Getting Form DS-82 right the first time matters. A small error can add weeks to your renewal. Here are the mistakes that most often cause delays or rejections, and how to avoid them.
For the full renewal process, see our guide to renewing a passport. If you’re not sure DS-82 even applies to you, check the eligibility checklist first, and if your passport is more than 15 years old, see renewing after 15 years instead.
Leaving a required field blank
Every mandatory field needs an answer. A missing field stops your application from processing until the State Department sends it back for correction, which costs you the weeks you were trying to save.
Details that don’t match your records
Your name, date of birth, and Social Security number need to match exactly. Even a small typo can flag your application for review.
A name that doesn’t match your current passport
If your legal name has changed since your last passport, whether from marriage, divorce, or a court order, your DS-82 needs to match your current legal name, along with proof of the change (a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order). Applying under your old name without that proof, or your new name without the proof attached, is one of the most common reasons a renewal gets held up.
Using white-out or correction tape
If you make a mistake on the form, start over with a new one. White-out, correction tape, or strikethroughs aren’t accepted and will get your application rejected.
Photos that don’t meet the requirements
Your passport photo needs to be 2×2 inches, taken against a white background, with no glasses. A photo that doesn’t meet spec is one of the fastest ways to delay an otherwise correct application. See the full passport photo requirements.
Forgetting to sign
An unsigned form can’t be processed. It’s an easy thing to miss when you’re filling out several documents at once, so check it before you seal the envelope.
Getting the payment wrong
Include the correct fee amount, made out correctly. See what renewal costs for current amounts. An incorrect or missing payment delays processing the same way a missing signature does.
Sending it to the wrong address
Double-check the mailing address on the form itself before you send it. The correct address depends on your situation, and sending your application to the wrong one causes delays that are entirely avoidable.
Forgetting to include your old passport
Your most recent U.S. passport has to be mailed in with your renewal application. Forgetting it is a common, easily avoided mistake that stops processing until it arrives.
If you’d rather not risk it
If you want an extra check before your application goes in the mail, or you need it processed faster than standard mail-in timing allows, a registered courier service can help. We review applications for these exact mistakes before hand-carrying them to a passport agency. Because that route means expedited processing, the government fees you pay include the $60 to expedite, on top of the application fee. Our service fee is separate, on top of that. See current pricing and turnaround.
Want your DS-82 checked before it’s mailed? We’re a registered courier service, and we review applications for exactly these mistakes before hand-carrying them to a passport agency. The government fees you pay include the $60 to expedite, on top of the application fee. Our service fee is separate, on top of that. See current pricing.