How to renew a passport in time
Renew a passport well before you need it: check the expiry date now, because many countries require at least six months of validity left on arrival. Look up current processing times on the official passport website, apply online or by mail if you qualify for renewal, and add a reminder nine months before the next expiry. Book trips only once your passport is in hand or has plenty of time left.
Why it matters: Processing times and six month validity rules catch people out.
Steps
- Check the expiry date on your passport today.
- Check the entry rules for places you might visit; many require six months of validity.
- Look up current processing times on the official passport website, typing the address yourself.
- Check whether you can renew online or by mail, or must apply in person.
- Get a compliant passport photo and fill in the correct form.
- Track the application and keep copies of what you sent.
- Set a calendar reminder nine months before your next expiry and note it on your safety and admin card.
Common mistakes
- Booking a trip before checking the expiry date.
- Using a third-party site that charges extra fees for the same form.
- Forgetting the six month rule.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to renew a passport in time
What to say
Renew a passport well before you need it: check the expiry date now, because many countries require at least six months of validity left on arrival. Look up current processing times on the official passport website, apply online or by mail if you qualify for renewal, and add a reminder nine months before the next expiry. Book trips only once your passport is in hand or has plenty of time left.
What to show
- Check the expiry date on your passport today.
- Check the entry rules for places you might visit; many require six months of validity.
- Look up current processing times on the official passport website, typing the address yourself.
- Check whether you can renew online or by mail, or must apply in person.
- Get a compliant passport photo and fill in the correct form.
- Track the application and keep copies of what you sent.
- Set a calendar reminder nine months before your next expiry and note it on your safety and admin card.
Check question
How much validity do many countries require on arrival?
Answer: About six months. Many countries refuse entry with less than six months left.
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Related skills
Sources
- US federal passport services guidance, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .