How to Renew Your US Passport: Renewing a US Passport Abroad or at Home

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Have you thought about exploring the world? Are you thinking of moving abroad—or even retiring as an expat in a foreign country? Is the only thing keeping you from traveling or moving abroad the fact that you need to renew your US passport? Then fret not. Renewing your US passport is not a complicated procedure. WeExpats has set up a complete guide to renewing your US passport to help you travel the globe and start living the expat life you were meant to live.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO RENEW MY US PASSPORT?

If you live in the United States and you are looking to renew your US passport, then you can do so easily. This renewal process is generally done by mail. To renew your US passport by mail, you must fulfill the following requirements:

*If you are under 16 years of age (or even all minors in some states), then you must renew your passport in person using Form DS-11 (which is the US Passport Application Form)

• Your previous US passport expired within the last 15 years (or it is still valid).
• Your previous US passport was issued to you after you turned 16 years old.
• You currently reside in the United States.

*If you live abroad, we will get to that in a later section.

RENEWING A US PASSPORT WHILE ON US SOIL:

HOW TO RENEW YOUR US PASSPORT BY MAIL:

To renew your US passport by mail, all you have to do is fill out Form DS-82. You can click here to fill out the form online, and then print it out. Then you mail the following:

• Form DS-82
• A passport photo to US specs (2” x 2” / 51mm x 51mm in size)
• Your current passport (whether valid or expired)
• $110 USD by personal check or money order from a financial institution that is based in the United States—do not send cash
• $30 USD by personal check or money order if you are renewing a passport card

MAILING THE DOCUMENTS TO RENEW YOUR US PASSPORT:

The US Department of State has the following recommendations on how to mail your documents to renew your US passport:

• Send your passport renewal package—which is all the documents listed above—in a larger envelope so that the documents are not folded in any way. Do not send them in a standard envelope size.
• It is highly recommended that you pay extra for a delivery tracking service when you submit your passport renewal package so that you do not lose track of your current passport.

WHERE DO I MAIL MY US PASSPORT RENEWAL PACKAGE?

If you live in the following states:

• California
• Florida
• Illinois
• Minnesota
• New York
• Texas

Then mail your passport renewal package to:

National Passport Processing Center

P.O. Box 640155

Irving, TX

75064-0155

For all other residents in other states (or in Canada), you should mail to:

National Passport Processing Center

P.O. Box 90155

Philadelphia, PA

19190-0155

RUSH DELIVERY ON YOUR US PASSPORT RENEWAL:

There are four ways to get your passport faster, each one faster than the last. We will cover each one in the following section:

– Expedite Delivery –

If you are looking to get a rush on your passport, you can expedite your passport. All you have to do is write “EXPEDITE” on the front of the envelope and mail it to the address below in Philadelphia. (*Note: It is different from the address listed above).

You will have to include an extra $60.00 USD—in addition to the $110.00 for your US passport renewal fee (or $30.00 for your US passport card if that is what you are renewing). Make sure that you pay in check or money order from a financial institution that is based in the United States. Do not send cash.

Mail to:

National Passport Processing Center

P.O. Box 90955

Philadelphia, PA

19190-0955

– Overnight Expedite Delivery –

For Overnight Expedite Delivery, you follow all the steps listed above in the Expedite Delivery section, and then include an extra $15.45 with all the fees listed above. This does not mean that you get your passport the next day. It simply means that after processing, then they will mail it back to you with overnight delivery. Overnight Expedite Delivery is not available for passport cards, only conventional passport books.

– In Person Appointment –

To renew your US passport even more quickly, you can set an appointment in person at any one of 27 Regional Processing Centers. To find the closest one to you, click here. You will have to make an appointment first, so call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. To qualify for this option you must fulfill the following requirements:

• You depart on your trip in less than two weeks (or in less than four weeks if you need to apply for a visa for whatever country you are visiting)
• You must have proof that you are traveling in the allotted time—such as an airplane ticket for example.

– Life or Death Emergencies –

If you have a life or death emergency, then you must call the National Passport Information Center and plead your case to make an appointment. We have heard of this working in some few scenarios. The number is: 1-877-487-2778

RENEWING YOUR US PASSPORT UNDER A NEW NAME: 

If you have changed your name, and you’re looking to renew your US passport under your new name, then the procedure is not very different. You can still renew your passport by mail following the directions above. All you have to do is include in your passport renewal package some documentation of your name change, such as:

• Certified copy of your marriage certificate
• Certified copy of a court order that states you have legally changed your name

RENEWING A US PASSPORT WHILE ABROAD:

If you are already living abroad, and you are looking to renew your US passport while living in a foreign country, it is no more difficult than when you are on US soil. The steps are only slightly different. The following illustrates how to renew your US passport abroad.

We recommend consulting with your nearest US Embassy or US Consulate before mailing out a passport renewal package. To find your local embassy or consulate, click here.

*For information on how to request a rush delivery of your renewed US passport, read the first section above. Overnight Expedite Delivery is not available for those citizens living abroad.

*If you are renewing a US passport while residing in Canada, see the very bottom of this article.

RENEWING YOUR US PASSPORT ABROAD BY MAIL:

The most important thing to realize is that you do not mail your passport renewal package to the addresses listed above. You must make an appointment to submit your passport renewal package to your nearest US Embassy or US Consulate. Your passport renewal package must include:

• Form DS-82
• A passport photo to US specs (2” x 2” / 51mm x 51mm in size)
• Your current passport (whether valid or expired)
• $110 USD in cash
• $30 USD in cash if you are renewing a passport card

*Consult your local US Embassy or US Consulate on the financial details of the passport renewal package. Most embassies and consulates will only accept cash payments, however a few are capable of processing credit card transactions.

The US State Department states that passports will not be mailed to addresses abroad. Therefore, you must either have an address on US soil—and then make arrangements for a family member to forward your passport to you upon arrival—or you can have your passport sent to a US consulate or a US embassy where you can pick it up.

*There are a few countries which are also exemptions to this rule, such as Australia, where a passport can be sent in a postpaid envelope with your renewal package, and your new passport will be delivered directly to your local address. Consult your local embassy or consulate to see if you live in one of these countries.

RENEWING YOUR US PASSPORT BY MAIL IN CANADA:

American citizens looking to renew their passports in Canada do not have to follow these procedures listed above. Follow the mailing procedures listed in the first section of this article called “Renewing A US Passport While On US Soil”. Your check or money order should be in a US-based financial institution, and the currency must be United States Dollars. Your passport can be sent to you directly to your Canadian address.

Mail your documentation to:

National Passport Processing Center

P.O. Box 90155

Philadelphia, PA

19190-0155

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