Ben and I have been planning a trip to Europe for almost 8 months now and we’re finally just a little over a month away! After a ton of research and some serious Instagramming, we decided to fly into London and then visit Amsterdam, Zurich, Lucerne, Rome and Positano (a full post to come on trip details)!
Just the other day, Ben sent me an article that touched on why you should have multiple blank pages in your passport prior to traveling internationally. I read it and quickly realized that full blank pages weren’t a suggestion–they were a rule.
Once I got home, I flipped through my little adventure booklet and saw that I only had two full blank pages left, plus a handful of halves. I was worried…ok, I panicked…I instantly pictured myself stuck in the Amsterdam airport while Ben was kicked back in Positano with a lemon gelato and aperol spritz!
I texted a few friends who were avid travelers to see how serious that requirement was and then turned to the good old internet to see the best way to expedite a renewal passport. In the end, I decided to just renew my passport. While I knew I could chance it and probably be ok, I didn’t want to spend my whole trip worrying–I mean, where’s the fun in that?!
Now that it’s all said and done, I wanted to share this experience with you just in case you were in the same boat or maybe just needed help with the renewal process. This post will give you passport rules per country and a simple step-by-step process for anyone looking for a standard or expedited renewal within the United States. Keep in mind that the instructions below are for a general renewal and don’t include the extra documents you would need for a name change, gender change, etc.
COUNTRY PASSPORT LAWS:
First up, we have individual country passport rules. If you’re getting close to end of your book, make sure you take a look at this site to see how many pages your country requires. As a reminder, if you’re going to multiple countries, make sure you check the requirements for all.
GENERAL RENEWAL NOTES:
Be careful which website you click on to get renewal information. I know Google is a one stop shop, but be mindful of what site you’re looking at. There are a lot of scam sites out there and sites that will play middle man and charge you an extra fee. At the end of the day, your state or district clerk’s website is a great tool and travel.state.gov should be your main hub.
I’m going to lay out the renewal steps for you below, but you can do everything I’ve listed at most local Post Offices and I would definitely recommend that! Many have Passport Kiosks with a certified Passport Agent tending them.
If you have one near you, make an appointment and they’ll walk you through every step below. They can also be a great resource if you just want someone to quickly review your materials before you send them in.
THE OPTIONS:
STANDARD RENEWAL PROCESS: 4-6 week turnaround time
If your passport is expiring, make sure you give yourself enough time to get a new one. Also keep in mind that while some countries are lenient, a majority require you to have 6 months of validity past the time of your arrival as well.
RENEWAL PROCESS EXPEDITED: 2-3 weeks
By expediting your passport, you will have it back between 2 and 3 weeks of sending it off. I actually received mine back within a week of sending it, so it’s definitely a quick turnaround process.
RENEWAL PROCESS *SUPER* EXPEDITED: This is the “I need this Passport within 8 days” plan
Don’t worry, not all hope is lost! For this one, you need to make an appointment at a local passport agency or center and bring proof of travel. More information on that can also be found at travel.state.gov.
HOW TO RENEW IN 5 EASY STEPS:
1. Go to travel.state.gov
2. Form: Fill out Form DS-82 (I did mine with their online editable PDF and it was super easy. You don’t have to worry about missing anything or your handwriting not being legible. They ask you the questions, populate the fields and then provide you with a printable copy).
3. Fees: If you use the online system to fill out the form, it will generate the fee options and you can select the ones you want to find your total. If you’re filling the form out by hand, then you can generate the fees manually on the website by selecting your preferences.
General fees are:
- Passport: $110
- Card: $30 (the card can only be used in substitution of a passport for land and sea border crossings between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean)
- Passport and Card: $140
- Expedited Fees: $60
- 1-2 Day Rush Shipping by UPS Express Mail: $15.89 (this fee is for the office to send you your passport back via Express Mail–I would recommend if you’re in a time crunch)
You’ll want to make your personal check or money order out to The US Department of State and include your full name and birthday on the front as well. Do not send cash!
4. Photo: Next you’ll want to get a passport photo. Swing by your local Walgreen’s or CVS and have them take it.
- The cost for the photo will be about $16 and they’ll give you two copies.
- As a reminder, they prefer you have your shoulders covered for the photo, no dangling earrings, no electronics, no smiles and your hair must go behind your ears. If you’re thinking, wow this must all lead to a very attractive photo--you are correct.
- Once you have the picture, you’ll want to staple one of them onto the outlined box on the first page of your application. There’s no need to send your extra photo.
5. Mail It: Now you’ll want to put all of these pieces together and get them in the mail! In total you should have your application, photo, check or money order and current passport {your current passport will be mailed back to you–typically a week or so after you receive your new one}.
I would suggest sending this Priority (about $7) or Overnight (about $25). It’s expensive, but it’s assurance that your application and current passport will get there in a timely manner.
The guidelines for mailing an application are:
- Use a large envelope so that the application doesn’t bend
- Mail by USPS and have a trackable delivery method. You’re sending this to a P.O Box, so if you’re sending Overnight, don’t select that you want someone to sign for it!
- If you’re expediting your passport, make sure you mail it to the correct location below AND write “Expedite” on the front
MAILING ADDRESSES:
Routine Service (If you live in CA, FL, IL, MN, NY, or TX):
National Passport Processing
Center Post Office Box 640155
Irving, TX 75064-0155
Routine Service (If you live in any other state or Canada):
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90155
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155
Expedited Service Mailing Address: Write “EXPEDITE” on the outside of the mailing envelope.
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90155
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155
Phew, that’s it! If you’re in a crunch, I hope this helps you out. If you have some time and can be on the standard renewal plan, then go you! Either way, I hope this helped clarify the process for you.
Happy travels!
