You can renew passports in three different locations depending on
how quickly you need to get your travel document renewed. Passport
renewals can be done by mail, at a regional agency or through a private
expediting service. This article will help you to understand each one
and to decide the best way to renew your passport.
Apply for a Passport Renewal by Mail
If
your passport is not damaged, you were sixteen or older when you got
it, it was issued no more than fifteen years ago and the name in it is
the one you still use or can provide legal documentation of the change,
then you can apply for a passport renewal by mail.
Download and
complete Form DS-82: Application for a Passport by Mail. Place it in a
secure envelope along with your current passport, two recent passport
photos, payment and proof of name change if applicable. Send the package
to the address provided on the application. It is recommended that you
use a traceable delivery method.
The processing for renewing a
passport takes 4 to 6 weeks. You can request expedited services to
accelerate the process. Paying the additional fee will get your
application processed in 2 to 3 weeks. If you choose to do this, you
should write the word "EXPEDITE" in large letters on the outside of the
envelope and use an overnight delivery service.
Renewing a Passport at a Regional Agency
The
U.S. Department of State operates sixteen regional agencies in major
cities of the United States. You can find an agency in each of the
following ciites: Boston, Ma.; Chicago, Il.; Aurora, Co.; Norwalk, Ct.;
Dallas, Tx.; Detroit, Mi.; Honolulu, Hi.; Houston, Tx.; Los Angeles,
Ca.; Miami, Fl.; Minneapolis, Mn.; New Orleans, La.; New York, NY;
Philadelphia, Pa.; San Francisco, Ca.; Seattle, Wa.; and Washington, DC.
These
agencies attend applicants who are required to travel in fourteen days
or less. If you need to renew your passport in such a short period of
time, this is where you need to go.
Before visiting a regional
passport agency, applicants should call an automated system to schedule
an appointment. The number is 1-877-487-2778. If you have difficulty
scheduling an appointment and need to travel within 24-48 hours, you can
try visiting the nearest agency without an appointment. Many applicants
have renewed passports at a regional agency even though they had no
appointment.
Renew Passport through a Private Expediting Service
If
you find yourself in a situation in which you need to renew your
passport fast but are unable to travel to a regional agency, you can
apply through a private expediting service. Expediters are professional
courier services whom you authorize to submit your application for you.
The
significant increase in requests for passports has resulted in an
increase in the number of private expediting services. The majority are
located in major cities where there is a regional agency. However, there
is no need to travel since many expediters provide an online
application form for travelers who need to expedite a passport renewal.
You
have three places where you can renew our passport. You can apply for a
renewal by mail, visit a regional agency or contract a private
expediting service. Renew by mail if you can wait at least three weeks.
Go to an agency if you need you application processed in two week or
less. And get your passport renewed by an expediter if you need it quick
by cannot travel to the regional agency.
Visit U.S. Passport Service Guide for more information on how to renew passports.
Click here to download passport renewal application Form DS-82.
Click here to download passport renewal application Form DS-82.
