Are you planning to take a tour to your favorite country or explore new places? Thinking of going for higher studies abroad or just planning on a vacation, in any of the cases you would require one essential thing and that is a passport.
In case you already have a passport that needs to get renewed then don’t waste time as it can get seriously inconvenient after a while. Not being able to go on a vacation or pursue further studies just because your document is expiring or has expired is sad. In case you have been postponing the thing because you don’t know how long does it take to get a passport renewed, then here are a few pointers.
Get Your Passport Renewed Early
Awaiting and anticipating something to happen can be burdensome so instead of sitting and fretting over it just get the thing done at the earliest. You can travel to a lot of countries even with 6 months left on your current passport; it is a good idea to deal with the issue around 9 months before the expiration date. This is what the official site of the US government tells you to do. This also leaves you with ample amount of time since the whole routine of the process takes a good 6 to 8 weeks. This includes the arrival of the mail as well.

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)
The Cost
In case you want to get things done early, there is a price to pay for it, quite literally. A normal renewal means shelling out $110 and to accelerate the process, you have to pay an additional price which is $60. In case you want to get it delivered overnight via email then that means another $15.45.

(Image Courtesy: Chicago Tribune)
How Long Does It Take To Get A Passport Renewed If You Are In A Crunch
There are cases when you need your passport renewed at an immediate basis. If you are in dire need then certain passport agencies and courier services may be able to help you out. Though be ready to sell out a lot of money as there are companies that can get the job done in just one business day as well but will cost you $399 to do the work apart from all the expedited fee for the government.
Passport Card
Now, shelling out a fortune just for early renewal is not something that everyone can afford to do so in that case you can make use of passport card. If you live near a border area or visit places such as Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean by land or sea, then it would be really worthwhile to get yourself a passport card. This card that costs $30 allows in and out of all the aforementioned places without having to carry any actual booklet.

(Image Courtesy: Immigroup)
Things Required
The documents that you need to carry for your in-person appointment are two passport photos, a completed DS-82 form, the latest passport that you have, and the fee that you need to pay.
Know more about the difference between passport book and passport card. Also, share with us any doubts that you have regarding the procedure.
(Featured Image Courtesy: Livalty Tours)
It usually takes some time to get your passport renewed. Although I'm unsure about the exact figure, I believe it would easily be between 2-4 weeks.