In short: my membership in one state lapsed because I moved to a new state to pursue my education. Now that I am more settled I am looking to join a local lodge. I figured my best bet would be to communicate with my old lodge, get reinstated, then transfer to the new lodge.

My potential new lodge says that when they have a member lapse and want to come back years later they simply charge dues for the years before they voted his membership closed (usually 2-3) and then reinstate.

My old lodge wants to charge for all the years since I lapsed, then wants me to show up in person back in my old state (during covid) to petition to be reinstated and then voted upon.

Do either of these methods sound familiar to your own lodge's procedure for returning members?