Damaged Passport vs. Normal Wear and Tear: When Do You Have to Reapply in Person?
A U.S. passport with a torn page, a water-stained data page, or a cover pulling away from the binding cannot be renewed by mail. The Department of State classifies it as damaged, which means a Form DS-11 application submitted in person, the damaged book surrendered, and a signed statement explaining what happened. A softened cover, […]