Passport Question

[christianweecare]

For those of you that have had to renew passports--our passports expire Jan. 2017. We won't need them until Sept. 2017. When should I apply for a new passport? Dec. 2016 or Jan. 2017?

 

[Aerin75]

Doesn't really matter; if you renew close to the expiration date, it is still a renewal and can be done without going to the post office (and therefore without additional processing fee). The only real "concern" is do you have your current passport within easy reach...and I say that because I stuck mine somewhere and had to apply for a new passport instead of renewing because I can't find it!

 

[erionm]

You can renew by mail at any time, even after the expiration date (with limits):

From the State Department website:

Renew by Mail if All of the Following are True

Your Most Recent U.S. Passport:

• Is undamaged and can be submitted with your application;
• Was issued when you were age 16 or older;
• Was issued within the last 15 years; and
• Was issued in your current name or you can legally document your name change with original or certified copy of your marriage certificate or the government-issued document evidencing your legal name change.

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/renew.html

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I would renew in January.

 

[richkaryn]

Doesn't really matter; if you renew close to the expiration date, it is still a renewal and can be done without going to the post office (and therefore without additional processing fee). The only real "concern" is do you have your current passport within easy reach...and I say that because I stuck mine somewhere and had to apply for a new passport instead of renewing because I can't find it!

DH stuck his somewhere and DS and I didn't have one yet...thought he was going to have to file a lost and get new one. We tore house apart twice and didn't find....Then on 3rd upheaval of house he randomly thought to unlock this little wooden box he had had since he was a teenager....(how he knew exactly where key was is beyond me lol) and sure enough instead of putting in the safe box like a normal person he for some reason had locked it in this little wooden box and put in night stand. So make sure you check any obscure/odd places you wouldn't normally think to look.

 

[Aerin75]

My filing system has descended to random boxes. I am doomed for a summer clean up!

 

[christianweecare]

Fortunately, I know where our passports are located. LOL! I wasn't sure if we needed to renew before expiration date. I guess we'll wait until January since that's when they expire.

 

[bumbershoot]

It can be expired for just under 5 years and still be considered a renewal. (For those with adult passports) (I renewed mine in 99 or 00 at 4 years and about 350 days after it expired bc prices were about to go up and our fortunes had increased to the point where intl travel could be an option again)

Renew it so you can take journey if you win Lotto, of course.