Time flies, and before we know it, 15 years have passed since we needed a passport to leave the country, and now it has expired. Passports for US citizens can be renewed quickly if done within a certain period of time. But don’t worry, the penalty isn’t losing your nationality or being stuck in the country for life, but rather losing the convenience of being able to renew it quickly.
If your passport is too old, you can no longer use the “fast track” renewal by mail, but instead you are required to appear in person at the office to complete the bureaucratic process. It’s as if you were applying for a passport for the first time in your life. If you have a passport that expired a few years ago and you don’t know exactly what to do, don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place.
What’s the “15 Year Rule”?
According to the State Department, a U.S. passport for adults is valid for 10 years. When this decade passes, the government offers a grace period of five additional years. During this extra time, the passport is expired (and cannot be used for travel), but the system still trusts that your biometric data is still valid. If you renew it within those five years, you can easily do so from home by mailing in an envelope.
However, this is where the limit lies: the 10-year passport validity plus the five-year grace period creates a 15-year limit from the first date of issue. If more than 15 years have passed since that passport was issued, the government considers your digital identity to have expired.
Although it’s hard to admit, 15 years is a long time, and our physical appearance changes substantially. In addition, the security technology—chips, holograms, etc.—that was used decades ago is now obsolete. That’s why the U.S. government needs to see you in person again to confirm that it’s you and prevent any identity fraud.
Does the government really withhold passports?
If you’ve heard that the government withholds passports, the truth is that this is only half true. Every time you renew your passport, regardless of whether the grace period has passed or not, you must hand in your old passport.
The government department retains it so that it can be officially canceled (in fact, they punch holes in it) to ensure that it is invalidated and cannot be used to forge official documents. But don’t worry, they will return it to you by mail a few weeks later so that you can keep it as a souvenir.
How to know if I have exceeded the 15-year limit
If you are unsure how expired your passport is, go to the page with your photo and look for the “Date of Issue” in the lower right corner. How long has it been?
- If it was issued less than 15 years ago, you can renew it by mail. To do so, find, print, and complete Form DS-82. Take a new photo for your passport. Then, find a sturdy envelope and put the signed form, photo, check (approx. $130 for the standard fee), and your old passport in it. Send it by certified mail so you can track the package at all times.
- If more than 15 years have passed, you must download and fill out Form DS-11 (be careful, do not sign it until you are in front of a government official who is specifically watching!). In addition to your old passport, you must present your original Birth Certificate or Certificate of Naturalization. You will also need a valid secondary form of identification, such as your driver’s license or state ID. Bring the original documents, and then a photocopy of each. Next, you will need to appear in person at a Passport Acceptance Facility. These are usually post offices (USPS), public libraries, or local court clerks’ offices.
FAQs
It’s been 16 years, can I send it by mail?
No. If more than 15 years have passed since it was issued, you must go to an office and use form DS-11.
Do I need to bring my birth certificate?
Yes, if you have to go in person (DS-11), you need the original certificate and copies to prove who you are, as your old passport is not sufficient.