travel state gov email address

Situation in Haiti April 5, 2024

U.s. citizens in haiti, update january 10, 2024, information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents.

Get a Passport

Renew or Replace a Passport

Get My Passport Fast

Prepare to Apply

Passport Help

Legal Matters

Share this page:

Renew by Mail

Change or Correct a Passport

Report my Passport Lost or Stolen

Replace a Limited Validity Passport

Get Copies of Passport Records

Follow these steps to renew your passport and track your status:

Confirm you meet the requirements

• Fill out your form online and print it
• Submit your most recent passport
• Submit other documents (if you are changing your name)

Provide a photo

Calculate fees.

• Submit application
• Enroll in email updates

Getting a New Passport for a Child : You cannot renew a passport for a child under age 16. You must apply again in person using Form DS-11. 

Renewing a Passport Outside the United States : Learn how to renew your U.S. passport if you live in a foreign country.

Watch this video to learn if you can renew your passport by mail.

Renew by mail if you respond "Yes" to all statements below about your most recent passport:

• I can submit it with my application.
• It is not damaged (other than normal  wear and tear ).
• I have never reported it lost or stolen.
• It was issued within the last 15 years.
• It was issued when I was age 16 or older.
• It was issued in my current name, or I can provide another document such as a marriage certificate or divorce decree that is evidence of my name change.
• It was not limited to less than the normal 10 year period of validity because I've lost multiple passports or I've had multiple damaged passports. 

If you do not meet these requirements to renew, go to one of these pages to learn how to apply:

Adult Applying

Children Under 16

Child Age 16-17

Fill out your form and print it

Use our Form Filler tool  to fill out your form on a desktop or laptop computer and then print it. If you are experiencing technical issues with the Form Filler, download a PDF . 

Tips to complete your form:

• Complete all parts of the form.  Sign and date your form  before you mail it.
• Print your form on single-sided paper. We do not accept double-sided forms. 
• Double check the information you entered on the form filler for your date of birth and previous passport issuance date if you did not get the form you expected to receive.
• You can renew a passport book , a passport card , or both documents.
• Use Form DS-82 to apply for your first passport book if you only have a passport card, or to apply for your first passport card if you only have a passport book.  
• You may get a larger passport book with more visa pages, at no additional cost, by checking the 'large book' box at the top of the DS-82.
• If renewing from Canada, do not include your Canadian Social Insurance Number on the form in place of your U.S. Social Security number. 

Submit your most recent U.S. passport

When you renew by mail or in person, you must submit your most recent passport(s) with your application. We will return your most recent passport book or card, but generally it will come in a separate mailing up to 8 weeks after your completed passport arrives. Learn below what document to submit based on what you want to renew:

Submit other documents if you are changing your name

If the name you are currently using is different from the name on your most recent U.S. passport, you must provide a  certified copy of the legal name change  document. Examples include:

• Marriage certificate
• Divorce decree
• Court-ordered name change document

Your name change document will be returned to you in a separate mailing from your new passport.

Tips for renewing from Canada :

• If your Canadian divorce decree does not specify a spouse is returning to their maiden name, you must provide proof of your birth or maiden name (such as an original or certified copy of your birth certificate).

You must provide one photo with your application. Go to our  Passport Photo page  for photo requirements and to see examples of photos. You can get a photo at:

• Some  passport acceptance facilities
• A company which offers photo services
• Home. Ask a friend or family member to take your photo.

 Stapling your photo to the application:

• Use four staples vertically in the corners as close to the outer edges as possible. See example below.
• Do not bend the photo.

Pay using a personal check or money order and make it payable to the U.S. Department of State. Do not send cash.

• Add $60 to your application fee if you want  expedited service .
• Add $19.53 to your application fee if you want us to ship your completed passport in 1-2 days after we issue it.  
• Go to our  Passport Fees  page to learn more about how much it costs to apply for a passport and how you can pay.
• Please print the full name and date of birth of the applicant on the front of the check* or money order.
• Renewing from Canada? Personal checks or money orders must draw on U.S. financial institutions based in the United States and be payable in U.S. dollars. Acceptable U.S. checks and money orders must have a 9-digit routing number. Do not include 1-2 day or express delivery fees with your payment. These services are not available to U.S. residents in Canada.

*How to fill out your check 

Submit completed application and documents

Get My Passport Fast :  If you are traveling in less than 3 weeks, make an appointment to renew in person at a passport agency or center.

If you are traveling in more than 3 weeks, mail your completed application and documents to one of the addresses below. 

Where you mail the application depends on where you live, and how quickly you want us to process your passport. 

If you live in the  United States ,  use the United States Postal Service (USPS)  to mail your renewal application and supporting documents. If you live in  Canada , use Canada Post. 

