der_saeufer

Yep, you can renew by mail as long as the passport was issued within the last 15 years to a bearer who was at least 16. For 98% of cases, this means you can renew by mail 5 years after the passport expires.

WRCSolberg

He can just do it by mail which is much easier, as long as his name hasn't changed or he wasn't a minor when his last passport was issued.

MSPeconomist

Exactly. Going to the main post office in person and waiting in line is required when applying for one's first passport.

However, if you need the new passport quickly or if you're nervous about following the instructions to renew by mail, you can easily go to a passport agency to take care of this efficiently.

N830MH

Hi All,

We just sent it out my passport by last week. So they already got it over last Sunday. So now, the passport application is being processed. So I can't wear a glass? We went to Walgreens to take a passport photos. Is that new rules for glasses? So I can't wear it or should I keep it on?

frobozzelectric

i find it interesting that your country trusts the citizen to provide the pictures.

some insist that all images be taken on official state cameras and computers.

UAPremExecflyer

Really? How hard is this?
No glasses in US passport photos since November 2016.

nmh1204

Whilst many countries in Europe only require a passport valid for your length of stay (from the British FCO so may only apply to UK passports), airlines may not let you board if you have less than 6 months validity.

Don't know about American passports, but British ones don't let you wear glasses

Often1

It is folly not to renew your passport in a timely manner such that it is always valid for any travel which you might possibly require.

FT is full of examples from people who suddenly require international travel, require travel to a country which has lengthy expiration deadlines, want to expand an existing trip to include such a country, and so on.

While it is possible to obtain a passport on the day of travel in an emergency, that requires a physical trip to a Passport Agency. The closest PAs for OP are in Los Angeles & San Diego.

So, yes, you can obtain a quick passport, but it causes a lot of stress, may cost an eye-popping amount of money (for travel to a PA) and is disruptive in the extreme.

Just keep your passport on a schedule where it is renewed such that you always have at least 6 months left and you won't go wrong.

As an arithmetic matter, this will cost you a few dollars over a lifetime, but that pales against the cost of just one emergency effort.

catocony

Generally speaking, if you travel internationally for work or have relatives/business outside the US that might require a last-minute flight, then always us a Passport Agency office. Whether you mail your passport out after it expires or a year early, it's still out of your hands and unavailable for a few weeks. It's not stressful to set up an appointment a week or two in advance at an office, go in, drop off your paperwork and current passport, then either wait for it or come back 1-3 days later for pickup.

catocony

Everyone does their first passport application at a Post Office or other facility in person. That's where they verify that the photo is you. After the first one, on renewal, they just match the new photo submitted with your renewal app to the photo on your old passport.

frobozzelectric

my that is absolutely convenient.

N830MH

Yes, they did. Because it's new rules. You can't wear glasses. It was too hard to see, but my eyes can barely see it. I still wear a glasses.

Yes, because it's new rules. You can't wear a glasses, but it was too hard to see.

ft101

Not true.

https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports

catocony

Too hard to see what? You stand in front of a white backdrop, take your glasses off, someone takes the photo, you put your glasses back on.

Were you trying to take your own passport photo or something?

FlyingUnderTheRadar

Those are the requirements for a VISA photo not a passport photo:

https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...ts/photos.html

That said passport photos also mention no glass.

As to why is is hard? Because many of us have renewed passports multiple times and the rules have changed recently.