The thought of passport renewal can often strike fear in the hearts of many.

It conjures up images of waiting in long lines, dealing with all sorts of admin, taking new photos that you’re bound to end up hating, and shelling out money.

And while some of this simply can’t be avoided, renewing your passport online has made the process much simpler, quicker, and less stressful.

You don’t want drama when it comes to planning your travels. So read on for the main benefits of online passport renewal…

1: On Your Own Time, in Your Own Home

Although it’s not currently possible to totally carry out a passport renewal on the internet in the US, a lot of it can be done from the comfort of your home, on your own time, electronically.

The US Department of State website – as well as other independent and approved services – lets you download the DS 82 form you need to kick-start the process, meaning you don’t have to line up to obtain one or fill it in in a pressurized environment.

Rather than visit a passport issuing facility such as a post office, county court, or library, you can skip the lines and the mass of people who would clearly rather not be there.

Doing it at home also means you don’t have to drive there, park, and dedicate a significant chunk of your precious time to the process.

The e-documents are often simplified too, so as to save time and make the process stress-free.

Criteria for Passport Renewal

The form can be completed if the passport you already own was issued when you were 16 or older. It also cannot be over 15 years old itself.

If your name has changed since the renewal, this is also an issue. But most people won’t run into these pitfalls, and so downloading the form is easy to do.

While you can fill the form out electronically, you can also print it and write it by hand. If the latter, you must fill it out in black ink.

If electronically completed, you must then print out the form on one-sided paper and with black ink. You must sign and date it via hand, even when completing it electronically.

Be aware of the fee involved in renewing your passport also.

2: Photographic Freedom

The beauty of being able to complete a passport renewal using the form obtainable online is that you can make sure everything is in place before you eventually send it off to be processed.

This gives you flexibility and time. And that can be a major perk when it comes to the all-important passport photo.

Rather than be rushed into selecting an image you really hate, you can provide one you have vetted first. The stipulations here are that you must have taken the shot within the past six months.

It has to meet the requirements set out for a passport photo but you can re-take it on your own time if you wish.

Once ready, staple it in the designated space on the application and send this with your old passport. You’ll get this back, in a separate envelope than your new one.

Send it via tracked mail in a padded envelope.

3: Expedited Passport Renewal Services

You can opt to fast-track your passport renewal at an additional cost of around $60, but this fee often fluctuates year to year and via different service providers.

But the perk of renewing your passport online when it comes to expediting your form means that you can complete the application using the DS 82 online, approve the photos and send with “expedite” written on the envelope all from home.

Just be sure to include the fee with it when you send it off.

4: Checking the Status of Your Passport Renewal

The Department of State website lets you keep track of your passport renewal status. As do other services you can renew via.

By providing your last name, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and your date of birth, you can log in and see where the passport is in the renewal process.

Other platforms also support real-time mobile tracking which means you can get up-to-date status alerts and track the progress and whereabouts of your documents using your phone or tablet.

5: Digitally Secure, Electronically Clear

By renewing your passport online with a legitimate platform, your information will be safely stored.

By not having to venture out of the house to the post office or library to complete the application, you are ensuring your personal information is being kept in a safe space. By staying at home with the documents you need, you’re lessening the risk of any personal information or details leaking to unwanted prying eyes.

The systems that are approved for online passport renewal will also contain a digital vault that is secure and centralized as an identity repository.

Information will be stored safely to be reused for future applications, should you wish to use this option – which will save you further time in the future as well.

If you have indeed opted to fill a form out electronically, then this lessens the potential for misspelling or typos. Similarly, it eradicates the risk of application officers not being able to read your handwriting.

In the long run, this saves you from having to re-submit any unprocessable forms and will save you time. It will also save you money on further postage costs.

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