What Is the Best Way to Send a Passport?

The best way to send a passport is by USPS with tracking: Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express, in an envelope big enough that nothing gets folded. That’s what the U.S. Department of State recommends for mailed renewals, through USPS. If you’re sending a passport to a person rather than to the State Department, use an overnight service that records a signature, such as Priority Mail Express or UPS Next Day Air, and add insurance or Registered Mail for the most protection.

A passport is an identity document, so the method that matters most is the one you can trace from drop-off to delivery. Here’s how to choose the service, pack it and handle problems.

What Is the Best Way to Send a Passport for Renewal?

Use a trackable USPS service. USPS states that the Department of State recommends a USPS delivery tracking service for mailed renewal applications, and lists three choices: Priority Mail with delivery confirmation, Priority Mail with signature confirmation, and Priority Mail Express.

Send your Form DS-82 renewal application, photo, fee payment and most recent passport together in one envelope, addressed to the location shown in the DS-82 instructions. For expedited service, USPS says to mark the envelope “EXPEDITE” and send it by Priority Mail Express.

Stick with USPS for this leg. The mailing addresses in the DS-82 instructions are P.O. boxes, and the UPS Tariff states that UPS does not deliver to P.O. boxes. If you qualify, the State Department also offers online renewal, which skips mailing entirely.

Which USPS Service Is Best for Mailing a Passport?

Priority Mail Express is the fastest and best documented, Priority Mail is the usual balance of speed and tracking, and Registered Mail is the most secure. Here’s how the options compare.

Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail include free envelopes large enough for a passport application. A passport book itself has little resale value, but replacing one takes time and a new application, so the coverage limits matter less than tracking. Our guide to USPS insurance coverage and claims explains how to add more.

How Should You Package a Passport for Mailing?

Use an envelope large enough to fit the application without folding it, which is the State Department’s guidance as published by USPS. A Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express envelope works and comes free with the service.

• Place the passport and documents flat, and add a piece of cardboard if you want extra stiffness.
• Put the passport in a plastic sleeve or zip bag to protect it from moisture.
• Photograph or copy the passport’s data page before you seal the envelope, and keep it at home.
• Seal the envelope fully and write a complete return address, which USPS requires on Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express.
• Keep the receipt with the tracking number until the passport is back in your hands.

The same approach works for birth certificates and other originals. Our guide to the best way to mail important documents covers them in more depth.

What Is the Best Way to Send a Passport to Someone Else?

To get a passport to a family member, a visa service or yourself while traveling, choose an overnight or 1–3 day service with tracking and a signature. Priority Mail Express or UPS Next Day Air with a signature option both give you a delivery record and a named person who received it.

If the passport goes to a visa or travel agency, follow its instructions exactly, since many specify the carrier and the return-envelope service. For the broader range of fast options, compare same-day, overnight and ground delivery services.

When you’re buying the label yourself, ParcelPath is free to use and gives up to 89% off USPS and up to 85% off UPS. You can compare Priority Mail Express and UPS Next Day Air side by side in the ParcelPath rate calculator, and use Shipsurance coverage for added protection.

Can You Send a Passport Internationally?

Yes, but use the most trackable service available, such as Priority Mail Express International or UPS Worldwide Express, and check the destination’s rules first. Some countries restrict what can be sent through the mail, and USPS lists those restrictions on each country page of its International Mail Manual.

A customs form is usually required even for documents, and it needs the sender’s details. If you’re renewing a U.S. passport while living abroad, follow the U.S. embassy or consulate’s instructions instead of mailing it to a U.S. address. For timelines and customs basics, see our guide to international shipping carriers, customs and destinations.

How Does the State Department Mail Your Passport Back?

Your new passport and your old one come back in separate mailings. USA.gov says the most recent passport is mailed back separately after the new passport, in most cases about 4 weeks after you receive the new one, so don’t panic if only one arrives.

You can also pay an extra State Department fee for faster return delivery, which USPS describes as 1–3 day return shipping. Keep watching your mailbox and Informed Delivery, if you use it, until both items arrive.

What If a Passport Is Lost in the Mail?

First check the tracking. A package that’s stalled or headed back often shows up there, and our explainer on tracking a return-to-sender package shows what those scans mean. If it’s still missing, USPS accepts Missing Mail search requests starting 7 days after mailing.

If the passport is truly lost, report it to the State Department with Form DS-64 (Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport). That cancels it so no one else can use it, and you’ll then need to apply for a replacement. A complete return address on the envelope gives USPS a way to send it back if it turns up undeliverable; here’s why mail without a return address can’t be returned.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to send a passport for renewal?

Mail your DS-82 application and old passport by USPS with tracking. USPS says the State Department recommends Priority Mail with delivery or signature confirmation, or Priority Mail Express for expedited requests, in an envelope large enough that the application isn’t folded. Address it to the location in the DS-82 instructions, and mark it “EXPEDITE” if you paid for expedited service.

Can I send my passport by UPS?

For a renewal application, use USPS: the DS-82 mailing addresses are P.O. boxes, and UPS states that it does not deliver to P.O. boxes. To send a passport to a person, a visa agency or a street address, UPS Next Day Air with a signature option is a good choice, because it gives you tracking and proof of who received it.

Is it safe to mail a passport?

Yes, when you use a trackable service and pack it properly. The State Department’s guidance, published by USPS, is to use a USPS tracking service and an envelope big enough to avoid folding. Copy the data page before mailing, keep the tracking receipt, and report a passport that’s truly lost with Form DS-64 so it’s cancelled.

Will my old passport be returned with my new one?

No, they arrive separately. According to USA.gov, your most recent passport is mailed back after the new one is sent, usually about 4 weeks after you receive the new passport. If the new book arrives first, that’s normal. Contact the State Department only if the old passport hasn’t arrived well after that window.

Sources

• USPS: Passports (renewal by mail, recommended services, envelope guidance)
• USPS: Priority Mail Express
• USPS: Priority Mail
• USPS: Ground Advantage
• USPS: Missing Mail
• USPS Domestic Mail Manual 602: Return address requirements
• UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States (section 14, P.O. Boxes)
• USA.gov: Renew an adult passport (usa.gov/renew-adult-passport)
• U.S. Department of State: Form DS-82 instructions and Form DS-64 (travel.state.gov)

Part of our Best Way to Mail Important Documents guide. Related: Can I Ship Tax Documents to the Irs, Precious Metal Shipping, Can You Mail Something Without a Return Address.