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Passport Renewal Kit
Passport Renewal Kit

Answers to common questions about the passport renewal kit

Victor Gorbina avatar
Written by Victor Gorbina
Updated over a week ago

Thank you for trusting us to help walk you through renewing your United States passport book! We try to make the renewal process as painless and efficient as possible. This article explains what comes in your kit as well as common issues and questions around renewing your U.S. passport.

One great thing about ordering your passport renewal kit from iVisa is that we complete the paperwork for you and provide you with all of the necessary paperwork and shipping envelopes with pre-paid postage attached. All you need to do is sign the paperwork, drop your passport into the priority mail envelope, seal it, and drop it in the mail.

Click the common questions below to move to that part of the article:

A. You keep telling me my photo is wrong!

We completely understand how frustrated you might feel to have us tell you that you need to take another photo and submit it again. Snapping a picture that meets the government’s standards can be tough! We have a great guide with examples of photos located here that can help you take a good photo.

If, however, you cannot seem to take a good photo, you can choose to go to your local store that offers passport photo services. Some stores where you can get your passport photo taken are: CVS, Walgreens, Target, and Walmart. You can always check to see if your local store offers this service for a small fee. Once you have your photo taken at any of the above stores, you now have a photo you can use.

All you need to do now is let us know that you have your own photo you are going to use. Upload a copy of your new passport photo to your account. You can scan it in or take a picture with your phone. We will then ship your kit without a photo included.

Note: By using your own photo, iVisa is not responsible if the Department of State rejects your application because of your photo. Most of the stores above do offer a guarantee that their photos are compliant. You would need to contact the store where you had your picture taken if the government says it is not compliant.

Please note if you are attaching your own photo to the application:

  • Staple the photo to the application. Please use 4 staples vertically in the corners as close to the outer edges as possible.

  • Do not bend the photo.

  • You cannot wear eyeglasses in your passport photo (unless you have a signed note from your doctor that you can include with your application).

B. Can I track my application after I mail it?

The priority mail envelope included in your kit has a tracking number on it. We suggest you snap a photo of the tracking number or write it down so you can track it on the USPS website. This way you know when your application has been received by the government.

C. What comes in the kit?

The items in the kit are:

  1. An instruction sheet on what steps you need to take in order to complete your kit

2. Your completed DS-82 form with flags on where to sign.

3. Your photo stapled to your application.

4. A bank check made payable to the U.S. Department of State. Your full name and date of birth are on the memo line of the check as required by the U.S. Department of State.

5. A priority mail flat rate envelope with the postage and tracking information attached.

We suggest you snap a photo of your tracking number on the envelope or write the number down so you can track the status of your passport in the mail. This way you can see when the Department of State has received your passport renewal application.

Safe travels!

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