Passport Renewal

[Jimbo]

Passport Renewal 

 

Just noticed mine expires in July 2022.

 

No rush for it, not going anywhere where I would need it that soon. Just like to have it updated and valid.

 

Can you go in person somewhere to have it renewed or much it be done online.

 

If online does someone have the direct link to the application I need to fill out?

 

Do I need to get picture taken again?

[DCPIV]

Here are all the details and application link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew.html

 

The quick answers to your questions are that you will need to take a new photo, and you can only do it in person if you are travelling within a few days of doing so (or something like that).  There is no online process (I've heard they are working on that, but it's not yet there).  Really, it's pretty easy to do by mail, especially if you are in no rush.

[Mr. Green]

Renewing a Passport is pretty much like getting a new one. Application, New Photo, Passport Processing Center/Location, have it mailed all in, wait for it to arrive.

[orville99]

[Joseph2017China]

Quick answer, you went to the wrong web-page, go to the passport page, fill out some paperwork, get a picture, and mail the form, and picture to the address they give you....process is 10 minutes, plus the time it takes for your picture.  

[S.A.M.J.R.]

40 minutes ago, Mr. Green said:

Renewing a Passport is pretty much like getting a new one. Application, New Photo, Passport Processing Center/Location, have it mailed all in, wait for it to arrive.

You can just mail in a renewal form.  You don't need to go to an acceptance facility.

[Ky Bill]

We just renewed our passports in March.  Walgreens takes passport photos which was quick and easy.  Download the forms, fill them out and dropped them in the mail.  We couldn't believe when a little over two weeks later our new passports arrived and we did not use expedited service.

Bill

[ARandomTraveler]

I've always gotten mine renewed at the post office.

 

I pick up the renewal application at the post office, go home and fill it out. I get the photo taken at Costco. Then I bring the application and the photo and my current passport back to the post office and write a check and they put it all together for me and process it and send it to wherever it goes. 
 

I think there's a small additional fee that you have to pay the post office to do that for you, and it's probably not necessary, since I guess it can just be sent in the mail from your house, but I've just always done it at the post office because they know what they're doing. 

Edited June 2, 2022 by ARandomTraveler

[HicksRA]

You can fill in the form online. Just print it out after filling it in. Send it, a passport approved photo, a check and your current passport to the address provided and wait…

[molly361]

1 hour ago, Ky Bill said:

We just renewed our passports in March.  Walgreens takes passport photos which was quick and easy.  Download the forms, fill them out and dropped them in the mail.  We couldn't believe when a little over two weeks later our new passports arrived and we did not use expedited service.

Bill

I like your story.  Since COVID got me I went ahead and sent mine in a few days ago. I DID do expediated and am hoping to get it back by July 1  We will see

[Ozark_Kid]

We renewed ours at the post office.   They took the picture there too.  Very easy.

[molly361]

8 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

We renewed ours at the post office.   They took the picture there too.  Very easy.

I guess they don't do that at all of them.  I called ours no go

[Wineaux007]

AAA will take the photos for free if you are a member.

[DCPIV]

2 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

You can just mail in a renewal form.  You don't need to go to an acceptance facility.

 

In fact, DON'T go to an acceptance facility to renew your passport unless you meet those strict critera.  You're just wasting your time if you do.

[Another_Critic]

9 minutes ago, Wineaux007 said:

AAA will take the photos for free if you are a member.

Maybe things have changed or it's regional?  In the past it was free, but I had to pay a member rate for my photos in 2017.

 

ETA:  It looks like cost, if any, is based on membership type.

 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2022 by Another_Critic

[DCPIV]

14 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

We renewed ours at the post office.   They took the picture there too.  Very easy.

 

Anyone thinking of doing that ought to check on whether that's something you can do.  My local post office's passport office is open only by appointment (and it's a tough one to get), and they don't take photos.  They used to have regular hours and take photos, but that went away some time ago.  

