If you want to travel internationally, you'll need a passport—specifically, a passport booklet to fly internationally, or a passport card if you plan on arriving by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda.
For more than 20 years, G3 has offered fast and reliable passport services to millions of satisfied customers. Select the “Passport Type” and “Delivery Speed” to get your passport expedited in 2-10 business days. Renew Passport – How long the process takes A standard renew passport processing time generally takes between four to six weeks. It can take longer during peak travel times.
Applying for your passport can be an exciting yet frustrating experience. The most frustrating part of all? The waiting.
The U.S. government generally processes passport applications between four to six weeks after you've sent off your details, including mailing times. If possible, apply for your passport in low seasons for travel, like fall and mid-winter. The worst time of year to apply is during March or April, when most people are making summer vacation plans and applying for passports. Summer applications can have delayed processing times, too.
You can apply for an emergency passport in life-and-death circumstances, such as serious illnesses or deaths in your immediate family that require you to travel abroad within three business days. You'll need to have numerous documents in-hand, such as a death certificate (potentially translated into English), a statement from a mortuary, or a signed letter from a hospital or medical professional. These passport applications require an appointment with the U.S. Department of State.
Expedited Passport Processing Time
As of 2018, the government is processing requests for expedited passports in eight business days if you go through an agent. This means that you'll actually have to wait three weeks for door-to-door processing, and that's if you request overnight delivery and pay for overnight delivery both ways (to and from the passport agency).
If you can prove that you'll be heading abroad and need a passport to do so, you'll be able to head to your nearest passport office and ask to rush the process. In this case, proof means that you've already booked your flights and accommodation for your trip. There is an additional fee of $60 for expedited passports.
Passport cards, though, cannot be shipped using overnight delivery; they're always shipped out to you using regular first class mail.
All passport fees are nonrefundable.
Check Your Passport Status Online
It generally takes between seven and 10 days for your passport application to be trackable online. It could, however, be a little shorter if you paid for expedited service and sent your application by overnight delivery.
You can gauge your application's progress by looking online at the Department of State's website. Be prepared to enter personal information to identify yourself, including:
- Your last name, including suffixes without punctuation, except for hyphens (example: Smith III, Crislip Jr, Jones-Smith)
- Your date of birth in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY
- The last four digits of your social security number
Check Your Passport Status by Phone
You can also check your application status by phone at 877-487-2778 (888-874-7793 for anyone who has impaired hearing). This service is available between 6 a.m. and 12 a.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (excluding federal holidays), but the Department of State says the best time to call is between 8:30 p.m. and 9 a.m.
This post has been edited and updated by Lauren Juliff.
The process to renew your passport varies depending on your age. Read the information below to determine how to proceed with your passport renewal:
How to Renew an Adult Passport
Most of the time, adults can renew their passports by mail, even if it’s already expired. You’re eligible to renew by mail using Form DS-82 as long as all of the following conditions apply:
- Your current passport has not been lost, stolen or damaged.
- Your current passport was issued after your 16th birthday.
- Your current passport was issued no more than 15 years ago.
- Your current passport was issued in your current legal name, or you have legal proof of your name change.
If that sounds like you, you are eligible to begin the Passport Renewal process.
If you aren’t eligible to renew your passport, you will need to follow the New Passport process.
Passport Renewal for Children Under Age 16
Children under the age of 16 have an extra step to go through to renew their passports. They must appear in person at a post office or passport office, preferably with both parents. If only one parent is available, he or she must bring a notarized parental consent form signed by the other parent. In addition to the child’s proof of citizenship, parents must bring proof of their own identity and proof of their relationship to the child.
After you appear in person, the application can be sent directly to the Department of State or to an expediting company for faster processing.
Passport Renewal for Teenagers Aged 16-17
Like younger kids, teenagers aged 16 and 17 must appear in person at a post office or passport office with a parent present to apply for passport renewal. If the teenager doesn’t have state-issued ID yet, the parents’ ID can be used instead. Written parental consent may be required at the passport office if it isn’t implied on the application.
![How long to renew passport for child How long to renew passport for child](https://cdn2.theweek.co.uk/sites/theweek/files/styles/16x8_465/public/2017/04/gettyimages-613741520.jpg?itok=FdM8z6-o)
How to Renew Your Passport Quickly
Standard processing time for a passport renewal is six weeks from the day you apply, though it can vary depending on how busy the passport office is. However, if you need to get it more quickly there are a few ways to do so:
- Pay an additional $60 expedite fee when you submit your application. The State Department also recommends that you pay for overnight shipping both to and from the passport agency. This will cut the processing time down to about 3 weeks.
- Make an appointment at the nearest passport agency if you’re leaving in 14 days (or 4 weeks if you need a visa).
- Use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport for faster, more personalized service and no need to make an appointment or wait in line.
For more information about the pros and cons of these options, see How to Order a Passport at the Last Minute
RushMyPassport makes ordering a passport easy, fast and convenient. Contact us to renew your passport quickly and painlessly!