Mutilated passport renewal information
Question:I went to the passport agency at the post office and completed a passport renewal application form.
Sent the new application and all the requested forms and a check registered mail, return receipt requested. I have received a form letter stating that the request was mutilated. The check was cashed.
They now want a complete new application form, new birth certificate and related material, and a new check.
Is there any person I can contact to find out why I received this. If they cashed the check they Must have the rest of the information.
Answer: Passports that are significantly damaged cannot be renewed by mail. The first page of instructions on
Form DS-82: U.S. Passport Renewal Application provides applicants with a checklist to verify if they are eligible to use the form. It reads in big bold letters: CAN I USE THIS FORM? Underneath this it reads, "Complete the checklist to determine your eligibility to use this form."
The fourth item on the list states, "My most recent U.S. passport book and/or U.S. passport card for which I am renewing has not been lost, stolen, mutilated, or damaged."
Then, in bold letters, the application states, "If you answered NO to any of the statements above, STOP - you cannot use this form."
Those who attempt to renew a mutilated passport will be asked to appear at an application acceptance facility in order to apply for a new passport. Since the application fee is non-refundable, you are also required to pay the fees for the new passport. Click the links below for information on how to complete this process.
New Passport Requirements
Return to Passport Replacement FAQ.
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UPDATE: Mailing delays and high demand are impacting passport processing. The Department of State's processing times begin when applications are received at a passport agency or center and not when you mail them or apply at a local acceptance facility.
Standard service may take between 10 and 13 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.
Expedited service takes from 7 to 9 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.
Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.
If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment:
Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. ET, call 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY:1-888-874-7793)
Outside of these hours, call 202-647-4000.
For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.
If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC at 1-877-487-2778 Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. ET.
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