6 Year Old Passport Issued To Minor. Should I renew it before going to Canada?
Question I was 13 years old when I was issued my passport. It will be expiring in January of next year. I will be traveling to Canada in the following month of this current year for college at age 19. Therefore, I have a 6 year old passport. Should I renew my passport when I get to Canada or should I renew it before I go? Will I be able to renew my passport and have it in time for my trip next month?
Answer From what I gather in your question, it seems that your current passport has already expired. Being that you were 13 years old when you got it, and you are now 19 years old, that makes your passport 6 years old. Any passport issued to a minor under the age of 16, will only be valid for 5 years. You may want to verify if your passport is still valid as of current.
Also, since you were a minor when you got your passport, you will have to appear in person in order to renew it. You will not be able to renew it via mail. So, you will need to appear in person to submit your application and documentations.
You will not be able to renew your passport in the United States before your trip using regular passport processing as that will take a minimum of 4 weeks to receive. You will be able to use an expedited passport service for an additional fee which will increase your chances of getting your passport before your trip next month. Expedited services will process your passport within 2-3 weeks. To ensure you have a passport for your trip, you should appear at a regional passport agency or hire a professional expediter. This will reduce the processing time for your passport.
All of the above is not necessary if your passport is still valid. If your passport does indeed expire next year, then you can wait to renew your passport in Canada at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
The following links can provide you with more information.
