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United States Passport Renewal For USA Citizens
By CruiseDirector | March 11, 2010
A passport is a piece of documentation that allows you to travel outside of the country and can show proof of citizenship. They are not hard to get, but may take several weeks for processing. Anytime your name changes, or your passport is lost, stolen, damaged or about to expire you need to apply for a passport renewal.
You should get this done as soon as possible if you are planning on traveling since many countries require that it be issued more then 6 months before the date of entry. If you have one expire while you are out of the US, it can cause problems leaving a foreign country and traveling anywhere else. You may also have problems trying to reenter into the US as well.
You may renew it by mail if you meet the criteria set forth by the government. You must have your passport available to be returned with your paperwork, and it must be undamaged. Your passport must also have been issued when you were over the age of 16, and within the last 15 years. You must also have it issued in your current name.
You may have to do this in person if it is your first passport. You have to go if you are under 16 as well, or your passport was issued before you were that age. You will have to do id you do not have yours due to loss theft or damage or the one you have is more then 15 years old.
If you choose to mail this, enclose the forms with the passport. You should also use a waterproof envelope, since they will not accept it if it is damaged in any way, and it is a good idea to use a traceable method of mailing. It must be sent from the US and have a return address in the States or Canada.
You may have to go to an agency, and you need to make sure that you have all the documentation they require. It may include your social security card and birth certificate. Have all the paperwork filled out and wait for the agent to indicate when to sign the forms.
You must pay all the fees at the time of your application, whether you mail it or go in person. If mailed, payment must be included with the passport and paperwork, and they must be paid before you are interviewed at a facility. The fees, location of facilities, forms that must be filled out and the address to mail them are located at the government website.
If you need emergency U.S. passport renewal while abroad, contact the local US consulate for assistance. If you need one for international travel in two weeks, or to obtain a foreign visa in 4 weeks, then contact your regional USA Passport agency for assistance. These places will help you to the best of their ability in an emergency.
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