Jul 12 2010
Its That Time Again: Before The Expiration Date, Renew Your US Passport Through The Mail
When you need to make an application for pasport renewal, there are some different options. It may be possible to renew yours by mail. In some situations, however, you will need to make your application in person.
First of all, get your current passport out of storage. It must be sent along with your application for renewal by mail. Therefore, if your passport not available, you must make your application for a new one in person.
If you do have your passport and it has not been damaged, there are still reasons why you may be unable to mail in your application. You must have gotten your current passport within the last 15 years and when you were 16 or more years of age. The last requirement is that it was issue in the name you currently use or you must have the proper documentation of your legal name change to send.
In addition to the application and your current passport, you will need to send the fee, 2 passport photos and documentation of your name change, if any, such as a certificate of marriage or a court order. Everything should be packaged securely to avoid damages. The package should also be sent in such a way that it is able to be traced.
Once renewed, your passport can be sent to an address in the United States or Canada only. Therefore, if you are in any other country, you must go to the nearest American Embassy or Consulate to get a new passport. A side note, if you happen to owe child support that you are behind on, you may not be able to get your passport.
Processing time for applications vary but are generally between four and six weeks. If your need for a passport is urgent, you might have to go to a passport agency. If you have international travel planned in the next two weeks or need American passports to secure a foreign visa in the next four weeks, this is recommended. You will only be seen by appointment at these agencies.
If you have already applied for your passport, you can check to see the status online. It can take up to a week from the time of your application for this service to be available. If you have not received your passport within a week of your date of travel, contact the National Passport Information Center.
There are times when an emergency necessitates traveling to a foreign country in 24 to 48 hours. If this should happen, you can get emergency service by making an appointment at a passport agency. You may be required to show proof of the emergency.
Many times, people wait until they actually have travel plans before checking if their passports are current. It is much smarter to pay attention to when your passport expires. If your USA passport renewal date is approaching, get it taken care of as soon as possible. This way, you will avoid any problems if travel plans do crop up suddenly.
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