Originally Posted by
Xyzzy
If you want to make sure you always have a valid US passport you could try to obtain a
second US passp
rt so you still have one while the other is being renewed.
Even without a second passport:
Standard practice for passport applications abroad with the US State Department allow for in-person applicants at US embassies/consulates to present a currently valid US passport for purposes of passport application but retain that unexpired passport for use until picking up the newly-issued US passport at the embassy/consulate. This is a way that US citizens can maintain use of their only valid US passport while awaiting for the renewal passport to become available for use.
Even most US citizens abroad don’t know this is an option to always have a US passport for use while awaiting a renewal. And this option via US embassies/consulates is available even to those not living abroad.