Some former members will attempt to return without mentioning their former membership status. For this reason, processing of [[Regular Membership]] includes checking for former membership status, and diverting the petition to this procedure if such is discovered.
The differences in the petitions are that the Return Petition asks the reason for the previous departure and the return. One-word explanations such as "health" or "finances" are generally sufficient; rarely a more lengthy explanation will be requierdrequired. It also makes optional the fees for a certificate and insignia, as the member may have retained these from their former membership. They may be ordered if desired at the usual prices.
Once the petition and payment are received by [[Headquarters Staff]], the procedure is: