U.S. citizens in Bolivia seeking to renew their 10-year validity adult passports are encouraged by the U.S. Embassy in La Paz and the Consular Agency in Santa Cruz to use courier mail for the renewal process if they meet certain criteria.
According to embassy guidance, applicants may use courier service for passport renewal if their most recent U.S. passport is undamaged, was issued when they were at least 16 years old, was issued within the last 15 years, and either bears their current name or they can provide legal documentation of a name change. Those who qualify do not need to schedule an in-person appointment.
Applicants who do not meet these requirements—such as those whose prior passport is lost, stolen, damaged, was issued before age 16, or more than 15 years ago—must complete form DS-11 and attend an in-person interview at either La Paz or Santa Cruz.
The embassy also states that any applicant who prefers an in-person appointment may request one. Required documents for such appointments include a completed form DS-82 listing a Bolivian mailing address and telephone number (a hotel’s contact information is acceptable), one U.S. passport-sized color photo with a white background (2 x 2 inches), the most recently issued U.S. passport with a photocopy, and payment as outlined on the embassy website.
For more details on photo requirements, applicants are directed to consult the Department of State website.