How to Renew American Passports
According to the U.S. Department of State, it passed new passport laws in 2008, meaning you must have a U.S. passport when traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. While you may not need a passport for traveling by land or sea, as a passport card may be accepted, it is a good idea to renew your passport if you plan to leave the country soon. If your current passport is undamaged, lists your current name and you received it in the last 15 years when you were over 16, you can renew it by mail.
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Instructions
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Go to the U.S. Department of State website, and download the Form DS-82: Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail.
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Fill out the form online, or print the form and fill it out by hand. If you fill out the form online, print it when it is complete. Use black ink if you are filling it out by hand. Sign and date the form after you print it.
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Place all pages of the form plus two passport photos, your current passport and your passport fee into a Tyvek envelope. This envelope will protect your documents.
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Mail the package to the National Passport Processing Center. The address will vary depending on whether you request routine or expedited processing.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have legal documentation that your name has changed, such as a marriage certificate, you may mail that with the other documents and renew your passport by mail.
It will take four to six weeks to receive your new passport.
Check the current passport fees on the U.S. Department of State website as they change.
Use a traceable method of shipping when you mail your passport renewal to prevent it from becoming lost or stolen.
