San Francisco is an amazing place to live, but it’s also an excellent jumping-off point for international travel. In fact, San Francisco International Airport is the 10th busiest airport in the US. Flights leave every day for destinations all over the world, though the city’s West Coast location means that many of the most frequented destinations are Asian. In 2008, the airport was voted the Best International Airport in North America in the World Airports Survey.

So, if you live in San Francisco, you have a major incentive to keep your passport up-to-date. That means renewing it in a timely manner, preferably at least 9 months before it expires. Here’s how:

Passport Renewal By Mail

Most people are able to apply for passport renewal by mail. You can apply to renew your passport by mail as long as all of the following statements are true for you:

  • You still have your current passport, and it hasn’t been damaged or mutilated.
  • Your current passport was issued after you turned 16, and it was printed less than 15 years ago.
  • Either your name has not changed since you got your last passport, or you can provide the Department of State with legal documents to back up any name change requests.

As long as you can renew by mail, all you have to do is print out a copy of passport renewal Form DS-82 and send it in along with your current passport, a check or money order for the renewal fees, one passport photo and if applicable, documents to support a name change.

If you aren’t eligible to renew by mail, you’ll need to apply in person at one of San Francisco’s 26 passport acceptance facilities, located in post offices across the state. The required forms and documents will vary; see How to Apply for a New Passport and Passport Replacement Services for details.

Expedited Passport Renewal

Regular passport service takes about six weeks.  You can pay an additional $60 fee when you send in your application to expedite the process, but be forewarned that it may still take three weeks or longer for your new passport to arrive.

To get your passport renewal more quickly, you would need to either make an appointment at the San Francisco Passport Agency, or use a private company like RushMyPassport.

The San Francisco Passport Agency is located on 95 Hawthorne Street, and is open by appointment only from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. You can make an appointment by calling 1-877-487-2778.

An expediting company like RushMyPassport hand-delivers your application to the Department of State, for processing in as little as 24 hours.  If you’re unable to make it to the Passport Agency during operating hours, you can’t get an appointment in time or it just seems like too much of a hassle, an expediting company is probably a better option. At RushMyPassport, we walk you through the application process step-by-step, then get your application on the “top of the stack” so you get your passport quickly.

Need help with your passport renewal? Contact us today!