Guatemalan passports are only valid for five years, so if yours is approaching that age, it's time to start thinking about renewing it. Fortunately, the process is pretty straightforward – even for Guatemalan passport holders living in the United States. All you have to do is gather the necessary documents and present them to the relevant Guatemalan government office: For residents of Guatemala, that's an office of the National Registry of Persons (RENAP), and for Guatemalan passport holders residing in the United States, it's a Guatemalan Consulate General.

What You'll Need

Before heading to an office or consulate, make sure you have all the documents necessary to renew a Guatemalan passport:

  • your expired passport
  • original and a photocopy of the document you used to process your previous passport; a neighborhood certificate with pre-registration or a personal identification card
  • $65 passport renewal fee payable in cash

If you don't have any of the above documents, you can request a personal ID card from RENAP. You'll need this card to vote in Guatemala, as well, so it's worth the effort to obtain one. All Guatemalans and foreigners residing in Guatemala have the right to request and obtain an ID card from RENAP.

Where to Go

Guatemalan residents must visit a RENAP office to renew their passports. The central RENAP office is located at Calzada Roosvelt 13-46, Zone 7 in Guatemala City. The registry's regional offices are listed on its website, so check the RENAP website for other offices that might work better for you.

If you're renewing your Guatemalan passport from your residence in the United States, do so at your closest Guatemalan Consulate General. There are 30 offices throughout the United States:

  • Washington, D.C.
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Boston, Massachussetts
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Columbia, South Carolina
  • Del Rio, Texas
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Houston, Texas
  • Jupiter, Florida
  • Lafayette, Indiana
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Madison, Wisconsin
  • McAllen, Texas
  • Memphis, Tennessee
  • Miami, Florida
  • Montgomery, Alabama
  • New York, New York
  • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Portland, Orego
  • Providence, Rhode Island
  • San Bernardino, California
  • San Diego, California
  • San Francisco, California
  • Silver Spring, Maryland
  • Tucson, Arizona
  • West Palm Beach, Florida

Bring the required documents and passport renewal fee to the nearest consulate to renew your passport. You should receive your new passport within two months.