Where to Send My Application and Supporting Documents

Want Faster Delivery?

• Delivering application to us : Pay for Priority Mail Express for faster shipping. The price for this service varies depending on the area of the country.
• Returning the passport to you : Pay $19.53 for 1-2 day delivery. This means you will receive your passport   1-2 days after we send it. Include this fee with your check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State. Do not submit a return envelope to us with postage pre-paid. 

You may receive your passport and supporting documents in separate mailings.

If you are renewing a passport card, we will send it to you via First Class Mail. We do not use 1-2 day delivery services for passport card only applications.

Outside the United States (any country besides Canada):  Contact your  U.S. embassy and consulate .

Track your application status

You can  subscribe to email updates  about your application status, and  learn more about each status update .

It may take 2 weeks from the day you apply until your application status is “In Process.” 

Can I renew at an acceptance facility?

No. If you are renewing your passport with Form DS-82, acceptance facilities will not take your application. Acceptance facilities should never charge you a $35 fee for renewing your passport. These locations should only charge you a $35 fee if you are applying using Form DS-11.

You must mail in your renewal application (Form DS-82) yourself. Mailing your Form DS-82 can be confusing since some post offices are also passport acceptance facilities. However, postal employees should not review your Form DS-82 renewal application and supporting documents before you mail it. We recommend you ask USPS to send your Form DS-82 and supporting documents using a trackable delivery method. Do not use UPS, FedEx, or DHL since the address you need to send your Form DS-82 and supporting documents to is a Post Office (PO) Box. 

What is normal "wear and tear" of a passport?

Normal "wear and tear" of a U.S. passport is expected and does not count as "damage." Normal wear includes the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing.

If your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo, you cannot renew it and must apply for a new passport. Damage that might require you to apply in person for a new passport includes water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries.

If I already have a passport book or card, can I use the DS-82 to get the other document?

If you have a passport book  and you are eligible to use Form DS-82, you may apply for a passport card as a renewal by mail even if it is your first  passport card .

If you have a passport card and you are eligible to use Form DS-82, you may apply for a passport book as a renewal by mail even if it is your first passport book. 

Can I renew my passport if it's still valid?

Yes. Your passport does not have to be expired for you to renew it. 

We recommend renewing your passport well ahead of planned international travel, even if it still has a few months validity left on it. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Learn more about your  destination's entry requirements .

I got a letter requesting that I resubmit my Form DS-82. What should I do?

When you renew by mail, our intake facility will review your application and supporting documents before an agency or center begins processing it.

The intake facility will send you a letter if you did not complete the application or provide all supporting documents. The letter may include a QR code with a link to our website. Common reasons for getting this letter include:

• No signature or date on your form
• Bad or missing photo
• Pages of your form are missing
• Wrong or missing fees
• Most recent passport is missing
• Most recent passport issued over 15 years ago

Follow the instructions in the letter. You must include the letter we sent you when you resubmit the new application. 

When your application is at the intake facility, your application status will show as "Not Available" if you check our Online Passport Status System. Your application will be "In Process" once a passport agency or center begins processing your new application. 

Can I renew my passport if it's expired?

Yes, but the passport must have been issued within the last 15 years.

In addition, you must have the passport in your possession, it cannot be damaged, you must have been age 16 or older when the passport was issued, and it must have been issued in your current name or you must show legal proof of your name change.

Can I send multiple renewal applications in one envelope?

Yes. If your family member or spouse is also renewing a passport, you may want to send multiple applications in the same envelope. You can pay for the applications using one check or money order. Make sure to add up the correct fees for multiple applications. 

How will you send my passport and supporting documents?

You will get multiple mailings. The number of mailings depends on what document(s) you asked for.

Passport Book : You may get your new passport and citizenship documents in two mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We will return the passport book using a trackable delivery service.

Passport Card : You may get your new passport card and your citizenship documents in two mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards using 1-2 day delivery services.

Both a Passport Book and Card : You may get three separate mailings:

• New passport book
• New passport card
• Citizenship documents

Contacting Us : If you have been waiting more than 8 weeks for your citizenship documents, call us at  1-877-487-2778 .

I live in Canada : If you live in Canada, send the renewal application to us via Canada Post. We will return your passport and supporting documents to you via USPS First Class Mail. One-to-two day and express delivery service is not available if you live in Canada.

Processing Times

Routine:  6-8 weeks*

Expedited: 2-3 weeks and an extra $60*

*Consider the total time it will take to get a passport when you are booking travel.  Processing times only include the time your application is at a passport agency or center.

• It may take up to 2 weeks for applications to arrive at a passport agency or center. It may take up to 2 weeks for you to receive a completed passport after we print it. 
• Processing times + mailing times = total time to get a passport

Urgent Travel:  See our Get my Passport Fast page. 