 

We did it at the post office before.  Honestly, it was a whole lot easier to just to get my photo done at CVS and send the application by mail.

[ownedbypets]

We took our daughters pic at home. The website gives very precise directions. No selfies,  must be solid background, lighting and maybe a few others. Print it at home and mail it in.

[billslowsky]

9 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

 

Anyone thinking of doing that ought to check on whether that's something you can do.  My local post office's passport office is open only by appointment (and it's a tough one to get), and they don't take photos.  They used to have regular hours and take photos, but that went away some time ago.  

 

We did it at the post office before.  Honestly, it was a whole lot easier to just to get my photo done at CVS and send the application by mail.

Agree.  Going to the post office for passport renewal is like going to a "driver's license renewal" business.  They do some of the paperwork for you but it still gets mailed to the state department and gets processed like other renewals. 

[hallux]

When I tried to schedule an appointment online with the PO where I did my initial passport to renew it I was greeted with the "renew online, don't bother us" message.  I filled in the form online, printed it, wrote my check, then realized the position of the photo (taken at Walgreens) wouldn't let me fold it to fit in a normal letter envelope.  I took it to a different PO closer to work and within 5 minutes and $9 it was on its way in a priority mail envelope.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

6 hours ago, DCPIV said:

 

In fact, DON'T go to an acceptance facility to renew your passport unless you meet those strict critera.  You're just wasting your time if you do.

I wouldn't go that far.  We dropped off our renewals at a passport facility (actually the county clerk's office).  BUT, we only did that because we were there getting new passports for our kids.  🙂

 

[Ben2travel]

On 6/2/2022 at 9:37 AM, DCPIV said:

Here are all the details and application link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew.html

 

The quick answers to your questions are that you will need to take a new photo, and you can only do it in person if you are travelling within a few days of doing so (or something like that).  There is no online process (I've heard they are working on that, but it's not yet there).  Really, it's pretty easy to do by mail, especially if you are in no rush.

 

There is no online process, but it does allow you to fill out the application online and then print it out and send it.  It was very easy.

[Jimbo]

Okay, went online. Filled out application for renewal. 6 pages print out............I assume I only send in the last 2 pages(sign it), Put picture($17) on it from CVS), a check($130) and the old passport Book.

 

Any special way it needs to be mailed, Delivery Confirmation, Insured? anything special?

[hallux]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Any special way it needs to be mailed, Delivery Confirmation, Insured? anything special?

Just take it to the post office.  I took mine to the one near where I work, one of the two clerks working at the time was a "passport expert", and had it packed in a mailer and processed for shipping in about 5 minutes, they even had pre-printed address labels.  Mine was sent priority mail (that's what was suggested anyway), cost me $9.

 

You'll need SOME kind of mailer that allows you to slip the paper in un-folded, the placement of the photo won't let you fold it to fit in a standard envelope. Then the extra weight of the old book will require extra postage anyway.  I figured it was easier to just let the PO handle it since they probably do them on a regular basis.  Priority mail, flat rate, 2-day.

 

Actually - now that I look at the receipt I see that she mailed mine to Philadelphia even though the paperwork says to mail it to Texas for standard processing for someone in NY.  It's still being processed though...

[capriccio]

4 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Any special way it needs to be mailed, Delivery Confirmation, Insured? anything special?

When I renewed mine (January 2021) during the height of Covid and a marked slowdown in processing times, I mailed it certified mail (about $4) that provided delivery information, signed up for updates on the State Department's free website that provided processing info, and already had USPS's free Daily Digest that provided delivery date information.   It was great to be able to track progress.

[XBGuy]

I packed the completed forms, pics, checks (I wrote out separate checks for the renewals for my wife and me.), and old passports in a brown envelope, and took it to the local post office.  I did request tracking, but no other special handling.  In fact, I never did track it, but I did see when the checks were paid by my bank.  That took about two weeks.  So, I knew that things were progressing.