How to Renew or Apply for a US Passport Overseas

APPLYING FOR A US PASSPORT OVERSEAS

Now most travel restrictions have been lifted and the world has returned to some form of normality, people are venturing abroad again. Have you rushed to your favorite holiday destination only to realize that your passport is about to expire? Or worse still, have you just found out you got it lost or stolen while away on holiday?

No need to panic. Luckily, if you’re a US citizen, you can apply to obtain your passport from anywhere in the world. Whether you’re currently living abroad, or you simply need to apply for a passport while you’re temporarily outside the country, you will be able to obtain a new passport or even renew it to return home.

Let us tell you about the available types of passports, requirements, cost, processing times, and how to apply to renew or obtain a new US passport overseas.

WHAT DOCUMENTATION DO I NEED TO SUBMIT?

As it’s the case with passports issued within the country, only American citizens (either by birth or by naturalization) can be eligible to apply for a US passport overseas. To apply, you will need to submit the following documents:

• • A completed application form. You'll need to choose and complete the correct form. To renew your passport, you must complete Form DS-82. You can do this if you still hold your previous passport; your personal details are the same; the passport you hold was issued within the last 15 years (when you were over 16 years of age); and it has not been damaged. If you don’t meet these requirements, you’ll need to fill out Form DS-11 to apply for a new passport.
• • Evidence of citizenship. Your evidence must be an original or certified copy. To prove this, you can use either:
• - an old passport
• - a US Birth Certificate or a Consular Report of Birth (if you were born abroad)
• - a Certificate of Citizenship
• • A valid ID and a photocopy of the front and back of your ID (only for form DS-11)
• • A passport photo
• • Proof of payment of the processing fee

WHAT TYPES OF PASSPORTS CAN I APPLY FOR?

Depending on your circumstances, you may apply for two main types of passports: the full validity passport or the limited validity emergency passport.

THE EMERGENCY PASSPORT

As the name suggests, this is an exceptional document used for emergency reasons. You can request it when you need a passport to travel urgently within the next 72hs. It’s valid for 12 months and it’s issued within 3 days. Emergency passports are only an option when you have urgent travel needs, which you will have to prove with supporting evidence. For example, with plane tickets, hotel reservations, a family member’s death certificate, etc. Most embassies and consulates offer the emergency passport service, but it's best to check with them first.

THE FULL-VALIDITY PASSPORT

This is the passport you are given when you can wait the usual processing times. If you apply overseas, you will automatically receive the large, non-standard, full-validity passport book containing 52 pages.

What happens if you’re currently holding an emergency passport? If you were issued an emergency passport, you may turn it into a full validity passport as long as you meet the following conditions:

• 1. Your emergency passport is still valid
• 2. It doesn’t have the statement, “A full validity passport must be approved by the Department of State.”

It’s worth noting that if you fulfill the requirements to convert your passport, the convertion is free of charge.

HOW DO YOU APPLY?

You can make an appointment to apply at any US embassy or consulate in person. Some of them may offer the possibility to apply by mail. You can find the consulate or embassy closer to you to check whether you have the option of applying online or not.

HOW MUCH DOES THE PASSPORT COST?

Although costs may vary slightly depending on your location, in general you can expect to pay the following fees:

The average processing time is between 8 to 11 weeks. Delivery methods and payment methods vary depending on the embassy or consulate, so make sure you check this with them at your appointment.

TO CONCLUDE

Now you know about the cost, processing times, and procedure to obtain your US passport overseas. For more information, we suggest you visit the official government webpage. Good luck with your application process and have a safe trip!

Consulta este artículo en español:

• - Cómo solicitar tu pasaporte americano desde el extranjero

Administrative Procedures in other countries: