What do I do to replace my temporary passport with a permanent passport?
by Courteney
(New York, New York, USA)
Question: My passport was stolen while I resided in the UK and the US Embassy issued me a "temporary passport". This temporary passport needs to be replaced with a permanent passport. What am I required to do in order to obtain my permanent passport?
Answer: The process for replacing a limited-validity passport (aka temporary passport) depends on how long it has been since the document was issued.
IF you received the limited passport book less than one year ago, then you need to submit
DS-5504, Application for a U.S. Passport: Name Change, Data Correction, and Limited Passport Book Replacement.
Along with form DS-5504, you need to submit your passport, one passport photo and any documents listed as necessary in the temporary passport. Send the application and documentation to the address on the form.
There is no fee for this service unless you want to expedite the process.
IF you received the limited passport book more than one year ago, then you need to complete
Form DS-82, Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail.
Together with this form, submit your passport, one passport photo, proof of name change if you changed your name since the temporary passport was issued and any documents listed in the temporary passport as necessary.
The fee to
renew a passport is presently $110 for adults. An additional $60 fee needs to be paid if you want the application expedited.
Either way, you should place the contents in a secure package such as a Tyvek envelope and send it by a traceable delivery method.
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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