The United States will apply a new rule that requires handing over the previous passport to renew the document; Those who do not send it will have the new copy withheld and will not be able to travel until the requirement is met.
What are the new passport regulations?
The United States Government announced a key change to its passport renewal procedure that will impact citizens and foreigners alike.
According to the official communication, any person who requests the renewal of the document must send their previous passport.
Otherwise, the State Department will retain the new copy and the applicant will be left without a valid document to cross borders.
The measure seeks to reinforce security controlsavoid duplication of documents and hinder the misuse of expired or lost passports, as reported The Chronicler.
Who does the new regulation apply to?
The provision applies to those who process the renewal by mail using form DS-82.
In these cases, the interested party must include their current passport along with the application, a recent photograph, name change documents if applicable, and payment of fees.
If the previous passport is not delivered, the process is considered incomplete and is automatically rejected. leaving the traveler without the possibility of obtaining a new document.
The State Department specified that, once the renewal is approved, the previous passport will be returned in a separate package after the new document is issued.
The entire process can take around four weeks, a period that could affect those who have upcoming trips or depend on the passport for additional immigration procedures.
Specialists in immigration issues warn that the retention of the passport can have immediate consequences for those who travel frequently or maintain active consular processes.
Being left without a valid document not only prevents you from boarding international flights, but also from re-entering the United States.which places many travelers in a vulnerable situation.
The regulatory change reflects a tightening in the management of travel documents and increasing attention to document security.
Although the measure is not directly linked to immigration policy, its impact will be felt intensely among those who depend on international movement to work, study or reunite with their families.
To avoid complications, authorities recommend reviewing the requirements before starting any renewal and ensure that the old passport is available for submission.
Failure to comply with this requirement could mean being immobilized in the middle of the process, without a valid passport and without the possibility of traveling until the situation is regularized.
The withholding of the new passport, if the previous copy is not provided, is part of a larger effort to strengthen identity controls.
The official communication from the State Department, supported by reports from The Chronicler and other specialized media, makes it clear that the regulations are not only in force, but are being applied with unusual rigor.
For those who are about to renew their document, the sign is unmistakable: without handing over the previous passport, there will be no new document, and without a new document, there will be no trips.
