thailand.

Lucy helped us review the Park Hyatt Bangkok this summer
Lucy helped us review the Park Hyatt Bangkok this summer
At eight weeks old, Lucy wasn't sure what to make of Curaçao.
At eight weeks old, Lucy wasn’t sure what to make of Curaçao.

Never Letting My Passport Out Of My Sight

As the ten years has passed it has come time to renew my expiring passport and the thought of sending it off in the mail was causing me anxiety. This little blue book holds so much value to me. Though it is actually replaceable, the pages full of stamps collected, visas and nostalgia of it all are irreplaceable.

From one of my favorite stamps, Vietnam.
From one of my favorite stamps, Vietnam.

Like most tasks, I procrastinated the simple process and ended up paying extra for expedited services and overnight shipping. Once all was said and done it took just under a week from when I sent my passport off to the time I had my new book in hand (and a few days after that until my expiring passport arrived). With the expedited fees and Overnight shipping services, I paid $185.45.

  • Passport Book $110
  • Expedited Processing $60
  • Overnight Delivery $15.45

It’s important to note that if you have an old passport with long-term visas attached inside (Russia, China 10-year, etc.) you should carry both books with you abroad. Some countries may require the visa to be replaced or transferred into a new passport book, however most honor the valid visa in an expired passport when accompanied by a valid passport.

Departing Sanya, China.
Departing Sanya, China.

This past decade has been full of great adventures and hundreds of stamps. Here’s to new passports, new stamps, new adventures and new memories.

Do you remember your first passport stamp? Where was it? Where have you been that you wouldn’t return?

 

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About Author

Carly Stewart

Carly is a freelance travel writer that takes her daughter Lucy along on her journeys, stamping passports and making memories. She has contributed to Huffington Post, MapHappy, Travel Codex and PenandPassport.com. You can also find her over-sharing photos of Lucy on Instagram by following @LucyGoesTo and @AnotherBabyMaybe.

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5 Comments

  1. Sweet Toole Reply
    November 5, 2017 at 7:52 am

    What a great story! And it’s so wonderful to see that your husband has always been on the heavy side all these years.

  2. JP2 Reply
    November 5, 2017 at 10:56 am

    Can something be a little unique if unique means “one of a kind”?

    • Carly Stewart Reply
      November 5, 2017 at 12:06 pm

      Fair enough.

  3. docntx Reply
    November 5, 2017 at 11:31 pm

    What a sweet story (and baby!)
    Oh, my, You are my son’s age. He used to know his AAdvantage number as well as my phone number for emergencies when he was 4 years old.
    And, by now, I have run out of pages in 4 passports.
    Now, we got the “extra page” versions.
    To the haters: “If we have to explain it, you will not understand.”

  4. RT Reply
    November 7, 2017 at 10:35 am

    I have a few more years on my passport. A few years ago, State Department stopped inserting new pages in passport books and now if you need more pages, you will need to apply for a new one (and I think surrender the old one). I may have to exchange the current passport for a new one since some countries require two clean pages.

    On that note, if you apply for a new passport be sure to request the EXTRA PAGES which is on top of the passport application/renewal form. Otherwise they’ll give you a standard book. It doesn’t cost extra just a simple box you have to check.

    Onward!

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