How to Renew an Expired Passport

In order to travel from one country to another, it is important to possess a passport. Whether you are traveling on business or a leisure trip, without a valid passport, it is impossible to leave your native country and enter another country. In the United States, a passport is valid only for ten years, after which the holder of the passport is required to renew the passport. If you want to renew an expired passport, then you need to know that with a passport that is in a fairly decent condition, it is very easy to renew the same by mail. But in case the passport is damaged in any form, then you will need to renew the passport in person.

Renewing a Passport by Mail

In order to be able to renew a passport by mail, you need to assess whether your passport is undamaged. It is important that on the date of issuance of passport, you were at least 16 years of age, and that the passport was issued in the last fifteen years. If you meet these criteria, then you can apply to renew the passport by mail. In order to renew the passport online, you need access to the internet. You are not really renewing passport online but you need the DS-82 form which is available at the government travel website. If you do not have access to the net, then contact the local passport agency, or acceptance facility to avail of the form. Once you have filled out the form, sign it and fill in the date. You will need to use black ink to fill out the form.

Next take the form, and along with your expired passport, and two passport size photos, put it in a padded envelope. You will need to staple one of the photos to the DS-82 form using pins on all four corners. If you need to change your name on the passport, then you will also need to attach a copy of the legal document stating your changed name. This is an important process when you are renewing an expired passport. Many people often have queries regarding the expenses involved in getting a passport made.. To renew a passport, you will need to make out a check for USD 75 to the Department of State. It is important that you include details like your name and date of birth on the front of the check. If you need to renew the passport card as well, then you will need to enclose a check for USD 95. Do a double check to know the correct amount of how much does a passport cost for renewal. Once you have put in all the required documents in the envelope, seal it and mail the same to the Passport Processing Center office, details for which you can get off the net.

Renewing a Passport in Person

If you want to renew the passport in person, then you need to take a print of the DS-11 form that is available on the government website, Fill up all the details, but do not sign the form or put a date on the form. Next you need to know which documents you need for passport renewal. In order to renew a passport, you need evidence of your citizenship, proof of identification, two passport size photographs. Of course, since, in this case, you have your old passport, you can use that as a proof of citizenship and identification. If you have lost the passport, then you will need documents to substantiate on both accounts.

You will need to give photocopies of all your identification documents and when you go to renew your passport, you need to have both the original documents and the duplicates with you. Once you have in your possession all the documents that are needed to renew a passport, take them to the passport agency in your region. You will need to sign the form in front of the agent at the passport agency.

With this information about the process for renewing your passport, you should have no problem getting a passport for yourself.