When you're planning a trip abroad or retiring overseas, there are so many elements to consider — where is the dollar strong? How will you get around once you're there? Is travel insurance worth it? Do you need to know any basic phrases in another language to get by?
Sometimes, it's easy to forget you need to consider one key point: How long it takes to renew your passport.
You don't want to waste dollars and miss out on the cost of your entire trip just because your passport is too close to its expiration date or you were unable to get it back in time, so here's what you need to consider when renewing a passport for your trip.
You should renew your passport before it expires
Passports expire after 10 years, so it's not a process you'll need to do particularly often. You should keep in mind, however, that there are some countries that will not let you enter them if your passport is expiring within six months of your travel dates.
So it's good practice to check your expiration date as soon as (or before) you book your international trip. If it'll expire within six months of your travel dates, get the renewal process started now so you're not rushing.
If you are traveling with someone who got their passport before they turned 16, keep in mind their passport will only last five years before it expires.
How long will it take to renew your passport?
Typical passport applications are processed in four to six weeks for routine services per the State Department.
Keep in mind, the State Department does not include mailing times in that estimate. It can take up to two weeks for it to receive an application in the mail, as well as up to two weeks for you to receive your finalized passport back in the mail.
That means you'll ideally need to get your application in at least ten weeks before your trip to allow plenty of time for mailing and processing.
If you don't have that kind of time, you do have two faster options: expedited and urgent. Expedited processing typically takes two to three weeks while urgent processing can be done in under two weeks.
Note that both of these faster options cost more than the standard application fee. And, for the urgent option, you can only use it if you can verify that you have international travel planned within the next 14 calendar days.
Things that can delay your passport renewal
If your renewal is just a straightforward exchange of an expired passport for a new one with all of the same information, you should be safe relying on the estimated processing times above. But, some issues may make your renewal trickier so you'll want to allow even more time just in case you run into some extra red tape.
Some common issues that can make renewing your passport take longer include:
- You changed your name. For example, if you got married recently and changed your name, your renewed passport needs to have your new name on it. This can take extra paperwork and potentially extra time.
- Your current passport is damaged. Normal wear and tear is not an issue. But it is an issue if it's experienced water damage, major tears, torn out pages or has unofficial markings (say, a toddler scribbling all over the data page). You can still renew it, but you may need to submit additional paperwork and this might slow down the processing time.
- Your current passport is lost. If you know you had a passport, but you can't find it, the agency will need to do a file search which can take extra time (and may come with extra fees depending on how long ago the passport was issued).
How much does it cost to renew your passport?
If you have the time to spare, you can opt for the standard processing time (four to six weeks) and pay just the flat $130 renewal application fee.
If you need to use one of the faster processing options or want to shrink that mailing time with expedited shipping, here's how much extra you'd pay on top of the application fee for those added services:
- Expedited or urgent processing: $60
- 1-3 day delivery of your passport: $22.05
Can you renew your passport online?
To be eligible for an online renewal, you must be 25 years or older and have a passport that was valid for 10 years. That passport must be expiring within a year or have expired in the last five years.
You also must be able to pay with a credit or debit card and upload a digital passport photo. Eligibility also requires that you are not traveling internationally for at least six weeks. There are other requirements for eligibility, which you can see here.
However, while it's an easier process that may save you time in doing the admin work of printing and mailing forms, renewing your passport online still takes the same amount of processing time as does renewing by mail.
Processing time is four to six weeks, which, again, does not include mailing times.
What to do if you need a new passport and you're traveling soon
Sometimes, life just happens and you're unable to get a passport in time for your trip. Don't worry — you do have options.
If you don't have a viable passport and you're traveling abroad within two weeks, you can try to make an emergency appointment at a passport center. You'll have to call 1-877-487-2778 to schedule this appointment and bring proof of your imminent travel with you. Then, you may be able to get a passport in time for your trip.
You can also use this service if a life-or-death emergency comes up and you need to travel internationally within 72 hours.
Kiplinger digital managing editor Alexandra Svokos has used this process before, and while it works, she warns that it can mean spending a few hours at the passport center; consider it akin to going to the DMV.
Passport processing times can be daunting, so your best move to avoid anxiety or extra costs is to handle any passport needs while planning your travel. Still, it is possible to get a last-minute emergency passport, so don't worry too much if that ends up being your situation — you'll be relaxing on your vacation abroad soon enough.
