I don't know about on-line renewal, but our passports were set to expire before our driver's licenses and I'm glad we opted to get the passport card along with the passport book. They are valid for 10 years, and you can use the passport card as id for domestic flights. So we just renewed our current licenses online without going the route of enhanced licenses .

We did mail in our passport renewal, however. We've never done that online.

We've had passport and other id photos taken at the drugstore. They know what to do for passport photos. We went to CVS last time. And we also have passport cards for domestic travel. I think we can use them when we drive to Canada, too.

We renewed our Passports a couple of months ago, by mail. I think you can download the application online but not submit it

Photos taken at Walgreens. (We also opted for the book and the card.)

This: “ Application form - Use the renewal application form DS-82 (PDF, Download Adobe Reader). You can print it and fill it out by hand, or use the Passport ApplicationWizard to complete the form online and print it out. While applications can be filled out online, they cannot be submitted online.Oct 2, 2020”

Isn't Canada closed to Americans?

But surely the ban isn’t permanent? Sure hope not!

We got passport photos at Walgreens. Downloaded forms online, and mailed in with old passports. Easy!

DH just did a regular license renewal vs. getting the enhanced so he just kicked the can down the road. He washed his Social Security card and here you have to go in person to get a new one, so he could not get the Real ID. Because he is self-employed they will not accept his self-employment tax data showing SSN with a K-1; they will only take a W-2 or 1099. We renewed our passports about 18 months ago so at least we are good with that. My license expires in June 2021 and I will attempt to get an appointment to get the Real ID. At least the DMV is near our house.

Such a predicament! Sounds like you can get a regular license and renew your passport by mail with photos at Walgreens, CVS, etc. We have done that in the past and it worked well. I am SO glad I didn't procrastinate on getting a REAL ID and I made DH get his too. So our driver's licenses and passports are good to go for years. I so look forward to the day we can travel again.

Get the regular one so that you can drive. You can always get the enhanced when things calm down.

My post office takes care of passports, if you feel comfortable, I would go there.

No but you may not need to rush

I just mailed off my passport renewal application 10 days ago. I have my passport photos done at AAA. As a member it only costs me $5.

I filled out the form online, and printed it off. I also paid to get the passport card.

It's acceptable to take your photo at home, and I watched several videos about how to do it. I considered it briefly, because I'm trying to stay out of indoor commercial spaces with the rapid rise of Covid in my area. But I would have had to rely on my husband's photography skills, and my computer skills to print the picture in the proper size. I decided that going to AAA was worth the risk.

I think if you are AAA Plus or higher, it is free. That is where we went, too, to AAA. Otherwise, I've used CVS in the past.

DS worked in the passport office in Tucson. Most of the photos taken at home were not meet requirements, were rejected and caused delay in processing of the application. If you need to renew, recommend a "professional" photo.

Thank you all! I'll renew my regular license and then deal with the passport. Re the passport photo, there is a Walgreens near here, so I'll check with them, as well as a nearby post office. I live in a small village and I had AAA for years... then they closed the AAA offices in the two cities nearest my home, leaving the nearest open office in a city an hour drive away. I slid off the road in an ice storm one night, called AAA to get my car out of the ditch, and was told their tow truck would have to be sent from that remote location, and it would be a long while getting to me. At that point, AAA was useless to me so I dropped it.

I went to a mailbox/shipping office that specializes in passport photos to have my passport photo taken. I think I then mailed in the application, but I don't remember. I always have my passport with me, and I always make sure it is current.

If you have to choose between the two, let the passport lapse but keep the drivers' license current. There is no penalty for having your passport lapse for a few months, and it will still be renewable when you feel comfortable doing that.

I didn’t know there was a grace period on expired passports. Thanks, Lars. I went to a pro photographer for my first passport photo.... that was pretty awful. Lol. I think now you can even smile. :)

I've never done more than a Mona Lisa smile for my passport photos (or DL), but I do tend to take good photos for my IDs. Some people have even said that I look better in my ID photos than I do in person, and I'm never sure how to take that. When I was younger, I was very photogenic - now not so much😞

I would go ahead and get that regular old DL on line and get that out of your hair. Then just keep the appointment for getting the new "real ID" DL or make the appointment a bit later since you don't have to be in a big hurry just yet.

We renewed our passports last spring, with photos taken at the UPS store inside Walmart. I sent the applications off along with our old passports in February, for a potential trip in May. Course this was before all of the pandemic mess. Our passports finally arrived in August. Perhaps they have caught up some now, but be prepared for it to take longer than the advertised 6 weeks.

I renewed my passport during CV without issue, and it was returned faster than I expected. DD1 did after me, and hers was also returned in a timely manner.

I skipped the Star ID this time around since I did the passport and passport card, but did have to go to the DMV to renew my DL since we moved 2yrs ago. I could not renew it online. That took an hour (June).

btw, there are several passport photo apps you can take photos at home and send to Walgreens (I used their passport photo app) to pick up. Smooth WHITE background is required It's easy to take yourself. I'm about to do again for a new Veteran's ID card. I used a white poster board for the background and held it against the wall with my shoulders.