How far in advance do I need to renew a passport in order to travel?

by Connie
(Princeton, NJ - U.S.A.)

Question: My passport expires on May 3rd of this year, so obviously I have to renew it before I travel to England at the end of May. However, I may also be traveling to Costa Rica in April and I was just informed of a 'minimum validity' of 20 days before being able to do that. In other words, I would have to renew it before I went to Costa Rica in April.

My concern is whether or not the same holds true for England and if perhaps I may just be better of renewing right now while I am not traveling anywhere.

Thank you

Answer: England does not require a specific number of months validity. U.S. citizens seeking entry as tourists or visitors are simply required to present a valid passport.

Routine passport processing is currently taking approximately 4-6 weeks from the time you submit your application. If you apply right away, you should not have any trouble getting your travel document before your trip to Costa Rica.

The requirements for a passport renewal by mail include completed form DS-82, your current passport and two recent passport photos. If your name was legally changed since your most recent passport was issued, you also need to include the document that proves the change.

All the above should be sent to the address on the form with the fee of $110. You are encouraged to use protective packaging such as a Tyvek envelope and a traceable means of delivery.

If you were a minor when your current passport was issued, then you cannot apply by mail. Rather, you must appear in person at an acceptance facility to apply for a new passport. There are numerous passport offices in New Jersey, including one in Princeton.