My passport was set to expire early next year. Since some countries require you to have at least 6 months passport validity remaining to enter the country, I knew I had to figure out a good window to renew my passport. Initially, I had about 8 months between my recent trip to Canada and my Spring Break 2026 trip. But then, I added a quick trip to Guatemala this fall, so my window for renewal narrowed.
My Online Passport Renewal Timeline
I LOVE that you can now renew a U.S. passport online if you meet the following qualifications:
- Passport is/was a 10-year passport and you are age 25 or older
- Passport expires within one year or within the past 5 years
- You’re not changing your name, sex, date of birth, or place of birth or requesting anything other than a “regular” passport (i.e. this isn’t for diplomatic passports)
- No travel planned for 6 weeks (your current passport will be invalid after sending in online renewal)
- You live in United States
- Passport has not been lost, stolen or mutilated
- You can pay by credit or debit card
- You can upload a digital passport photo
I met all of those qualifications, so I started the process. Honestly, the hardest part was getting my digital passport photo with the correct light/no shadows.
July 17: I completed the online application
July 19: My credit card payment was accepted
July 30: The passport office mailed my passport via US Priority Mail
August 2: I received my passport in the mail
From start to finish, the online renewal process took 2 weeks and 2 days. I’m impressed!
Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Nice 😊