Can a U.S. citizen apply for passport renewal by mail from Canada?

by Eddie
(Cambridge Ontario Canada)

Question: I'm an American citizen living in Canada. My U.S. passport expires this year. My question is can I still apply for renewal through mail without having to travel to the U.S. to renew it? will it be mailed to my home in Canada or does it have to be a U.S. address?

Answer: Eddie,

American Citizens living in Canada are eligible for passport renewal by mail. The renewed passport will be mailed to your address in Canada.

You may submit the application for renewal by mail only if you meet ALL of the following requirements:

* You are at least 18 years old; and

* Your most recent passport was issued when you were 16 years of age or older; and

* Your most recent passport was issued within the last 15 years; and

* Your most recent passport was not a limited-validity passport (i.e. it was issued for its full five-year or ten-year validity); and

* You can submit the passport with the application; and

* You are not requesting a change in the passport data, other than a name change and you submit original documentation to reflect a legal name change, such as a marriage certificate or a certificate of name change.

The DS-82 form is not correct where it states that passports may be renewed by mail only if the applicant is using a U.S. mailing address. In fact, an exception is made for residents of Canada.

For complete instructions, click the following link.

How to Renew a Passport