When to Renew Your US Passport: October Through December

When to Renew Your US Passport: The Best Time of Year

If you’re wondering when to renew your US passport, or when to get your child’s first one, the answer comes straight from the US government. The State Department says the busiest period runs from late winter through summer, and asks people to plan ahead and apply between October and December, when demand is lower.

This advice carries even more weight after 2025. In fiscal year 2025, the government received a record 23.3 million applications and issued a record 27.3 million passports (books and cards). With that volume, the time of year you apply makes a real difference in your wait time.

One caution: the State Department itself warns that processing times can change based on demand. Check the official processing times page close to when you plan to apply.

US Passport: How Long Does It Take Today?

In October 2024, the government cut the routine service processing time to 4 to 6 weeks (down from 6 to 8). Expedited service stayed at 2 to 3 weeks. Those were the official processing times as of April 2026.

That clock starts when your application reaches the State Department, and it doesn’t include mail time. Expedited service costs an extra $60 fee and can be requested either at an acceptance facility or with a mail-in renewal.

The Real Math: How Many Weeks Until Your Passport Reaches Your Door

Mail time isn’t part of the official count. Your application can take up to 2 weeks to reach the government, and the finished passport can take up to another 2 weeks to reach you. Add it all up, and routine service can run to about 10 weeks door to door, while expedited can run to about 7 weeks.

The government also notes that people who apply on the same day can get their passports back on different dates. That’s why you should build in extra time before your trip date. If you want to travel at year-end or during summer vacation, applying now, in the low-demand season, is the smoothest way to get there with the document in hand.

As an official reference:

For urgent service, you need to schedule an appointment at a passport agency or center and prove international travel within 14 calendar days, or 28 days if you need a foreign visa. Appointment slots may not be available when you need them, so don’t count on this as your main plan.

Renewing Online, By Mail, or In Person: Which One Fits Your Case

Renewing your US passport online is possible, but only for a specific group: adults age 25 or older who are in the US, with no name or sex change, holding their 10-year passport, which either expires within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago. On top of that, online renewal can’t be expedited, so it only makes sense if you don’t have a trip in the next 6 weeks.

The only official site for this is opr.travel.state.gov, and no third party can sign or submit the online renewal for you.

Mail-in renewal (Form DS-82) requires that your previous passport was issued within the last 15 years, when you were 16 or older, with a 10-year validity, and in your current name (or with a documented name change). It also must not have been reported lost or stolen.

Outside those cases, renewal isn’t an option. A passport issued more than 15 years ago, one that didn’t carry a full 10-year validity, or one obtained before age 16 requires a new, in-person application using Form DS-11, the same form used by first-time applicants.

A Child Born in the US: Why It’s Not a “Renewal”

Many Brazilian parents are surprised by this: a child under 16 never renews a US passport. Every application is a new, in-person DS-11, and the document is valid for only 5 years. With young children, that cycle repeats often.

As a rule, both parents or guardians need to appear with the child. If one of them can’t go, extra documents are required, such as Form DS-3053, most of them notarized.

Proof of citizenship (a US birth certificate, CRBA, Certificate of Citizenship, or a valid US passport) must be a physical document. A digital certificate or one on your phone isn’t accepted. As for fees, a child’s passport book costs $100, paid to the State Department, plus a $35 acceptance fee paid to the facility. These are two separate payments.

A Child with Dual Citizenship: Does He Need Both Passports?

To enter and leave the US, yes, he needs the American one. US law requires US citizens, including dual-national children, to use a US passport at that point, and a child who is a US citizen cannot be issued a US visa.

For trips to Brazil, the story changes. Since April 10, 2025, US citizens need a visa to enter Brazil. But a Brazilian who is also a US citizen cannot be issued a Brazilian visa on a foreign passport. To avoid problems at boarding, the official guidance is to travel to Brazil with a valid Brazilian passport.

For children of Brazilians born in the US, the consulate in New York offers a combined service for birth registration, CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID), and passport. And it’s worth remembering: a Brazilian minor with dual nationality needs a travel authorization to leave Brazil without one of the parents.

The Mistake That Delays Applications Most: The Photo

According to the State Department, a non-compliant photo is the number one reason an application gets held up. During the low-demand season, losing weeks over a photo wastes the exact advantage of applying early.

The photo needs to be in color, taken within the last 6 months, with a white or near-white background, no glasses, and no filter. Another detail that trips up a lot of people: the DS-11 should be printed beforehand, but only signed in front of the agent, when asked.

How Much Does a US Passport Cost in 2026

Official fees published in 2026 (government fee + acceptance fee, when it applies):

Expedited service adds $60 to the regular fee. If proof of citizenship is missing, a file search costs $150. The 1-to-3-day expedited delivery has a separate cost, and the official pages themselves show different figures for it, so confirm the current amount before paying. Fees change, and the acceptance fee is set by the facility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I renew my US passport before it expires?

Yes, within the rules. Online renewal is only allowed if your current passport expires within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago. Outside that window, mail-in renewal (DS-82) may still work, as long as the passport was issued within the last 15 years, when you were 16 or older, with a 10-year validity. If your case doesn’t fit either rule, the path is a new, in-person DS-11.

If I renew online, do I get my old passport back?

With online renewal, your old passport is canceled as soon as you submit the application and is no longer valid for travel. The government advises keeping it, not mailing it in.

How many months of validity do I need to travel?

Passports issued from age 16 on are valid for 10 years, and children’s passports (ages 0 to 15) are valid for 5. Some destinations require at least 6 months of validity beyond your travel date, and some airlines won’t let you board without it.

What happens if I don’t have my child’s original birth certificate?

The government doesn’t accept a digital birth certificate or one on your phone for a DS-11 application. If proof of citizenship is missing, a file search is available, which costs an extra $150.

Who needs to sign a child’s DS-11 form?

The form is printed beforehand but only signed in front of the agent, at the time of the application. For children under 16, as a rule both parents or guardians need to appear with the child.

If you want to take advantage of this October-to-December window without risking a holdup over some small detail, talk to Pontal. With our US passport service, we prepare the DS-11 form and take the photo to the required standard, checking the paperwork before you submit the application, whether it’s yours or your US-born child’s.