How to Renew a Passport Quickly

Have you made plans for an outdoors adventure overseas but just realized your passport has expired? If you need a passport in a hurry, don't worry--you can renew your passport by mail and receive your new passport within two to three weeks with expedited service. If you need your passport even quicker, a call to the National Passport Information Center can get the process started.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

To Receive Your Passport Within 2-3 Weeks Or Faster

Things You’ll Need:

Expired passport Two passport photos Form DS-82 (Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail) Application fee 9-inch-by-12-inch envelope
Expired passport
Two passport photos
Form DS-82 (Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail)
Application fee
9-inch-by-12-inch envelope

Step 1

Call the National Passport Information Center if you need your passport in less than two weeks. As of October 2009, the telephone number is 1-877-487-2778.

Step 2

Visit the State Department website If you need your passport within two to three weeks. At this website, you can access the appropriate forms.

Step 3

Fill out Form DS-82. You can choose to fill out the form online, then print it, or you can print out a blank form to fill it out by hand. (Be sure to use a pen with black ink if you opt to write your answers.)

Step 4

Sign the form where required.

Step 5

Staple one of your passport photos onto the form where indicated, placing a staple in each corner of the photo, as close to the edges as possible.

Step 6

Write a check or money order payable to the "Department of State." The cost for expediting your passport renewal as of October 2009 is $60, plus $14.85 for overnight delivery. These fees are additional to the standard $75 passport renewal fee.

Step 7

Place your completed form, expired passport, extra passport photo and check/money order into a 9-inch-by-12-inch envelope.

Step 8

Address the envelope as follows:

National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90955
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955

Also, write the word "expedite" on the outside of the envelope.

Step 9

Mail your completed application to the passport processing center. The State Department recommends using a traceable delivery method so you can track your package's whereabouts. They also suggest using overnight delivery to ensure the process takes place in a timely manner.

Tips & Warnings

You can get passport photos taken at many drugstores such as Walgreen's or CVS.

Article Written By Susan Berg

Based in Philadelphia, Susan Berg has more than 10 years of experience as a writer and editor. Her work has been published in both print and online media, including the "Dayton Daily News," BioZine and Wcities. Berg earned a Master of Arts in journalism from Indiana University.

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