Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Can someone please let me know what is the best way to renew my American passport while here in Spain? I’ve been told you can do it through mail?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
Planning your move to Spain?
Get the free step-by-step roadmap used by 10,000+ expats — covering visas, budget, housing, and the mistakes to avoid.
Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“Yes, do it online, pay, may need new photo or use photo they have, post old passport back, receive new passport. Takes 2 to 6 weeks..”
“Call the embassy of your country in Madrid.”
“Not possible to do online, but you can obtain information on the Embassy website. I was pleasantly surprised in April when I submitted my application. It took only about 3 weeks from the time I sent everything (certified mail!). You must pay with a certified bank check. I recently read that some bank wanted €40 for a €99 check, so do ask your bank, and if they are too greedy, perhaps a friend could get it from his or her bank. I think I paid €18 or somesuch…didn’t have time to ‘shop around.’ They are very picky about the photograph, so read that carefully. Good luck!”
“UK Passport: You can do everything online, being taken through the process step by step. You can even take a selfie and upload that. They tell you if the quality isn’t good enough. When it’s all accepted) subject to human checking) you pay and then send off the passport and any other required documentation. They then message you frequently to tell you what stage your application is at. for American passports it isn’t possible to do online.”
Not sure which city is right for you?
Compare cost of living, weather, expat community size, and lifestyle across 13 Spanish cities in our free guide.
Explore Cities →“We did it by going into the consulate office in Valencia (where we live). Filled out some paperwork beforehand, swung into the office (by appointment), paid fee. Passport showed up via courier service a couple of weeks later. Easy.Check the consulate for your area and give them a call or look at their web pages. https://es.usembassy.gov/u-s…/u-s-consular-offices/“
“I just did this, it took 3 weeks exactly. Sent it to Madrid, you’ll need to fill out the forms that have been linked in the thread, the correct form of payment (bank check) and your old passport + an envelope for them to put everything back in. They do use their own shipment (like 10€, cash depending where you live). They even give you the extra pages.”
“Super easy. Mine took two weeks door to door. https://es.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/“
Useful links:
- Visit our recommended immigration & tax experts here.
- Make sure to visit Spainguru’s Resources page.
- Join Spainguru’s Facebook group with more than 13.000 members
- Join Spainguru’s NLV whatsapp group
- Get quotes for the best Health insurances to apply for a NLV
Get your free step-by-step Spain move plan
10 emails over 2 weeks covering visas, budget, housing & the mistakes to avoid.
Join 10,000+ expats who used this roadmap.
100% free · No credit card · Unsubscribe anytime
