For the longest time, the passport process has been seen as this giant burden that people going through keep dreading. We have come a long way since then and it is not as bid a deal anymore, as long as all the papers for your passport are in order and all the details mentioned on your passport are correct. Most passports, if made around the time that you are turning 18, usually have a 10 to 15 years expiration date, with a very few exceptions.

We do have to mention that the process of renewing passports varies depending on the country that the passport is from but in India, the process is quite standard across the board.

Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when working toward renewing your passport.

Passports can only be renewed close to their expiration date which prevents people from getting this done well in advance. However, it would be wise to begin the process between six to eight months before expiration. Although the process doesn’t take that long, it would be wise to leave a buffer since there are instances where there could be a delay and the last thing anyone would want is having to start from scratch.

Since handling a ​passport renewal​ is quite a challenge on the internet for some people, there are other alternatives. Passports can now be renewed through the mail and this can also be done in person. If an applicant wants to renew their passport through the mail, there are certain guidelines that they have to follow:

1. The passport cannot be damaged or mutilated.
2. It has to have been applied for in the last 15 years.
3. The passport could never have been lost or stolen.
4. The passport should have all the correct details on it, even if it was applied for a decade before.

If the passport process is being handled through the postal system, there are a couple of forms that have to be filled out and posted over. This has to be done along with the supporting documents needed for a passport renewal. Finally, the original passport has to be sent over as well. All of this would be sent to the nearest passport office and they would process and verify everything at their end.

Make sure that a payment amount and method has been attached as well. If there are other documents and changes that need to be handled, such as a post-marriage name change, or a new address since you moved since the last time, add that information as well. Finally, if the passport authorities are to handle the ​passport renewal​ and send it back, suggest a method to get this done, the most popular being trackable postage.

The process is quite similar if it is being handled in person, the only major difference being that the applicant would have to go to the office themselves with all their documents, and mention if they would be interested in collecting their passport the same way or through the post.