How to Renew or Apply for a Passport

Applying for a passport should be simple, but with so many scenarios -- from replacing chewed-up passports to expedited service -- the process can be confounding. Here are some answers to common questions.

Q. How much advance time do I need to apply for a passport?

A. It can never be too soon -- whether you have a foreign trip planned or not. Obviously, with a passport in hand, you can jet off with little notice. However, if you've been putting off your application, be aware that some countries do not accept a freshly cut passport and require at least six months' validity.

Where can I find passport information?

The U.S. State Department is the official source, and its Web site ( http://www.travel.state.gov/ ) clearly outlines the process, requirements, fees, etc. It also includes updates, such as the recent closing of the New Orleans Passport Agency, which affected the applications of many in Virginia (except for Northern Virginia).

Can I apply by mail?

Not if you're a first-timer. Mail-ins are for renewals whose old passports are not damaged and were issued within the past 15 years. The passport must also have been issued after your 16th birthday, and there must be no name change that you cannot legally prove.

To renew a passport, send in a padded envelope a DS-82 form (available on the U.S. State Department's Web site or at post offices or travel agencies; see below); your most recent passport; two identical 2-by-2-inch passport photos; and a $67 check made out to the U.S. Department of State. If your name has changed, also include a certified copy of the legal document specifying the change (e.g., marriage license, adoption papers, etc.). Mail to the National Passport Center at the address on the form. This address is changing at the end of October, so check the Web site for the new address to avoid delays.

You can also request a larger, 48-page passport for no extra fee; simply attach a signed request to your application. Your new passport should arrive within six weeks (for expedited service, see below). And yes, your dog-eared, stamp-plastered passport will be returned for future gloating purposes.

Who must apply in person, and what's the process?

Here's the checklist. If you answer yes to any of these, then head to your nearest passport facility.

· You're a first-time applicant.