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USA gov site has a page entitled Getting or Renewing a U.S. Passport, where it states:

Tips on When to Renew Your Passport

  • Renew your passport approximately nine months before it expires.

Does the same apply when renewing a passport from overseas? Or is more time required?

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There can be a logic behind that time period.

Most countries require at least 6 month passport validity for entry. It doesn't apply for returning to USA as a citizen. You can enter USA without any issues upto expiry date of the passport and with some difficulties, even after expiry.

It can take maximum of upto 2-3 months for passport renewal. So, combined with both time period, they are making an assumption to renew your passport before that, so that your travel plans stays safe.

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  • Just as an interesting point, I know of a US citizen who travelled from Ireland back to the US after a holiday without her passport. So out of interest I think if you are a US citizen, and if you can prove it, then you can get back into the country without a passport, pretty interesting.
    – kingmilo
    Mar 20, 2019 at 11:07
  • @kingmilo A US citizen cannot be denied entrance to the US. Travelling without a passport will result in longer screening time and additional questions at Immigration while they verify your citizenship, but you will be let in eventually. This is not unusual in any way, except for the circumstance which led the person to not have their passport on the trip.
    – Roddy of the Frozen Peas
    Mar 20, 2019 at 13:10
  • "Most countries require at least 6 month...": Perhaps not literally most, but certainly many countries have that requirement. "2-3 months": the stated time is 4-6 weeks, but in my experience it's usually faster (around 2 weeks). Renewals abroad may also be faster (eg: Sarajevo, two weeks). But overall the answer is correct: it's to avoid being unable to undertake unexpected travel.
    – phoog
    Mar 20, 2019 at 15:45

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