External Link

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

MyTravelGov

Welcome to MyTravelGov

Additional information.

• First Name is a required field.
• Last Name is a required field.
• Please enter your email address.
• Please enter a valid email address.
• At least one Country must be selected.
• Travel.State.Gov
• U.S. Embassies & Consulates
• Country Information
• Latest Travel Advisories

24 Hour Consular Emergency Line: U.S. 1.888.407.4747 / Outside the U.S. 1.202.501.4444

This site is managed by the Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.

OMB Control No: 1405-0152, Estimated Burden: 20 minutes, Expiration Date: 6/30/2026.

U.S. Passport Application Status

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked

Sandia  LabNews

• Download This Issue (PDF)

New issues every two weeks. Unsubscribe at any time. Email addresses are never shared.

Subscribe Successful Thank you for subscribing!

Security team upgrades travel processes, earns NNSA coin

BY MYLES COPELAND AND KARLI MASSEY

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024

Bernardo Diaz has been part of a few big changes.

He and his team from Sandia’s International Security and Risk Management were recognized by NNSA on March 12 for improvements that make it faster and easier for Sandians and other nuclear security enterprise contractors to travel to foreign nations on behalf of NNSA and other U.S. government agencies.

“Thousands of travelers will benefit from these improvements, enabling us to more effectively accomplish NNSA’s mission with our international partners,” said NNSA Sandia Field Office Manager Daryl Hauck, who presented Bernardo an NNSA Enhanced Mission Delivery Initiative coin in appreciation of his effort to help nuclear security enterprise processes move quicker and more efficiently. “He showed persistence in making it happen. He didn’t take no for an answer.”

NNSA’s Enhanced Mission Delivery Initiative aims to improve efficiency, productivity and collaboration across the nuclear security enterprise.

Bernardo worked with NNSA officials to reduce the number of approvals needed for these types of trips.

“I know what a pain it is to cut red tape,” he said. “I think my previous experience told me, ‘We can change it.’”

Bernardo’s “previous experience” includes reestablishing U.S. diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Havana was his first assignment as a diplomat for the U.S. Department of State. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed in 1961 and remained so when Bernardo arrived in 2014.

“It was a hardship post,” said Bernardo, who moved there with his wife and dog. “The Cuban people are incredible, but the work was hard. The country was stuck in the 1950s. Not much has progressed in terms of infrastructure.”

Bucking 70 years of history, Bernardo was part of the team that carried this international effort across the finish line. The Department of State Superior Honor Award hangs in his Sandia office, recognizing his “Outstanding sustained performance and significant contribution in support of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba.”

Years later, Veronica Robles, a member of his staff who helped lead the project, credited Bernardo with driving the improvement in the travel process.

“Bernardo really took the time,” Veronica said. “Our travelers go through a lot. The biggest thing I always go back to is to reduce the human stress of it all. How can we make it a little bit better? How do we get them out the door to do that mission work?”

“This award is satisfaction we’re doing what’s right to serve the mission,” Bernardo said.

NNSA awards coin for quick delivery

Coin presentations like the one to Bernardo are a new way the NNSA is recognizing Sandians who cut red tape and speed innovation and product delivery.

The second coin in this series went to manager Stephen Neidigk and his team from the Transportation Safeguards and Surety Program, which delivered a mobile high-security vault in just six months.

To meet a national security need on this tight timeline, the team used several forms of advanced manufacturing, including 3D printing, technical embroidery and model based systems engineering, to move from concept to construction without formal drawings.

Stephen’s team delivered models and manufacturing specifications that allowed several vendors to construct major components of the vault that were subsequently assembled at Sandia.

“Typically you spend 75% of your design time on the drawings,” Stephen said. “When you’re budget- and time-constrained, it forces you to figure out solutions within those constraints … This work required a functional prototype. It was a build-to-think exercise. Let’s build it, learn, adjust and do it again.”

This drastically different approach, which included Stephen carrying a 1/20-scale model of the vault to meetings to convey the concept and support design discussions, delivered a full scale prototype in about a quarter of the time usually required for this type of project. The solution was a 20-foot shipping container with a 30,000-pound vault inside.

“We didn’t recreate the wheel,” Stephen said. “Completing the prototype vault was an excellent example of Sandia’s ability to deliver at the speed of relevance. We utilized experience and technology developed over the last 40 years to save time and completed an 80% solution in six months as opposed to 100% solution in five years.”

“While other recent innovations have focused on process improvements, this project uses the Labs’ know-how in system integration, working with partners to meet a national security need,” Labs Director James Peery said during the coin presentation on March 18. “This is one of the areas where Sandia excels.”

• Sandia chases two big new goals
• How we know they work
• Conference offers perspectives on real-world nuclear issues