U.S. Passport Renewal: Avoid Problems And Take Care Of It ASAP
Friday, July 9th, 2010 Subscribe To Our Feed
When your US passport renewal is due, there are a few ways you can take care of it. There are some cases in which you can renew it by mail. There are others in which you will have to make the application in person.
Take a good look at your current passport. You will need to have it to renew it by mail, as it needs to be sent in with the application. If you do not have your current passport then you will need to apply in person.
If you do have your passport and it has not been damaged, there are still reasons why you may be unable to mail in your application. You must have gotten your current passport within the last 15 years and when you were 16 or more years of age. The last requirement is that it was issue in the name you currently use or you must have the proper documentation of your legal name change to send.
When mailing in your application, you will also need to include your most recent passport, two passport photos, the current fee and any documentation to prove a name change such as a marriage certificate or court order. It is recommended that you mail your passport and application in a way that can be traced. It is also a good idea to package it securely so that it cannot be damaged while in transport.
Once renewed, your passport can be sent to an address in the United States or Canada only. Therefore, if you are in any other country, you must go to the nearest American Embassy or Consulate to get a new passport. A side note, if you happen to owe child support that you are behind on, you may not be able to get your passport.
Processing time for applications vary but are generally between four and six weeks. If your need for a passport is urgent, you might have to go to a passport agency. If you have international travel planned in the next two weeks or need a passport to secure a foreign visa in the next four weeks, this is recommended. You will only be seen by appointment at these agencies.
If you have sent in your passport application already, you may be able to see its status online. For this service to be available, you may need to wait for a week after making your application. If it has not arrived to you within a week of when you need to travel, contact the National Passport Information Center.
Sometimes, an emergency comes up that requires you to travel with one to two days. If this occurs, you can make an appointment at a passport agency to get service immediately. You may have to provide proof of the emergency requiring your travel.
People often wait until they make their international travel plans before ensuring that their passports are still good. It is smarter to keep track of the expiration date of your U.S. passport. Then, when it is approaching, be sure to get the passport renewal taken care of promptly. This will help you to avoid problems with any last minute travel plans.
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