Confirm that you have your most recent U.S. passport in your possession and that it is not damaged, if you want to renew the passport by mail. You must apply in person for a passport renewal if your most recent U.S. passport is damaged, altered or mutilated. Also check the passport to confirm that it was issued when you were 16 years old or older and that it is not more than 15 years old. In addition, verify that the passport was issued in your current name, or that you can prove that your name was legally changed.
You can choose to renew your U.S. passport card by mail only if you are eligible to submit form DS-82, which is the application for a U.S. passport by mail. Locate form DS-82 on the Travel.State.Gov website.
Pay all outstanding child support payments, if you have them, before applying for passport renewal. Applicants who own more than $2500 can not renew their passports.
You must renew your passport at the nearest U.S. embassy or U.S. consulate if you are a citizen living abroad, except for citizens living in Canada.
Make an appointment at your Regional Passport Agency for passport renewal if you need the passport in less than two weeks, or if you need a foreign visa in less than four weeks.
You must be able to provide a U.S. or Canadian mailing address for all passports that are renewed by mail, as passports can not be mailed to other countries.
