You can fold your passport renewal application, since the State Department doesn’t explicitly forbid it, but you shouldn’t. The DS-82 instructions tell you not to bend the photo, and a folded form creates creases that can interfere with scanning and human review. Mail everything flat in a letter-size envelope and you avoid the problem entirely.1U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
Why Folding Is a Bad Idea
Two things ride inside a DS-82 envelope that really don’t like creases: the photo and the form itself.
The photo comes first. The State Department’s renewal instructions say “do not bend the photo,” and the DS-82 repeats that warning in the stapling section on page one.2U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals A bent or creased photo can be rejected at intake. If that happens, the processing center writes to you asking for a replacement, and your application sits in a holding status until you send one back.3Travel.State.Gov. Respond to a Letter or Email Since the photo is stapled to the form, any fold across the top of the DS-82 runs straight through it.
The form is the second concern. It needs to be legible for both reviewers and scanning equipment. A deep crease through printed text, the barcode area, or your signature line can slow things down or trigger the same kind of correction letter.
Use an Envelope That Fits Letter-Size Paper Flat
A USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope works well. It holds 8.5-by-11-inch paper without folding, and it’s sturdy enough to protect a passport booklet in transit. Any large envelope of similar size will do the job as long as your DS-82 lies flat inside.
Assemble the packet on a flat surface. Print the DS-82 single-sided on standard 8.5-by-11-inch paper; double-sided forms aren’t accepted.4U.S. Department of State. Passport Forms Sign and date it by hand. Staple the photo to the form using four staples placed vertically in the corners, as close to the outer edges of the photo as possible, following the template printed on page one.2U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals Press carefully so you don’t crease the photo while stapling.
Then slide in your most recent passport, your check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State,” and any certified name-change document you need to include. Seal the envelope.
Where to Mail It
The address depends on the service level and, for routine service, your state:1U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
- Routine service from CA, FL, IL, MN, NY, or TX: National Passport Processing Center, P.O. Box 640155, Irving, TX 75064-0155.
- Routine service from all other states and Canada: National Passport Processing Center, P.O. Box 90155, Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155.
- Expedited service from anywhere: National Passport Processing Center, P.O. Box 90955, Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955. Write “EXPEDITE” on the outside of the envelope.
Inside the U.S., send it through USPS; a trackable option like Priority Mail with delivery confirmation lets you verify receipt. From Canada, use Canada Post. From other countries, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for instructions.5U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Passport Outside the United States
If the Photo or Form Arrives Damaged
If the processing center flags something at intake, they send a letter, and sometimes an email, describing what they need. A bent photo, an unreadable form, a missing signature, and wrong or missing payment all show up on that list of common triggers.3Travel.State.Gov. Respond to a Letter or Email
You have 90 days to respond. During that window your application sits in holding, so the standard processing estimates don’t really begin until you send corrected materials and the center confirms receipt. Include the original letter with your reply so they can match it to your file. Once everything checks out, your status updates to show it’s back in process.3Travel.State.Gov. Respond to a Letter or Email
One Alternative That Skips the Envelope Entirely
If you’d rather not mail anything at all, check whether you qualify for online renewal at opr.travel.state.gov. You need to be 25 or older, have a passport that’s expiring within a year or expired less than five years ago, not be changing your name or other personal information, and be located in a U.S. state or territory when you submit. Only routine processing is available, so give yourself at least six weeks before any travel.6U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online For anyone eligible, there’s no envelope, no photo to bend, and no fold to worry about.