The U.S. Department of State is conducting a pilot program allowing U.S. citizens resident in the Netherlands to pay for a DS-82 U.S. passport renewal application online and mail in their passport application. Beginning July 19, 2021 adult passport book renewal applicants in the Netherlands may complete their payment online and submit their renewal via mail. Passport cards can as yet not be applied for by mail.
Most adults qualify to renew their valid (or recently expired) 10-year passport via mail. Please check your eligibility for the mail-in procedure here.
Do NOT use our mail-in procedure if you are not eligible. Do NOT use our mail-in procedure and online payment if you are planning to apply in person. Your application will not be processed.
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions section if you have any questions about this process.
1. Processing time
Processing time using our mail-in procedure is between 3-5 weeks, provided your application is duly paid for and correctly completed.
Note that when renewing your passport during an in-person appointment processing time will be 4-6 weeks from date of appointment and that due to limited appointment availability wait times could be lengthy.
2. Fill out and print out FORM DS-82
Complete FORM DS-82 online, and print it out single-sided, on two sheets of paper. Back to back printed forms cannot be processed. Do not print the instructions as you are to use this website instead, and do not print the DS-82 fee payment form. At ‘Mailing Address’ list your Dutch address, even if it is only temporary. You cannot currently list a “Country” when completing the “Emergency Contact” section on our forms. Please list an emergency contact in the United States. Applications filled out by hand may require longer to process. You may sign the form at home in blue or black ink. Digital signatures or otherwise electronically signed forms are not acceptable.
3. Social security number requirement
You must provide an answer to question no. 5, even if you do not have a Social Security Number or do not remember it. Do NOT list your Dutch Burger Service Number (BSN). Click here to learn more about passports and the social security number requirement.
4. Proof of U.S. Citizenship
Include your most recently issued full validity (10-year) U.S. passport, with a photo copy of the biographical information and signature pages. If your most recently issued passport expired more than five years ago, click here.
Note we will cancel and return your old passport to you. Applications without the original passport cannot be processed.
5. One 2”X2” U.S. format color passport photo
Provide one U.S. format: 2″ x 2″ (5 x 5 cm.) passport photo. We cannot process the smaller Dutch format photos! Click here for guidance on the perfect U.S. passport photo. Make sure to watch the video.
Note that providing incorrect passport pictures will cause significant delays to the processing of your passport application.
6. Photo copies
We require a photo copy on A4 size paper of your current U.S. passport. Please note that both the bio and signature page must be visible.
7. Prepaid Return Envelope
Return envelope
We require a return envelope approximately 23X16cm, or 9″X6″ in size. NO larger envelopes, no padded envelopes, no DHL envelope, please. We can only send passports within the Netherlands.
Postage
We recommend using the trackable “waybill” from DHL express, or DHL parcel label. These you must order online at: https://my.dhlexpress.nl/pwa/shipment/package/.
When prompted, please select “Mailbox Parcel”, and enter your personal information as the recipient. Check the option “E-mail Notification”.
When asked about the sender, enter your own name and the following mailing address: John Adams Park 1, 2244 BZ Wassenaar. Use your own e-mail address as sender and receiver so you receive all correspondence regarding your shipment. Print your DHL label and glue or tape it on your return envelope. No barcode only labels as they do NOT work.
Alternatively, you may use 5x regular “1” stamps from PostNL. Please note that by choosing this method you will not be able to track the shipment, nor are you able to retrieve the shipment should it get lost. The Consulate assumes no responsibility for lost mail.
8. Submit your payment online
You must include a printed confirmation of your proof of payment in your mail-in application. Without proof of payment your application will be denied and returned. This proof of payment can NOT be used for applications submitted in person, by appointment, at the Consulate in Amsterdam.
Please follow this link to submit your payment. In the name fields, please use your current legal name, even if it is different from the name that appears on your prior passport. If you are submitting a payment on behalf of another passport renewal applicant, please enter their name. All fields are required.
Note: you can only use this form to pay for one passport application at a time. Fee payments for multiple applications must be submitted separately. Further note that this form cannot be used to submit passport card applications.
9. Submit your application package
DO NOT MAIL YOUR PASSPORT TO THE UNITED STATES!
Please mail in all of the above documentation* to:
U.S. Consulate General
U.S. Citizen Services – MIPS
John Adams Park 1
2244 BZ WASSENAAR
The Netherlands
Kindly note that we cannot provide status updates. We recommend using your DHL tracking code to see if your new and old passports are on their way back to you.
*Mail in Checklist:
- Form DS-82, pages 1 and 2. Sign page 1.
- If you do not have a Social Security Number, your declaration to that effect (see item #3 above)
- Your current U.S. passport
- One 2″x2″ passport photo
- Photocopy of your passport’s biographical information and signature pages
- Your prepaid, properly addressed return envelope
- Your printed proof of payment
