The Importance of U.S. Passport Renewal

When you get your passport for the first time, you may think that you don’t have to do anything else.  What some people take for granted is that they don’t realize they need to renew their passport.  If you received your US passport when you were 15 and under, then it is only valid for 5 years.  If you received your passport when you were 16 and older then it is valid for 10 years.  It is important to keep a reminder of when you are coming due for passport renewal so you don’t forget about it.

There are many reasons why renewing ahead of time is important. Since your passport is your main source of identification while travelling and proof of your citizenship, it is a good idea to look at your renewal options in advance of the expiry date.
Some of the reasons to renew ahead of time are:

• If your passport expires while you are in another country it will prevent you from entering another country
• Without an up-to-date passport, you no longer have valid proof of citizenship
• You may encounter problems when trying to return to the United States
• Many countries require the passport to have been valid for at least 6 months from the day you want to enter the country.

 You have to make sure you meet the requirements to qualify for passport renewal:

• Your prior passport was issued when you were 16 or older
• Your prior passport was issued within 15 years
• Your prior passport is within your possession

As with many other things in life, it is always better to be prepared ahead of time.  So making sure you check your US passport renewal dates and completing the process ahead of time will allow you to enjoy your travels, never worrying about what could happen!