Photos. You need a specific 2x2 inch photo with a white background, no glasses, neutral expression. You can get them at CVS for about $15, but be warned: they’ll make you look like a wanted criminal. Or you can DIY it for free with a smartphone app, but if you get the dimensions wrong, your application gets rejected. Your call.
Passport card vs. book. You might think, “Hey, I’ll save money by getting just the card for $30!” But the card only works for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. If you’re flying internationally, you need the book. So unless you’re driving to Canada for a poutine run, don’t cheap out. The book is non-negotiable.
And don’t forget shipping costs. If you mail in your renewal, you need to use a traceable delivery service like Priority Mail, which costs about $8 to $15. And they’ll send your new passport back via Priority Mail too—that’s another $8. So add $16 to $30 just for postage. Fun, right?
