Renewing your passport

How to Renew Your Passport Most Expeditiously

 It is impossible to return to the United States, even from Mexico or Canada, without some form of enhanced identification. Other than Mexico or Canada, that enhanced identification is your passport. Unfortunately, it has an expiration date – just 10 years from the last time you ordered it.

If you nt to an official passport agency prior to 2 April 2018, you had to pay an additional $25 “execution fee” in addition to the $110 renewal on the application. The U.S. Department of State says that this is the recovery cost of providing this consular service. Well, that fee increased on 2 April 2018 to $35, making the overall cost of renewing your passport at your local post office now $145.

The good news is that you can avoid that “execution fee” by filling out a DS-82 form and put together all the application material. This includes:

• a passport approved 2 x 2 color photograph of yourself less than six months old (go to Walgreen’s or similar site and they know what to do).
• Your most recent valid or expired passport (if it is damaged or mutilated in any way, you cannot use it but instead must appear in person to apply. (Your old passport will be returned to you in the same return package or a separate one. It will be designated as “expired.”)
• Payment of $110 in a check made payable to “U.S. Department of State.” Print full name and date of birth of applicant on the check. If you need it quicker, there is an “expedited service” fee of $60 and overnight delivery fee of $15.89. These additional fees can be included in the same check, but state that with the check.

Then mail the form DS-82 and supporting documents in a protective packaging such as a Tyvek envelope along with the appropriate payment of a check made payable to “Department of State” of $110 (no additional execution fee!) If you need it quicker, there is an “expedited service” fee of $60 and overnight delivery fee of $15.89.

If you live in California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, or Texas, mail to:

National Passport Processing Center

P.O. Box 640155

Irving, TX 75064

If you live in any other state or Canada, mail to:

National Passport Processing Center

P.O. Box 90155

Philadelphia, PA 19190