When you renew an expiring passport, you might expect to follow the
same procedure that you did when you got your first passport.
Fortunately, for most people, it's actually a lot easier the second time
around. Here's how renewing your passport compares to getting a new
one.
Renew by Mail
The first time you
got your passport, you had to go to a passport acceptance facility,
perhaps a post office, a library or a local municipal office. While
there, you had to fill out the application form and sign it by hand in
front of the person who took your application. Then, your application
was placed in an envelope and mailed to the Department of State for you.
This
time, you might not have to go to the post office at all. You are
eligible to apply for a passport renewal by mail as long as all of the
following statements are true:
-
Your current passport has not been lost, stolen or damaged.
-
You were past your 16th birthday when your current passport was issued.
-
Your current passport is less than 15 years old.
-
If you've been married, divorced or otherwise changed your name since
your last passport was issued, you can submit legal documentation to
support your name change request.
Now, if you answered "no" to any of the questions above, you'll need
to apply at a post office just like you did the first time. However, if
you answered "yes" to all, you can fill out your passport renewal
application in the comfort of your own home and mail it in.
Required Documents
The first time you apply
for your passport, you are required to prove both your identity and your
US citizenship. So, you need a driver's license or another state-issued
ID along with a copy of your birth certificate, naturalization
certificate or certificate of citizenship.
However, when you
renew your passport, your old passport serves as both proof of ID and
proof of citizenship. All you need to send in is your current passport, 1
passport photo, the appropriate fees and a completed copy of passport
renewal application form DS-82.
Fees
It's
also a little bit cheaper to renew your passport than it is to apply
for one. Since you don't have to apply in person, you don't have to pay
the $25 acceptance fee that goes to the acceptance facility.
Currently,
it'll cost $110 to renew your passport,
$140 if you'd also like a passport card and $30 for the card alone. Be
aware that the passport card cannot be used for air travel or for travel
anywhere other than Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.
