A letter or email asking for more information means the State Department has paused the passport application. Read the notice before sending anything. It should tell you what is missing, how to respond, where to send the material, and when it is due.
Use the instructions in that notice. Do not substitute a general renewal address or file a second application unless the State Department tells you to start over.
Information to find in the notice
| Part of the notice | What it tells you | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Application number | The number tied to the pending passport application. | Keep it available if you call the National Passport Information Center. |
| Information requested | The photo, form, fee, passport, or supporting document needed to continue processing. | Send only what the notice requests. |
| Return address or response method | Where and how the response must be submitted. | Copy the full address as printed. Some requests may permit an email response. |
| Due date | The deadline for the State Department to receive the additional information. | The standard response period is generally 90 days from the date on the notice. |
| QR code or web instructions | A link to supporting instructions on the State Department website. | Confirm that the link leads to travel.state.gov. |
Why you may receive a passport renewal letter
An intake facility checks the mailed Form DS-82 and the contents of the envelope before the renewal enters regular processing. A letter or email may be sent for any of the following reasons:
| Problem | What the State Department may request | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Form not signed or dated | A new signed and dated Form DS-82. | Do not mail a detached signature page unless the notice specifically permits it. |
| Photo missing or unacceptable | One new photo that meets current passport-photo requirements. | Use the attachment and mailing instructions in the notice. |
| Application pages missing | A complete replacement form. | Print and submit every required page, including pages that appear mostly blank. |
| Fee missing or incorrect | Correct payment in the form described in the letter. | Do not send a replacement check without the application number or notice. |
| Most recent passport missing | The passport book or card being renewed. | Send it only with the requested materials and to the address provided. |
| Passport issued more than 15 years ago | A new in-person Form DS-11 application may be required. | A passport that is too old cannot be renewed with DS-82. |
| Name-change evidence missing | An original or certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order. | The document must connect the name on the passport to the name requested on the renewal. |
| Applicant does not qualify for DS-82 | Instructions to apply in person. | This may apply when the passport was issued before age 16, is significantly damaged, or cannot be submitted. |
Your own notice controls. Follow it even when the problem is not listed here.
Responding to the request
- Mark the application number, requested item, response method, and deadline.
- Prepare only the form, photo, payment, passport, or document requested.
- Include the notice with a mailed response unless the instructions say otherwise.
- Copy the notice and everything you send.
- Use the address printed in the notice and keep the mailing receipt or tracking number.
Use the address in your letter, not a routine or expedited DS-82 mailing address.
The response address may be different from the address used for the original renewal.
How the application status may change
The online status may show one of these messages:
- Additional Information Needed: The State Department sent a letter or email and placed the application on hold. Respond within the deadline shown.
- Information Received, In Process Again: The requested material arrived, and the application is being reviewed again.
- Not Available: A DS-82 that is still at the intake facility may not yet appear in the processing system. This can occur when the intake facility asks you to resubmit the form before an agency or center begins processing it.
The hold adds time to the case. Check the online passport status system after the requested information has been sent.
Verify the letter or email before responding
A genuine State Department notice should identify the application and state what is needed. A QR code or web link should lead to travel.state.gov.
Check the following before sending documents or payment:
- Confirm that the notice includes your application number and a specific request.
- Check that web links use the official travel.state.gov domain.
- Do not rely on a phone number or payment link from an unexpected message when the details appear inconsistent.
- Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 and reference the application number when you need confirmation.
If international travel is approaching
Send the missing information first. Paying for expedited service does not remove the hold.
- Travel within 14 days: Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. Have the application number, travel date, and proof-of-travel details available.
- Travel is more than 14 days away: You may call to ask about upgrading to expedited service or adding faster return delivery for a passport book after sending the missing information.
- The State Department tells you to submit a new application: Follow those instructions rather than filing a duplicate renewal on your own.
A passport courier cannot work on an application that remains on hold inside the State Department’s system. A courier may help later if the package is returned and the State Department requires a new submission.
Check the next DS-82 package before mailing it
A complete mail-in renewal should contain:
- A complete Form DS-82 signed and dated by the applicant.
- The most recent passport book or card being renewed.
- One compliant passport photo.
- The correct check or money order payable as directed by the State Department.
- An original or certified name-change document when the requested name differs from the passport.
- The correct mailing address for routine or expedited service.
No acceptance agent checks a mail-in renewal before it is sent. Our DS-82 renewal mistakes guide covers the form, photo, payment, passport, and supporting documents.
Passport renewal letter FAQs
The State Department generally requires the additional information within 90 days of the date shown on the notice. Use the exact due date printed in your letter or email.
No. Use the full response address printed on your letter. Do not substitute a routine or expedited renewal address.
Include it when mailing the requested material unless the notice states otherwise. It helps the processing center match the response to the application.
The State Department has paused the application until the requested material is received and accepted.
The State Department received the requested information and resumed its review of the application.
Only when the notice provides an email response option. Otherwise, mail the documents to the address shown in the letter.
No. Do not file a duplicate application unless the State Department instructs you to start over.
A courier cannot access or change a pending application. It may review a new package if the State Department returns the application and requires another submission.
Last reviewed: August 2026
Our role: We explain the response process for a passport renewal that is missing information. The State Department sets the deadline and response address and decides whether to approve and issue the passport.
