How To Renew Your US Passport In Spain (Malaga Consulate)

If you’re an American, and you’re fortunate enough to be living in Spain, there may come a time when you need to renew your US passport. There are several Consulates within Spain (both the Iberian peninsula, and some of the islands (Balearics & Canarias). Don’t worry, we are here to help you figure out how to renew your US passport in southern Spain!

The following map shows the Consulate locations:

These instructions are specific to the Consulate in the Málaga province, but just find the Consulate closest to you. If it’s not clear from the map, residents of Málaga, Granada, and Almeria provinces need to have their renewal done at the U.S. Consular Agency in Fuengirola. This is located about 20 minutes southwest of Málaga airport.

Address

Consular Agency US in Fuengirola (Málaga)
Avenida Juan Gómez “Juanito”, 8
Building Lucia 1-C
Fuengirola, Málaga 29640
US Consulate Malaga
US Department of State

Office hours: 10:00 – 14: 00 (appointment only)
Telelphone: +34 952 47 48 91
Fax: +34 952 46 51 89
Email: malagacons@state.gov

Please note that this location does not issue visas or passports. It only facilitates passport applications.

[2017 Edit – In updating this post, I noticed that the State Department website has a quite a few missing/broken links (404 errors).]

A full list of foreign embassies and consulates in Spain, read it here.

US Consulate in Malaga – Hours

All U.S. consular offices are open from Monday to Friday, except on American and Spanish fiestas. In addition to the Spanish national holidays, each province may have its local festivals; therefore it’s strongly suggested that you make contact directly with the Consular Offices to confirm their schedules.

The Consulates have created a list of all of the holidays for the U.S., Spain, and Consulate city locations. It can be downloaded here. Remember to call and make an appointment.

Instructions to Renew Your U.S. Passport

As of 2019, they are really trying to push you to the Mail in Renewal option, rather than the office visit.

As the instructions sometimes change, the direct link to them on the Consulate website is here. We recommend you double-check those instructions as they should be more up to date. In general, the processing time is roughly 2 – 3 weeks, so plan accordingly. Remember to apply early when renewing passports that close to expiring.

Tip: It is best to call or email and make an appointment with your nearest Consular Agency.

Typically, passports are issued for the following lengths of time:

Minor under 16 years of age: 5 Year Passports
16 Years of age and older – 10 Year Passports

US Passport Renewals Adults

The document for renewing your passport is Form DS-82.

Renew via the mail! Preferred Option

You may renew your passport by mail using Form DS-82 if your previous passport:

Is a 10-year validity passport (issued after the age of 16);
Was issued in the last 15 years;
Was issued in the same name you currently use, or if your name was changed recently, you can present the proper documentation as proof of the name change (Certified True Copies of marriage documents or court order).
Is not damaged;
Is submitted with your application;

If you can answer “yes” to all of the above statements then you can use form DS-82 to renew your passport by mail, with no need to visit the Embassy. However, we recommend you do the renewal in person to minimize any errors or delays in your application. You can either print out the DS-82 form, and manually fill it out, or use the Online Form Application to do this. Doing it this way is highly recommended.

You will be able to print out the filled-in form once you have entered in all of the data. Once printed, DO NOT sign the form. You need to sign the form in the presence of Consulate personnel.

Adult Requirements

You will need to provide the following:

Your current undamaged passport;
One 2” x 2” (5x5cm) color photograph, full face looking forward, (no plastic photos accepted), taken within the last 6 months with a light, plain background, size as shown below. Applicants may not wear glasses, hats, hair bands or anything on their heads. There is a photo studio across the street from the Consulate if you need to get photos taken. Cost is approximately 6 Euros for 2 pictures.
Filled-out (but not signed!) Form DS-82
Exact Cash payment

U.S. Passport Renewals Children

In order to obtain passports for children, the steps to follow are:

Call or email to make an appointment with your nearest Consular Agency;
Both parents must fill out the passport application, form DS-11. You can print it out and fill it in manually, but we recommend using the Online Form Application to do this. Again, it is highly recommended using the online tool. You will be able to print out the filled-in form once you have entered in all of the data. Once printed, DO NOT sign the form. You need to sign the form in the presence of Consulate personnel.
Exact Cash payment

Child Requirements

The process for obtaining passports is more involved than for adults (those 16 years or older). The requirements are:

The child must also be present at the time of the passport application.
The child’s original birth certificate, showing the parents’ names, must be presented each time.
Both parents will have to present valid photo identification documents (passport or Spanish DNI or resident card).
Please bring one photocopy of each document you submit
- Parent’s IDs – front and back
- Child’s birth certificate, and/or custody document).

Note: The fee for each photocopy made in the Consular Section is $1 or the Euro equivalent.

One 2” x 2” (5x5cm) color photograph, full face looking forward, (no plastic photos accepted), taken within the last 6 months with a light, plain background, size as shown below. Applicants may not wear glasses, hats, hair bands or anything on their heads. There is a photo studio across the street from the Consulate if you need to get photos taken. Cost is approximately 6 Euros for 2 pictures.

Extraordinary circumstances

If there are extraordinary circumstances and both parents cannot submit the application together, for example if one parent is not present in country, the absent parent must submit Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent form notarized in the United States or at a U.S. embassy, consulate, or consular agency. The sole parent must present an appropriate identity document, as well as provide a photocopy of the same identity document at the time the DS-3053 form is executed before a notary.

If a single parent has sole custody of the child, the applying parent may furnish one of the following documents as proof of the custodial relationship:

Child’s birth certificate listing only the applying parent;
Adoption decree (if applying parent is sole adopting parent);
Court Order granting sole legal custody to the applying parent (i.e., the absent parent has no access to the child, and the child’s travel must not be restricted by that order);
Death certificate of the non-applying parent; or
Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent.
Please bring one photocopy of each document you submit. Note: The fee for each photocopy made in the Consular Section is $1 or the Euro equivalent.

Passport Fees

As of writing, the current passport fees can be found on the US Embassy site.

There are also mailing or courier fees which can vary, so call ahead to verify. You will find the fees are typically around 30 Euros and your new passports can be delivered to your door. Accepted payment method is cash (Euros), and they require the exact amount, separate from the passport fees as it is paid to another company. Other Consular Agencies (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and Palma de Mallorca) accept credit cards. Consular fees are non-refundable.

The Consulate is close to a parking garage around the corner, and makes it quick and easy to renew your US Passport. The parking fees are about 2€ an hour, but if you have an appointment it can go quickly.

Also nearby along the A7, you will find plenty of shopping in Fuengirola. You may want to plan ahead and just make a day of it. You will be able to shop at Decathlon, Iceland, Kiabi, Aki, Dunnes, and more. The Miramar Mall is also very close and has many of the large name brand stores.

Holidays

Take note of the date, as the US consulate is closed on all National and possibly local holidays.
Please view our Almuñécar Holiday calendar here. We provide the dates of school holidays, ferias, fiestas, and more.