As a naturalized American citizen, your US passport is probably one
of your most prized possessions. After all, it not only gives you the
freedom to travel the world, it also serves as proof of US citizenship.
Under most circumstances, once it is issued your passport remains
valid for 10 years, after which you will need to apply for a passport
renewal. For naturalized citizens, the steps to renew are the same as
for natural-born citizens, but some of the required documents may vary
slightly. Here's what you need to know to make the process go smoothly.
Passport Renewal By Mail
The majority of people are eligible to renew passports by mail, which
is a tremendous time-saver. To determine whether or not you can apply
for passport renewal by mail, ask yourself the following questions:
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Do I still have my passport?
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Is it undamaged and in good condition?
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Was it issued after I turned 16?
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Was it issued less than 15 years ago?
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Do have legal documents (like a marriage certificate or divorce
decree) to support any requests for name changes that have happened
since my last passport was issued?
If you can answer "yes" to all of these questions, you can apply for
passport renewal by mail. Simply fill out passport renewal application
form DS-82 and send it in along with your current passport, 1 new photo,
any documents related to your name change (if applicable) and money to
pay the application fees. You'll get your new travel document in about
six weeks, or three weeks if you paid an extra $60 fee for expedited
passport renewal service.
Replacing a Lost, Stolen or Damaged Passport
If your US passport has been lost, stolen or damaged, you'll need to
apply in person at your local passport office, usually located inside a
post office. You are not eligible for passport renewal by mail,
unfortunately. You'll also need to bring additional documents with you
when you submit your application:
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Proof of identity, such as a driver's license or state ID card.
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Proof of citizenship. Here, a natural-born US citizen would use their
birth certificate. However, you'll need to bring your naturalization
certificate or a previously issued, undamaged US passport.
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1 passport photo
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Money to pay the fees.
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A completed copy of Form DS-64, describing what happened to your previous passport.
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A completed copy of passport application form DS-11.
Once you've turned everything in, the wait time is the same as it would be for a passport renewal by mail.
