In order to do a renew us passport by mail, you must comply with a few simple requirements and your existing passport must be unmarred. Basically, the previous passport must have been issued when you were at least age fifteen. The existing passport must not more than fifteen years old. You must not have had a name change in the period since your passport was issued.

Another alternative is to apply for a passport card. This card can be issued by mail if you have not received a passport card through the mail previously. You must quality for the mail-in passport requirements. Overdue child support will keep you from receiving a passport. When mailing in your documentation for a passport or card, be sure to use a secure envelope. Make the necessary purchases to be able to trace the documents through the mail.

A lost, damaged or stolen passport can't be renewed through the mail. It must be done in person. You will need to complete an application except for the signature blank which will be done in the presence of the passport agent. Your social security card must be presented for proof of identity.

The next step in the application process is to prove your citizenship. You can do this through many different means. One of the easiest is with a previous passport; if this is not available, a certified birth certificate will do. A naturalization certificate or a certificate of citizenship is also a way of proving your citizenship status.

You will need to provide forms of personal identification. This identification can be a current driver's license, a current military ID, a government ID, a naturalization certificate or an undamaged passport. When you don't have a primary form of ID, there are some secondary forms of ID that are acceptable. These require someone with ID to vouch for you.

You must submit copies of your documentation on individual sheets of 8.5" by 11" white paper. The copies must be at least actual size, but they may be enlarged to readability. If there are two sides to the documentation, each side should appear on a separate page.

All required fees for the passport services you are ordering must be submitted with the documentation and application. You will usually be charged for the application approval by the passport agent. In addition, you must pay for the passport itself. Expedited delivery times to or from the passport issuing office will cost extra. You can submit fees using checks, credit card or money orders. Be aware that personal checks must clear the bank before the passport is issued.

A renewing an American passport application must include two new passport photos. These are to measure two inches by two inches and be a full-face view against a white or off-white background. You should not do anything in the photo that would differ substantially from your normal appearance. If you wear a wig, glasses, hearing aid or other devices normally, wear them for the pasports picture. Tinted glasses require a doctor's statement that they are medically necessary.