How to renew a passport

A passport is the one document where being late has a hard edge. There is no grace period, no discretion at the desk, and an expired passport cannot be used to travel even on the day it lapses.

When to start

Most countries process a routine renewal in three to six weeks. That figure is the printing, not the wait for an appointment, and appointments are where the real delay lives — in busy months a consulate slot can be two months out on its own.

The safer rule is to start when nine months of validity remain. That is not caution for its own sake: many countries refuse entry to travellers whose passport expires within six months of arrival, so a passport with five months left is already useless for a lot of travel while still technically valid.

What renewal usually involves

Almost everywhere the shape is the same: a form, a photograph that meets a specification, the old passport, proof that you still hold the nationality, and a fee. Countries differ in whether you can do this by post, online, or only in person.

The photograph is the most common reason an application comes back. Requirements are specific about dimensions, background colour, head position, glasses and expression, and they differ between countries — a photo accepted for one passport is regularly rejected for another.

What changes depending on where you are

Renewing from inside the issuing country is usually the simplest route and often the only one with an online option. Renewing from abroad means going through an embassy or consulate, which adds appointment scheduling, courier time and frequently a higher fee.

Some countries let a passport be renewed by post from abroad; others require you to appear in person once, even if everything else is done online. A few require you to return to the issuing country entirely. This is the single biggest variable, and it is why the country guide matters more than any general advice.

What commonly goes wrong

Damaged passports are often treated as lost rather than renewed, which means a longer process and more evidence. Water damage and a detached cover both count.

Names that no longer match — after marriage, divorce or a legal change — usually require supporting documents that take their own time to obtain. Start those first, not last.

Children's passports expire faster than adults' almost everywhere, typically after five years rather than ten, and they cannot be renewed on the same terms.

The rules depend on the country

Everything above holds broadly. The authority, the fee, the forms and the lead time do not. Pick where the document was issued.

Every other country

Questions

Can I renew a passport that has already expired?

In most countries yes, and it is still called a renewal rather than a new application, as long as the passport is undamaged and was issued to you as an adult. Some countries set a limit — often five or ten years past expiry — after which you apply as a first-time applicant.

Do I get my old passport back?

Usually yes, cancelled, with the corners clipped or a hole punched through the cover. Keep it. It is evidence of your travel history and of continuous nationality, and some visa applications ask for it.

How early is too early?

Many countries add the remaining validity of the old passport to the new one, up to a limit, so renewing early rarely costs you time. Where they do not, you lose whatever was left. The country guide says which applies.

Don't rely on remembering

Add your passport to Duratum and we'll tell you when to start, and remind you before it matters.

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