Country guides

Paperwork rules where you live

These pages are written for one country and say so at the top. They cover the rules that do not travel: consumer guarantees, passport renewal, retention periods, and the paperwork of renting.

Child passport requirements: who must appear, which documents and what it costs by ageA child under 16 needs both parents at a passport acceptance facility, form DS-11 and $135 for a book. How the rules change at 16, and what to do if one parent can't come. Didn't receive your W-2 or 1099: when it's due, who to call and what to file insteadEmployers must send W-2s by early February (Feb. 1, 2027 for 2026 wages). If it's late, contact the employer, then the IRS at 800-829-1040 after February, and use Form 4852. Estimated tax payments: due dates for 2026, who has to pay and the safe-harbor rule2026 estimated taxes are due April 15, June 15, Sept. 15 and Jan. 15, 2027. Who must pay, the 90% and 100% safe harbor rules, and how to skip the January payment. FAFSA deadline: the federal date, state priority dates and what to have readyThe 2027-28 FAFSA is open. Federal deadline June 30, 2028, but state and college priority dates come far earlier: Texas Jan. 15, California March 2, Pennsylvania May 1. FSA deadline: use-it-or-lose-it, the grace period, carryover and the receipts to keepA health FSA is use-it-or-lose-it: your plan allows either a 2.5-month grace period or a carryover of up to $680, not both. The 2026 limit, the year-end timeline and what to save. Full retirement age by birth year: the Social Security chart and what claiming early costsFull retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, and 66 to 66 and 10 months for 1943–1959. The SSA chart, the 30% cut for claiming at 62, and 8% a year for waiting. Global Entry renewal: when to renew, the 24-month grace period and what to bringRenew Global Entry up to a year before it expires. File before expiry and CBP lets you keep using benefits for up to 24 months while it processes. Steps, fee and passport tips. How to get an IRS tax transcript or a copy of an old return: fastest route and years availableGet an IRS transcript free in your online account, or by mail in 5–10 days. Which transcript covers how many years, and when you need Form 4506 and its $30 fee instead. How to order a certified copy of a birth certificate: where to apply, fees and wait times by stateA certified birth certificate copy comes from the vital records office of the state where you were born. Who can order, what to bring, and real fees: $31 in California, $22 in Texas, $9 in Florida. Lost or stolen U.S. passport: report it, replace it and keep travelingReport a lost passport online (canceled within one business day), then apply in person with Form DS-11. Fees, timing, and what to do abroad, with an emergency passport option. Lost your car title? How to get a duplicate, with fees by stateA lost car title is replaced by the state that issued it. Who can apply, why a lien matters, and what it costs: $28 in California, $2 by mail in Texas, $75.25 in Florida. Marriage license validity: how long it lasts and the waiting period, with examples from seven statesA marriage license lasts 30 to 90 days in most states and some add a waiting period. Compare Texas, California, New York, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey, and see what to do if it expires. Medicaid renewal: how to check your date, what to send and how to avoid a gap in coverageStates renew Medicaid every 12 months, with at least 30 days to answer. What to do with the notice, the 90-day reconsideration window, and the 6-month renewals starting in 2027. Medicare enrollment at 65: your seven-month window and the penalties for missing itYour Medicare Initial Enrollment Period runs 3 months before to 3 months after your 65th birthday month. When coverage starts, who is enrolled automatically, and the 10%-a-year Part B penalty. Name change after marriage: the order to update Social Security, the DMV, your passport and the restChanging your name after marriage? Certified marriage certificate first, then Social Security, then the DMV and passport. What each office asks for, and why the order matters at tax time. Passport card vs passport book: where each works, what each costs and how long they lastA passport card costs $30 to renew and works for land and sea trips to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and parts of the Caribbean, never for international flights. See the full comparison. Passport renewal processing time: current wait, fees and what expedited really costsRoutine passport renewal takes 4–6 weeks plus up to 2 weeks of mail each way; expedited is 2–3 weeks for $60 more. The $130 fee, online renewal rules and the 14-day agency option. REAL ID deadline: do you need one, what changes at the airport, and the documents to bringThe REAL ID deadline passed on May 7, 2025. What TSA accepts now, the $45 ConfirmID fee if your ID isn't compliant, and the five documents the DMV asks for. Registering your car after moving states: the deadline, and what the new state checksAfter a move, you have as little as 10 days to register your car: 10 in Florida, 20 in California, 30 in Texas and New York. What starts the clock, the inspections, and the fees new residents pay. Renew your car registration: deadlines, fees and the official site for all 50 statesCar registration renewal is run by your state, not the federal government. When you can renew, what late costs in California, Texas, Florida and New York, and the official site for every state. Replace a lost driver's license: fees, online options and temporary proof, with examples from eight statesA replacement driver's license costs $5 to $42.50 in eight big states, and most let you order online. See the fee table, who must go in person, and how to prove ID meanwhile. Replace a lost Social Security card: the limits, the documents and the free online routeA replacement Social Security card is free and arrives in 5–10 business days. Who can apply online, the one ID document you need, and the limit of 3 a year and 10 in a lifetime. Replace your DD-214 or military records: who can ask, how to request it and what's freeA replacement DD-214 is free from the National Archives: request it online through eVetRecs or mail Standard Form 180. Who qualifies, what to include and how to rush an urgent request. Student loan IDR recertification: the annual deadline, auto-recertification and the documents you needYou must recertify your income-driven repayment plan every year, even if nothing changed. Find your date, use IRS consent for auto-recertification, and know which income documents work. Tax filing deadline and extension: the IRS dates, and what an extension doesn't give youFederal returns are due April 15; an extension moves filing to October 15 but not paying. The 2026 extended deadline is October 15, 2026, plus penalties and estimated tax dates. Traveling with a child without both parents: the consent letter, what to put in it and what to carryThe U.S. doesn't require a consent letter for a child traveling abroad with one parent — but some countries do. What USAGov says the letter should say, who signs it, and the papers to carry. TSA PreCheck renewal: when to renew, what it costs and how your KTN stays validRenew TSA PreCheck online up to six months before it expires; TSA suggests 60 days ahead. Memberships last five years, you keep your KTN, and the fee depends on the provider. Vehicle inspection and emissions tests: which states require them and how oftenThere's no national car inspection: each state decides. EPA lists emissions programs in 28 states and D.C.; some states add safety inspections, and Texas dropped them in 2025. How to find your rule. Voter registration deadlines by state: the dates, online options and same-day registrationThere is no national deadline: states range from 30 days before Election Day to Election Day itself. See your state's group, the dates for Nov. 3, 2026, and online or same-day options.