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U.S. Passports
Renewing Your U.S. Passport
Renewing your passport is easier than you might think. You must gather some documents, make an appointment with the U.S. Department of State, and pay your new passport fees. You can also handle this process by mail if you’re eligible. If you are interested in the process of applying for an expedited passport renewal, we recommend visiting our passport expediting guide for further information.
Gather Your Documents
- The U.S. Passport Renewal Application For Eligible Individuals (Form DS-82).
- A passport photo.
- Have your passport photo taken at a passport office, photo center, or you can use your own if it meets the requirements.
- Proof of citizenship and identity (or certified copies).
- Bring one document that shows proof of U.S. citizenship and another document that proves your identity, such as a driver’s license or military ID card.
- You must get these documents prior to handling your passport renewal.
- Bring copies with you in case they’re needed during the application process.
- Name change document(s), if applicable.
- If there has been any change since your last renewal such as a marriage, or adding or dropping middle names, provide official documentation from the court order stating such changes took place.
- Bring one document that shows proof of U.S. citizenship and another document that proves your identity, such as a driver’s license or military ID card.
- Proof of physical presence in the U S.
- Proof of residency such as a utility bill that shows your address.
- Payment for your passport renewal fee.
Make an Appointment
If you want to make sure that your passport renewal application goes smoothly, make an appointment with your local passport acceptance facility. With an appointment, your passport representative may be able to expedite your application on short notice or they could return your application for revision. Also, it could cost you more money! Call (877) 487-2778 for more info.
It’s better not to take any chances when renewing your passport. If something goes wrong you could lose hundreds or thousands of dollars in wasted time from multiple visits or forced trip rescheduling overseas (or even domestically).
Paying For Your Passport
Before you can apply for a passport renewal, you’ll need to pay the application fee. You can do this by mail or in person at a passport office.
If you are paying by mail and want to use a check or money order, make sure it has enough time (10 days) before your current passport expires. This will better ensure it arrives on time.
Renewing Your Passport Doesn’t Have To Be a Hassle
Renewing your passport doesn’t have to be a hassle. You can renew it online via a service, by mail or in person at one of the many regional passport offices around the country.
Regardless of which method you choose for renewing your passport or applying for one for the first time (or both), here are some final tips that will help make things easier:
- Don’t wait until the last minute! You’ll need time to gather all necessary documents and fill out forms before sending them off with your application materials.
- Start gathering information now so when it comes time everything is ready-to-go.
- Please note, there are some restrictions on what kind of identification documents you can submit by mail, and how far in advance you must have them postmarked.
We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us directly! We want your experience with us to be as easy and stress-free as possible.