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When to renew your passport and other documents

See when to start renewing each passport, license and card, not just when it expires.

Room to leave for travel

Some countries want 6 months left beyond your trip; the Schengen area wants 3 months after you leave. Check where you're going.

Time to renew: 10 weeks

A routine US renewal takes 4 to 6 weeks, plus up to 2 weeks of mailing each way (State Department). UK renewals usually take up to 3 weeks, and Canada's 10 to 20 business days plus mailing. 10 weeks covers the longest.

No document numbers or photos: this list only needs the date, and keeps it unencrypted on this device.

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How it works

Add each document with its expiry date. Instead of reminding you on that date, the list works back to the day you should start renewing.

For a passport it first sets aside room for travel: some countries want six months left beyond your trip (US State Department), and the Schengen area wants three months after you leave. Then it allows time for the renewal itself: 10 weeks by default, because a routine US renewal takes 4 to 6 weeks plus up to two weeks of mailing each way. UK renewals usually take up to three weeks. For licenses, permits, trusted-traveler cards and the rest, each kind has its own default, with its source, or labelled as our rule of thumb when no official figure exists. Every one can be changed.

The ruler shows each document's remaining life: solid navy where you should be renewing, hatched where a passport is still valid but too close to expiry for some trips. "Remind me" adds an all-day event with a 9 AM alert to your own calendar on the start-by date. No numbers or photos are asked for or kept, and everything stays on this device.

Questions people ask

How early should I renew my passport?
Early enough that the new one arrives before your passport gets too close to expiry to travel. Some countries want six months left beyond your trip, and a routine US renewal takes 4 to 6 weeks plus up to two weeks of mailing each way, so this list suggests starting 10 weeks before that six-month line: a little over eight months before the expiry date.
Do I need 6 months left on my passport to travel?
For some countries, yes. The US State Department says some countries require at least six months of validity beyond the dates of your trip, and some airlines won't let you board without it. The Schengen area asks for three months after you leave and a passport issued less than 10 years before you arrive. Check your destination's rules before you book.
How long does passport renewal take?
It depends on the country and the season. The US State Department lists 4 to 6 weeks for routine service and 2 to 3 weeks expedited, with mailing on top. HM Passport Office says UK passports usually arrive within 3 weeks. Canada's standard is 10 business days at a passport office or 20 by mail, online or at a regular Service Canada Centre, plus mailing.
When can I renew Global Entry or TSA PreCheck?
Global Entry renewals open a year before it expires, and if you apply before then you keep the benefits for up to 24 months while it's processed (CBP). TSA PreCheck can be renewed online up to six months early, and TSA encourages renewing at least 60 days before it expires.
Why doesn't this list ask for document numbers?
Because the date is all it needs. Numbers and photos are the details worth keeping off a device: NIST counts passport and driver's license numbers and face photos as personally identifiable information. This list stays in your browser, unencrypted, and goes wherever you send an export.

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of State: passport processing times
  2. U.S. Department of State: passport FAQs (six months of validity)
  3. HM Passport Office: about our services
  4. GOV.UK: France entry requirements (Schengen passport rules)
  5. Canada.ca: Canadian passport service standards
  6. CBP: Global Entry frequently asked questions
  7. CBP: Renew your NEXUS membership
  8. TSA PreCheck: frequently asked questions
  9. USCIS: Replace your Green Card
  10. GOV.UK: Getting an MOT
  11. GOV.UK: Renew your driving licence
  12. NIST SP 800-122: protecting personally identifiable information