Expired Passports

Many people get their passports in advance, just because they know the hassle of having to do it last minute. Only a handful of those people use their passports in any kind of constant manner. The others just let that documentation sit in the safe storage are with the rest of the important documentation until it expires and they do not realize. Luckily, it is not difficult to renew an expired passport.

If the passport holder was over age 16 when the passport was issued, it is valid for ten years. If they were age 15 or younger, the passport is valid for five years. The data page of the passport book contains the issue date of the passport. Passports should be renewed approximately nine months before they expire. Some countries even require that a passport be valid for a minimum of six months following the dates of the trip for which it is being used.

An expired passport may be renewed either via mail or in person. In order for the passport holder to renew his or her passport via mail, several conditions must be met. The passport holder's most recent passport must be undamaged and able to be submitted with the renewal application. The passport must have been issued less than 15 years ago in the person's current name or the person must be able to provide documentation of any name change. The most recent passport must also have been issued when the person was at least 16 years old.

To renew the passport by mail, the passport holder must complete an application for U.S. Passport by Mail. This form may be found online and may be completed electronically or printed and hand-completed. The applicant must mail a packet containing the application, his/her most recent U.S. Passport, two identical photos, the passport fee, and documentation substantiating a name change, if applicable.

If the passport was issued more than 15 years ago, the passport holder must re-apply for a passport in person. The Application for a U.S. Passport must be completed and submitted with evidence of U.S. Citizenship, acceptable additional identification, photocopy of this identification, two identical passport photos, and the passport fee. The applicant must go to a U.S. Passport Acceptance Facility or Regional Passport Agency in order to get the new passport. A directory of the locations of these agencies is available online.

The passport will most likely take about six weeks or a little less to be processed. There are faster ways of getting this done through the government, such as an expedited service that can perform the same task in about half the time. There are independent expediting institutions of business, as well, that can complete the job within a day. This will cost more money than just the governmental fees, though.

For those U.S. citizens who are not in the U.S. but have a passport needing renewal, there are still options. If the individual happens to be in Canada, then the individual has the option to mail-in for renewal. Individuals in other countries should make an appearance at the closest U.S.. Embassy.

Remember, just because you have an expired passport, does not mean that the vacation will have to be missed. Simply go online to find the appropriate steps to complete the process. For the situations when passports renewal needs to be quick, a private expediting service should be considered.