Should I renew my expired passport or apply for a new one?

by Lisa
(Sebastopol, CA USA)

Question: My passport expired in 1999. Can I still renew? Also is a marriage license/certificate sufficient for a name change? I never officially changed my name after I got married in 1992. I thought the marriage certificate was sufficient. What documentation is needed? If I need to do an official name change, how long will this take?

Answer: You can renew a passport by mail as long as your most recent passport is undamaged and was not issued more than 15 years ago nor when you were a minor.

The requirements to obtain a U.S. passport renewal include a completed application form DS-82, your most recent passport and two passport photos that were taken in the last 6 months.

An official marriage certificate serves as proof of name change.

The fee to renew a passport book is $75. You can request a passport card at the same time for an additional $20.

Regular processing takes 4-6 weeks. You can request expedited service if you want to get your passport renewed in 2-3 weeks. There is an additional $60 fee for this.

If you need to get your passport in less than two weeks, you can either visit a regional passport agency or authorize a professional passport expediting service to submit the application for you.

Applicants are encouraged to use a secure means of packaging such as a Tyvek envelope and a traceable delivery method. Two-way overnight delivery is strongly recommended if you need your passport fast.