If you are planning to travel to a foreign country you are going to need a passport. Not just any kind of passport but rather a legit passport that will be accepted in the immigration department of the country you wish to visit. If your passport has expired or has less than 6 months validity you might as well consider renewing it. But how do you go about it? Which are the right offices to go knocking and have your passport renewed? Stay tuned for detailed information on how to renew a passport.
When do you qualify to renew your passport?
There are specific conditions that have to be met for one to qualify for a passport renewal. Your current passport must have been issued when you were 16 years and above. If your last passport was a minor’s passport you don’t qualify for a renewal. Instead, you should apply for a new adult’s passport once you hit 16 years. The passport must not have been expired for more than 15 years. Last but not the least it has to be in good condition. Passports that are damaged and can’t be accepted by the immigration department don’t qualify for a renewal.
If the passport got lost you should consider applying for a new one and not renewing it. For the renewal process to commence you have to present the old passport.
Ways of application
There are three ways in which you can have your passport renewed. Application by mail, in person application and through a 3rd party passport agency! You can apply for a passport while in the comfort of your home. All you need to do is make payment and submit the necessary documentation. This process seems easy but it might take weeks if not months for you to set eyes on your renewed passport. If it is on a peak season where thousands of people are either applying for a new passport or renewing an older one, processing can take months. Not everyone has all this time to wait.
In person passport renewal application takes a shorter time to process. But, even then it will take you 3-4 weeks before you can have your passport. If you need your passport renewed urgently you should go for the last mode of application. That is, renewing your passport through a licensed passport agency like Texas Passports. At Texas Passports, we will walk you through the application process and we will have your passport renewed in less than 24 hours if you provide proof you have to travel that urgently. We will also give you a contact list containing numbers that you can call in case of an emergency in the country you are planning on visiting.
How to renew a passport
Unlike first time application where you have to fill form DS-11 with renewals, you fill form DS-82. When renewing your passport no birth certificate or identity card is needed. It might be required of you to present a recent passport size but it is not a necessity. The renewal process will be much easier if you seek help from Texas Passport. We always deliver!