Can I renew my passport without sending the old one so I can travel?

by Devin Wilson
(Carolina Beach, NC, USA)

Question: I travel quite often with different organizations such as Operation Smile and Lifeworks International. Normally at least once a month. My passport will expire in about 10 months. Is there any way I can get my new passport without having to send the current one in as this would make it impossible for me to travel?

Answer: There are a few different ways to handle this situation. One, you can wait until a week before the passport's expiration date and apply for expedited service by mail. Currently, this service is estimated to take between 2 and 3 weeks but is sometimes completed sooner. Of course, this method requires you be without a passport for this period of time.

Another option is to wait until less than 2 weeks before the passport's expiration date and submit the application at a regional passport agency. In many cases, the new passport can be issued the same day. The closest agencies to Carolina Beach are in Atlanta and Washington, DC.

Finally, you can apply for a second passport. Second passports are only issued in special circumstances. American citizens who travel frequently, especially to countries that require visas, can sometimes obtain a second passport. For more information about this option, click the link below.

Second Passport Information