Greetings. My US pp will be up for renewal soon l. I have read conflicting reports as to if I can keep hold of my old pp while the new pp is processing. I haven’t started the online application yet- still have a couple months. Just wanted to get some info from members that may have renewed theirs recently online. I’m on a retirement visa and need to get new pp before my visa is up for renewal. Thanks in advance.

Yes for online renewal it is required to mail in your current passport. Yes it is stressful. It will be returned with your new passport. Likely in about a month.

According to your Embassy you mail it in with your application;

"Include the passport you are renewing in the package you mail to the Embassy.  The passport will be canceled and delivered together with your new U.S. passport along with any original documents you submitted."

I did it last year and simply followed the process outlined. You do have to send in your old passport, no way around it.

Step-by-Step Mail-In Process

1. Complete the Form: Fill out and print single-sided, then sign and date Form DS-82 (accessible via the U.S. Embassy in Thailand Passports Guide). You must provide your Social Security Number on the form. [1, 2]

2. Get Photos: Prepare two identical 2x2 inch (5x5 cm) color passport photos with a white background. [1, 2, 3, 4]

3. Pay the Fee: Pay the passport renewal fee online through the official government payment portal, and print out your payment confirmation receipt. [1, 2]

4. Prepare Mailing Materials: Gather your current/expired original passport book, the completed/signed DS-82, the photo copies, payment confirmation, and a prepaid return envelope designated for Thailand tracking. [1]

5. Mail the Package: Send your application packet strictly via Thailand Post or DHL directly to the U.S. Embassy Bangkok. Do not mail packages to the Chiang Mai consulate. [1]

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated!

Plan ahead --no vehicle accidents, bank withdrawals or hospital visits.

Just kidding.

Take a paper copy and a copy of your new application. 🥂

Edited 21 minutes ago21 min by SiSePuede419
There are no accidents