Renew a U.S. Passport With Form DS 82

Renewing your U.S passport can be a relatively straightforward process. If you can answer "yes" to five questions, you're eligible to renew your U.S. passport with the easier form, Form DS-82.

Steps

  1. Determine if you are eligible to use form DS-82 by reviewing the following four questions. If you can answer yes to all four, you're eligible to use the form.
    • Can you submit your most recent passport book/card with the application?
    • Were you at least 16 years old when the passport book/card was issued?
    • Was your most recent passport book/card issued less than 15 years ago?
    • Do you use the same name as printed on your most recent passport book/card? If not (such as a name change due to marriage, or legal name change) can you submit the proper documentation supporting the name change?
    • Are you over 16?
    • If any of the the five questions above are not true You must apply in person. Otherwise, If all of those questions apply to you, you can renew it by the mail, so follow these steps below to see how you can renew your U.S. Passport.
  2. Access the http://www.travel.state.gov web site, and click Passports (on the horizontal blue menu bar), Get or Renew Passports (left hand blue menu bar), click the Renewing or Renewing your passport links to access the How to Apply for a Passport Renewal page, and scroll down to access the Click here to download the DS-82 Application form link.
  3. Alternately, click this link to directly access the Form DS-82 .pdf: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/79960.pdf
  4. Download the DS-82 .pdf to your computer.
  5. Type your information in the text fields of Pages 1 and 2 of the Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail.
  6. In the field Most recent passport book or passport card, enter your passport's number.
  7. Print out a copy of the form; note that you cannot save a soft copy on your computer.
  8. Staple one 2-inch-by-2 -inch recent color passport photograph in the designated area of the form (attach using 4 staples as indicated in the box on the form).
  9. Sign the form, and make a copy for your records.
  10. Review the http://travel.state.gov web site for the applicable fees; access the Passport Fees page at http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/fees/fees_837.html.
  11. Enclose a check or money order for the appropriate amount; add expedited service fees, if applicable.
  12. Ensure the check/money order is payable to the "Department of State."
  13. Ensure the check/money order has the applicant's full name and birth date printed on the front.
  14. Ensure the most recent passport book/card is enclosed.
  15. Ensure documents verifying a legal name change are enclosed.
  16. Mail the form in a padded envelope to the address given on Instruction Page 2. To better protect the contents, use a Tyvek envelope.
  17. Passport renewal processing time is four to six weeks. You will (should) receive your new and old passports in separate envelopes. If you provide an email address on your application, the passport agency will contact you through email if there are any issues with your renewal application.

Tips

  • To help improve the renewal processing time, complete the form by typing in a downloaded .pdf. The forms are read by automatic scanners that have a higher error rate on handwritten forms than typed forms.

Warnings

  • Traveling on a soon-to-expire passport (one with six months or less validity) will cause you problems and traveling delays in many countries. You should consider your U.S passport truly valid for only nine and a half (9.5) years, not ten years.
  • When you renew your passport, you must send in your current passport in order to verify your identity and you may be without one for multiple weeks. Therefore, most travelers agree you should begin thinking about renewing your passport around the one year out mark. This ensures enough time to plan the renewal around any other plans that might be interrupted for being without your passport.

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Sources and Citations

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