Passport

When applying by mail, pay the application fee (as well as the expedite and overnight delivery return fee, if applicable) to the "U.S. Department of State". There is no execution fee when applying by mail.

For Passport Application Fee:
Personal checks, money orders, and bank drafts at all locations.

- from the passport renewal page of the USA

There are a three problems with this if you are living in the Netherlands.

1. There is no such thing as a personal check here. I send a letter to my bank and my bank sends your bank the money. I need to know your account number for this to happen.
2. There is no such thing as a bank draft.
3. Money orders cannot be obtained here in the Netherlands. I actually got laughed at when I asked about this at the post office.

So, in the end, I had to go to Amsterdam to renew my passport in person. 2.5 hour train trip to Amsterdam (23.45 euro). But the train was slow so I missed my tram in Amsterdam, that made me late for my scheduled time. So I took at taxi (15 euro). I was dreading the embassy itself, expecting some sort of ultimate DMV. My last visit was to attain a visa for my fiance to go to America. That was 10 years ago and not a happy experience.

Nothing! No Problems at All! I was able to walk right up to my window, the whole transaction took 5 minutes, and because the Euro is so strong it felt like I got a 30% discount on the fee. It was great.

The US Embassy in Amsterdam is awesome. (when renewing a passport. The people applying for visas were stacked up 10 deep.)

Anyway, this means that I will have my documentation in time for the trip home in October. We will arrive on the 11th and will be hanging around with my folks until the 17th.