How to Renew an Expired Passport

Hiking the jungles of South America, swimming off the beaches in the Mediterranean or climbing the mountain of the Himalayas: if your dream outdoor destination involves travel to foreign lands, you need a passport that does not expire until at least six months after your date of travel. If your document is already expired, you can renew it easily.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Renew your expired passport by mail only if it meets the following conditions:

Is undamaged and can be sent with your application
Was issued when you were 16 or older
Was issued less than 15 years ago
Uses your current name, or you can document any name change legally

If any of these conditions are not true, you need to apply in person. Go to http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html for more information.

Step 2

Fill out Form DS-82, Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail (http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html). You can do it online and print it after, or print a blank form that you fill in legibly with black ink. You can also obtain this form from an Acceptance Facility listed in Iafdb.travel.state.gov. In any case, sign the finished form.

Step 3

Insert the form into a padded envelope with your most recent U.S. Passport and the passport fees listed on the website. If your current name is different from the one in your expired passport, you need to document the name change by submitting a marriage certificate or court order.

Step 4

Add two passport pictures, which can be taken at Acceptance Facilities with cameras or at passport photo stores. The 2-inch square photos must be in color and taken within the past 6 months to show your full face on a plain white or off-white background. You can wear ordinary street clothes and any glasses or hearing devices that you wear normally. Any religious attire that you wear daily is also allowed. However, you cannot wear a hat or uniform.

Step 5

Send all materials to the address listed on the form using a traceable delivery method such as Priority Mail with Delivery or Signature Confirmation, or Express Mail. Expect your new passport in about four weeks. If you need it in less than two weeks for international travel or in under four weeks for a foreign visa, you can request expedited processing for an additional fee.

Tips & Warnings

Renewing a passport in person requires that you visit an Acceptance Facility to give proof of citizenship and identification, along with Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport.

Resources

Article Written By Aurelio Locsin

Aurelio Locsin has been writing professionally since 1982. He published his first book in 1996 and is a frequent contributor to many online publications, specializing in consumer, business and technical topics. Locsin holds a Bachelor of Arts in scientific and technical communications from the University of Washington.

Editor's Pick

5 Top North American Wildflower Hikes

Springtime brings a sense of new beginnings and new life as flowers begin to bloom and fill the air with their sweet and pleasant fragrance. Luckily we can see wildflowers all summer long, since spring hits at different times throughout North America. See flowering cactu...
More National Parks...
Popular Article

National Park Substitutes: Great Spots Without the Crowds

Coping with crowds at national parks can get tiresome, especially during the peak tourist season. If you want to escape from the herd, or just take a breather from the bustle of bigger attractions, the United States has plenty of less-visited but still worthwhile spots t...
More National Parks...
Featured Destination

Prevent Yourself from Getting Lost While Hiking

When you're hiking you're going to want to make sure you stay found. What I mean by that is that you've put an itinerary in the car, you know the area that you're hiking to, you know the route and the trail you plan on being on, you know what the trail markers are going ...
More Camping Basics...