Why Fall is the Best Time to Renew Your Passport

As a part of its “Apply Early” campaign the U.S. State Department of Passport Services is celebrating National Passport Awareness Month. The stretch between September and December is the best time to renew your passport because it is the least busy time of year for the department. Last year, the State Department issued over 14 million new passports and the demand is expected to increase each year, so applying for your passport now, even if your next trip isn’t until next year, will ensure faster processing of your application.

Besides getting it out of the way, there are a lot of reasons you might need to renew your passport. Some countries require U.S. passports to have at least six months of validity in order to enter and if you are living in a state affected by the REAL ID Act, you might even need one to fly domestically.

The State Department has also released this useful infographic to help travelers determine when and how they should apply for or renew their passports, as well as this helpful list of pro-tips.

More from Smarter Travel

• 9 Surprising Passport Facts You Need to Know
• The REAL ID Act: Is your License About to Become Useless for Air Travel?
• The Best Way to Get a Passport in a Hurry

Jamie Ditaranto is a writer and photographer who is always looking for her next adventure. Follow her on Twitter @jamieditaranto.