Exploring How You Can Renew US Passport Fast
Travelling internationally is something people do every day. Thankfully you do not have to renew US passport fast every day as well. Though you may not think about it until the last minute having up to date documentation to travel internationally is very important.
Though the task of renewing your passport may seem daunting and not so much fun, it needs to be done by anyone thinking of traveling abroad. Applying in person may be the best or only option for some but others may want to explore their options. If you can do it all by mail, you will be saving yourself the time of heading down to a government office.
But before you think about doing it all by mail, there are some things you must check out first. Any passport that is damaged cannot be renewed by filling out a form and mailing it in. At the same time, if it is outdated, say 15 years old, you will also need to get a new one in person.
Another thing you will want to look for is how old you were when the previous one was issued. If you were under 16 years of age, you must apply for a new one in person. Or if you have changed your name since your last one was issued, you are ineligible to get a new one by mail.
Once you get past those criteria, you need to find yourself a copy of the application to renew. Do a search online for the form DS-82 and download a copy. You will want to fill this out completely before sending it in along with a few other items. Your old passport, two matching photos and the correct amount of money to pay the updating fee to the state department will all need to be sent along with the application.
Once you combine those items in a secure envelope and send them off, you may only have to wait 4-6 weeks for your new one to arrive. While this is the regular amount of time, do not be surprised if the process takes a bit longer. This may be why some people choose to expedite their service.
If this sounds like something you may be interested in, for whatever reason, be prepared to spend a bit more money to rush the process. You may be able to do this directly through the state department or through an independent company. Depending on where you live, you may even be able to get a new one within a day or two. Since this is sometimes a very expensive option, it is not the right choice for every situation.