A US passport renewal Houston is available for US citizens in Houston and its environs who wish to renew their passports. Renewing your passport is essential if you wish to travel abroad for any purpose for two reasons; the country you are travelling to will request your passport to process your application, while airlines will not allow you onboard their flight if you don't have one.
Many people wait until their passport is about to expire before starting the renewal process, but this is not a smart move. Based on the standard practices of many embassies of other countries, passports that expire in less than six months are not accepted for visa processing. So if you have an upcoming trip and your passport expires in a few months, you may not be able to make it.
How Long Does A Passport Renewal Take?
A passport renewal takes 6-8 weeks, provided nothing is wrong with your application. This duration excludes the shipping timeline, which may take an extra 1-2 weeks. The actual processing time begins to count once the passport centre or agency receives your application. However, you can apply for expedited processing and get the passport in under six weeks; in some cases, the passport may be delivered in three weeks, but you will have to pay an extra $60 for expedited service and a Priority Mail Express service.
Application Methods For Passport Renewal
You can apply for a renewal using any of these methods
Mail: You can apply for a renewal by mail, which is relatively straightforward. All you have to do is to mail your documents through the USPS to the Department of State passport agency in Houston. Once the agency receives the package, they will sort out your documents and commence the processing.
By Appointment: You can also apply for a renewal by scheduling an appointment with the US Department of State agency in Houston. This process involves placing a call to the centre to request an appointment. An appointment will be scheduled on a set date which you must attend with original and photocopies of your documents. Your data will be captured at the centre, and once the passport is ready, you will be contacted to pick it up.
US citizens living abroad also have the option to visit the US consular office or embassy in their host countries to apply for a passport renewal.
Use A Passport Service
If you don't live close to a passport centre or find the mail option confusing, you can use a specialist service to help you deliver your documents to the State Department. Using such a service will save you the stress of doing it on your own and making mistakes. You can simply visit the passport service page on VisaHQ to request the service. VisaHQ will receive your documents, arrange them orderly and mail them to the designated agency for processing.
Passport Renewal Documents
Here are the documents you need to renew your passport.
Form: The DS-82 application form is required for renewal. The form must be completed and signed by you.
Old/Current Passport: You will need your old or current passport as this is a prerequisite to qualify for a renewal. If you can't produce the passport in good condition, you will have to apply for a new passport instead.
Proof of Citizenship: A birth certificate or naturalisation certificate is required to prove citizenship.
Passport Photo: A clear passport photograph
Proof of Identity: A valid ID card, like a driver's license of at least six months old and above, is required.
Name Change: If your name has changed, but you still want to renew your passport, instead of applying for a new one, you need to provide a document to validate the name change. A marriage certificate, divorce certificate or court order will come in handy.
Conditions For Renewing A Passport
The State Department can renew only passports that meet these conditions.
Good Condition: The passport must be in good condition; otherwise, it will not be renewed. Tattered or dismembered pages are not accepted for renewal.
Minor: If the current passport was issued when the applicant was under 16 years of age or cannot be renewed.
Age of Passport: The passport must not be older than 15 years at the time of application submission.
Same Name: The new passport's name must be consistent with the name on the old passport. If your name changes, you must produce a valid legal document like a court order or marriage/divorce certificate to confirm the changes.
These are the conditions necessary for a US passport renewal Houston. For stress-free passport renewal, contact VisaHQ to avail of their passport service for a fraction of a few, and you will be glad you did.