If you are a Texas resident and you need to renew your passport, you can do so by mail. The U.S. Department of State allows renewal applications for passports to be mailed to them, which saves you the time it takes to locate, visit and wait in line at a Texas Passport Acceptance Facility. Passports expire after ten years and must be turned in when it’s time for you to renew your expired passport.
Complete form DS-82, the application for renewal of a U.S. Passport by mail. Find this form at any Texas Passport Acceptance Facility or online on the U.S. Department of State’s passport website.
Gather the documents that must be mailed with your passport renewal form. You’ll need two passport photos, which must be 2 inches by 2 inches in size, taken within the past six months. The photos must only show your face against a light colored background and you cannot be wearing any uniforms, hats or glasses that are not prescribed by a doctor. You also need your current U.S. Passport.
Mail your DS-82 form, two passport photos and your current passport, along with a check made payable to the U.S. Department of State in the amount of $60, to the National Passport Processing Center.
You will receive your new passport in the mail four to six weeks after mailing your renewal forms. To receive your new passport faster, you can include a check for an additional $60 to expedite the handling of your renewal passport and receive it in two to three weeks rather than four to six weeks.
Tip
If your name has changed from the name on your current passport you will need to include a certified copy of your court order regarding your name change, your marriage certificate or your divorce decree.
Tip
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If your current passport was issued before you were 16 years old or is damaged you must apply for a renewal passport in person at a Texas Passport Acceptance Facility.
References
Photo Credits
- passport image by isatori from Fotolia.com