Expedited Passports

Where can you go to apply for a passport renewal in New York City? Actually, most people are eligible to renew their passports by mail and do not have to go to the New York Passport Office. There’s no need to apply in person unless one of the following statements are true:

• Your old passport has been lost or stolen. You must turn it in with your passport renewal application.
• Your passport was issued when you were under the age of 16 or was issued more than 15 years ago.
• You have changed your name on your US passport and you don’t have legal documentation of the name change.

If any of the above statements apply to you, you are not eligible to renew by mail and must apply in person at a Passport Acceptance Facility, usually a library or a post office, for a brand-new passport.  If you are eligible to renew by mail, you can fill out passport renewal form DS-82 and send it in to the US Department of State. You’ll need to include the following documents:

• Your old US passport.
• Two passport photos
• Legal proof of any name changes since you got your last passport, i.e. a court order, marriage certificate or divorce certificate.
• A check or money order for the $75.00 application fee, plus an additional $60 if you need your passport expedited.

Easy enough, right? Well, as that old song goes, “the waiting is the hardest part.” If you apply with regular service, you can expect to wait at least 6 weeks for your new passport to arrive in the mail. If you apply with the government’s expedited service, it will take at least 3 weeks.  (more…)