us passport validity under 5 years

[carsononian 0]

Hi

I have an American passport that will expire in march 2018. Can I renew it now so I show the validity of 5 years? Will I delay the process if I send it (copy of pages) now instead of renewing it?

Thank you for your time.

[Bjorn&lyne 20]

Department of State recommends renewing about nine months before expiring although it is not a requirement. You can renew any time you want.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

The passport needed to be issued with at least a 5 year validity, not that it needs to have at least 5 years remaining before it expires. Passports for adults are issued with a 10 year validity. Passports for those 15 and under are issued with a 5 year validity, so there is really no worry about the issue validity. You can use it to prove your US citizenship as it is. It just needs to be unexpired, which yours is.

In place of any of the above, you may submit a copy of your valid, unexpired U.S. passport issued with a validity
period of at least 5 years. You must submit copies of all pages in the passport.

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-129finstr.pdf