How to Renew a US Passport

Yes. It comes back with your new one. It is usually canceled. This means holes punched in it or a stamp on it. Keep it. It proves your travel history. It is also backup evidence of citizenship. You may need it for naturalizationBecoming a US citizen by application — The process a green card holder goes through to become a US citizen — application, interview, test, and oath.Click for official info ↗ records and some visa applications.

Yes. Online renewal is fully open to eligible adults. You must be 25 or older. You must hold a 10-year passport. It must expire within 1 year, or it expired less than 5 years ago. You must have no name or sex-marker change. You must not be travelling for at least 6 weeks. You must be in a US state or territory. Your passport must be undamaged. You upload a digital photo. You pay by card. Online renewal offers routine service only. It does not offer expedited service.

Yes. It must have been issued within the last 15 years. It must also have been issued when you were 16+. Mail renewal has no 5-year expiry limit. That limit applies only to online renewal. If it was issued more than 15 years ago, you must apply in person with DS-11 instead. The same applies if it was issued as a minor. This is the full first-time process. It needs an acceptance facility appointment.

No. Damaged passports are not eligible for DS-82 mail renewal. Apply in person with Form DS-11 instead. Treat it like a new passport application. Bring the damaged passport with you. Water damage always needs the in-person route. Torn pages and an unreadable data page do too.

No. Every application needs a new photo. It must be taken within the last 6 months. It must meet current State Department specs. The specs are 2x2 inches, a plain white background, and no glasses. Photo problems are the most common reason renewals get delayed. If you are not sure, get the photo taken by a professional.

Check at travel.state.gov. The State Department updates routine and expedited times regularly. The times shift with seasonal demand. Check before you apply. If your trip is within a few months, pay for expedited service. Also pay for overnight delivery both ways.

First, confirm you qualify for renewal by mail: your current passport must be undamaged, issued when you were 16 or older, issued within the last 15 years, and in your current name, or you must be able to document a name change. Then complete Form DS-82: fill it out online with the State Department's form filler and print it, or fill it in by hand in black ink, using the name that matches your current passport or legal name, and sign and date it, since unsigned forms are the top reason mail renewals are rejected. Then get a photo that follows the rules: 2x2 inches, taken within 6 months, on a white or off-white background, with a plain expression, no glasses, and normal street clothes, with no uniforms or hats. Then mail the package correctly in a padded envelope: your old passport, your signed DS-82, your photo, and your payment by check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State, since you must not send cash or cards by mail, using a mailing method you can track, and mailing it to the address on the DS-82 instructions for routine or expedited service. Then track it online: routine processing takes about 4 to 6 weeks, mailing can add up to 2 weeks each way, expedited service costs $60 extra and takes about 2 to 3 weeks, and 1 to 3 day return delivery costs $26.87 extra. If your trip is within 2 weeks, life-or-death emergencies within 72 hours qualify for emergency service, and for urgent travel within 14 days, call 877-487-2778 and try to book an in-person appointment at a passport agency. When your new passport arrives, check the name, date of birth, and expiration date right away, sign it in ink, and fill in the emergency contact page, noting that many countries require 6 months of validity beyond your trip. In short, to renew a US passport, most adults renew by mail with Form DS-82, with no appointment and no wait in line at the passport office.