U.S. Embassy in Guatemala

The courier renewal process steps

You may qualify to renew your passport by courier if you meet ALL of the following criteria:

• Your previous U.S. passport book/card is in your possession;
• You were at least 16 years old when your most recent U.S. passport book/card was issued;
• Your most recent U.S. passport book/card was issued less than 15 years ago; AND
• Your previous U.S. passport was issued under your current legal name.

NOTE:  Previous lost/stolen/mutilated passports DO NOT meet criteria for the service.

If you do not meet the above criteria, you should follow the regular passport application process and schedule an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala.

Please submit the following documents:

1. Fill out the online Form DS-82 and print the typed form.  We do not accept applications filled out by hand.  Please make sure to sign and date the application.  Your signature should match the one in your previous passport.  Your SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER IS REQUIRED to adjudicate the passport application.  If you have never been issued a Social Security number, you must submit a declaration signed under penalty of perjury (click here for the No Social Security Number statement).  This declaration does not need to be notarized.
2. Provide one 2” x 2” photo taken within the last 6 months.  Please remove your eyeglasses.
3. Pay the $130 fee.  You may pay online or with a cashier’s check issued by a Guatemala bank.
   • To pay online, please go to pay.gov and then provide a copy of the online payment confirmation.
   • To pay by bank cashier’s check, the check must be the exact amount of $130 (U.S. dollars) or Q1040 (Guatemalan quetzals) and made out to “U.S. Disbursing Officer.”  The check cannot be more than six months old from the date issued.  Do not send cash, and do not write anything on the check.
   • If you are also applying for a U.S. passport card, please add $30 (U.S. dollars) or Q240 (Guatemalan quetzals).  At this time, it is not possible to pay the passport card fee through pay.gov.
   • IMPORTANT NOTE: Checks submitted with the incorrect amount or addressee will be rejected, and your application will be sent back to you using the return shipping label provided.
4. Include your most recent U.S. passport.
5. Bring all documents (form, photo, payment, passport) to any Cargo Expreso or Guatex agency – list of agencies is below.  You must include a prepaid return shipping label from the same courier agency so that we may return your new and previous passports.

Please take note of the following:

• The entire process takes 6-8 weeks or more from the time your application leaves your hands until you receive your new passport. You may check the status of your application at any time at https://passportstatus.state.gov/.  The U.S. Embassy receives passports approximately 10 days after the are issued in the United States.
• Neither the Embassy nor the courier company will communicate with you regarding the status of your application, but you may use the tracking number from your return label to determine when the package is ready for pick-up.
• Incomplete or incorrect applications will be returned to you using the return shipping label submitted with the application.
• Courier agency personnel will not review your documents or application to verify whether they are correct or complete. They will ONLY make sure that you do not include cash in the envelope.
• The courier agency will accept ONLY one application and one payment per envelope.
• Do not forget to sign and date your application.
• To obtain a bank cashier´s check, an active local Guatemalan bank account is required.

Please find below the list of local agencies for Cargo Expreso. Contact them to find specific information about prices and schedules.

revisado 01-19-2023