How To Proceed For Passport Renewal

To avoid complications while traveling abroad you need to have a duly signed passport, which should be in a good condition. Most importantly it should have a validity of at least 6 months. That is why it is necessary to renew your passport in advance, when you are planning for an international trip. The application procedure is not at all complicated, if the formalities are carried on properly without making a mistake. You need a passport renewal if your passport is altered, lost, expired, damaged, or stolen. If you follow the proper process, then the chances of delay in issuance of the passport are minimized.

If your passport is damaged or altered then there is a risk for prosecution under Section 1543 of Title 22 of the U.S. Code. That is why proper care should be taken. Citizens with expired passports are not allowed to travel abroad, as it won’t be accepted by the United States or the country you want to travel to. There are many legal issues attached to it.

Sometimes the steps involved in making the application for a passport can be complicated as well as confusing. That is why you should be attentive while filling up the form. A slight mistake made in the application form can result in undesirable delays. If you follow the step by step procedure attentively and carefully, then the changed of errors get mitigated.

For making an application for renewing your passport, you need to fulfill the following conditions:

You have to submit your recent passport with the application form.
You should possess a US passport in your name that has been issued in a time period of 15 years.
Your age must have been at least 16 years when you were issued the recent US identification document.
Damaged or altered passports are not accepted in this case. These are subjected to another department and the procedures are also different.
You should complete the form DS-82.
Two photographs identical to the one used in the expired passport. The size of the pictures must be 2X2 inches. A photograph with a white background is preferable.

You can apply for passport renewal in person or via email. There are many websites that provide you with safe and prompt services for the same. If you don’t have enough time to go personally in order to make the application, you can also file it through email.