Obtain a DS-82 application either online by downloading it or by mail. Verify that you meet the four requirements for renewing a passport: you can submit a recent passport; you are at least 16 years old when issued the most recent passport; you are using the same name as on the most recent passport, or if you had a name change due to marriage or other reasons that you can provide a marriage certificate or a court order specifying the name change; and you had received your most recent passport less than 15 years ago. (Resource 2, paragraph 1 through 6) If you cannot complete the four requirements, you cannot use form DS-82. You must use form DS-11.
Complete form DS-82 with the necessary information. Write in personal information on page one including your name, gender, date of birth, Social Security number, mailing address, telephone number and if you had ever used a different name such as a court-issued name change or if you used your maiden name or marriage name. Locate the information from your expired passport to fill in the necessary lines with the name used for that passport, the issue date and the passport number. Provide any name change information either by court order or marriage, such as the place where you had the name changed and the date. (Reference 1, page 1)
Place your signature and date at the bottom of the first page. Fill out the second page with the name of the applicant and date of birth. Include your personal characteristics on the lines provided such as height, eye color, hair color, occupation, employer information and contact information of someone who is not traveling with you as an emergency contact. (Reference 1, page 2)
Complete the rest of the form with your permanent address and any additional contact information such as phone, cell, or work numbers and email addresses. Indicate the place of travel, the tentative date of the trip and how long you will be in the other country. The rest of the application is for office purposes to be entered by the appropriate office employee.
Send out the application with your most recent official passport and two identical 2X2 inch photographs (the photos should be taken in a lighted background and within the last 6 months). (Resource 2, paragraph 8 and 9, 11 through 14) Supply the marriage certificate and court order papers with the name change with the passport application. Depending upon the government agency, additional papers may be necessary for filing. Contact the agency for additional instructions along with obtaining the routing information on where to send the application.
