I helped a (non-Spanish speaking) Mexican citizen renew her passport in Colima earlier this year and had to endlessly call the 800# listed (busy signal) on the website to get through to make an appointment in advance. (Have your CURP number ready.) Once the appt. is made, you need to send a confirmation via the link and print out the info to take with you. Suerte!
The number to call to make an appointment in the city of your choice is 01 (from Mexico) 800 801 0773. (Spanish only.) You will then be given, via email, a Folio de Cita number and page of instructions that includes the address of the SRE office. This is what you print out to take with you to your appointment, along with all of the documents listed as well as new passport photos.
Hard to beat first hand experience for credibility so I defer to you Lynn, thank you. Interestingly enough the only mention of an appointment is the phone number at the bottom also no mention of CURP number unless that is what they mean by Accreditation of nationality.
The phone number is Telephone appointments: no charge by calling 01800 8010 773 Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 20:00, Saturdays from 9:00 to 16:00 hours.
Here is a Google translation for the website I linked to
Passport renewal to seniors
Do you plan to travel abroad? Your passport has expired? Do you want to renew the validity of your passport? The passport is an official travel document, proving nationality and identity, requesting foreign authorities to provide assistance and protection.
Necessary documents Passport to renew Photograph Payment Accreditation of nationality
document required
Presentation
Deliver the passport to renew accompanied by a copy of the passport book (open) containing the personal data sheet and the number of book; both should be printed on the same front copy
Original
Note: The passport serve as identification, except in cases where there is some variation of personal data or when physical features have changed. In these cases, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) may request an additional official identification. In case of error or modification of any personal data in the passport to renew, you must submit the original of the certified copy of the documents proving that fact granted by the competent authority and present an official ID containing the correct or changed data.
The photocopy must be legible, white / black and will be accepted with the obverse (front) and reverse (back) on the same front of the blade. When the document size does not permit copies should be on separate sheets.
costs
Concept Rode
2016 Amount rights for issuing passport valid for 3 years $ 1,095.00 mxn
2016 Amount rights for issuing passport valid for six years $ 1,505.00 mxn
2016 Amount rights for issuing passports valid for 10 years $ 2,315.00 mxn
2016 Amount rights with 50% profit for issuing passport valid for 3 years $ 545.00 mxn
2016 Amount rights with 50% profit for issuing passport valid for six years $ 755.00 mxn
2016 Amount rights with 50% profit for issuing passports valid for 10 years $ 1,155.00 mxn
The benefit of 50% in costs passport applies to people over 60, people with disabilities and seasonal farm workers Mexico-Canada.
People with disabilities should check by submitting one of the following documents:
a) Original of the certificate or medical certificate issued by a public health institution or social security.
b) Original and copy of the national credential for people with disabilities issued by the National System for Integral Family Development (DIF)
In the case of seasonal agricultural workers, to be made effective discount must submit the original certificate issued by the National Employment System of the Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare. It shall only apply for passports for a period of three to six years.
For the help sheet of the payment enters the next league.
Note: The processing of passport held in the State and Municipal Liaison Offices SRE has an additional cost set by states or municipalities for the service provided locally. Find out more! Options for your procedure
In person : At 45 delegations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the State and Municipal Liaison Offices with the SRE.
Attention schedule:
In the Delegations of the Secretariat from 8:00 to 15:00 pm Monday through Friday.
Delegations Benito Juarez, Cuajimalpa and Cuauhtemoc, located in Mexico City, additionally providing service on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 to 15:00.
For schedules of State and Municipal Liaison Offices, see the Directory of the delegations of the SRE.
Telephone appointments: no charge by calling 01800 8010 773 Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 20:00, Saturdays from 9:00 to 16:00 hours.
Thanks for filling in the blanks, D. I learned about the need for an appointment the hard way and, when I finally got through to the 800#, I had to spell the name as it appears on the Mexican passport and provide the CURP number as well as an email address for the confirmation process. I might have also provided the expiration date of the current passport, and I requested the earliest possible appointment in Colima--which, if I remember correctly, was 2-3 weeks later. The new passport was issued the same day. (This process might be a whole lot easier if you're not pretending to be someone else when you call.)
I renewed my passport in Colima in the spring. You need to bring a copy of the first page of your passport (the one with the picture), a copy of your CURP (a long thing with numbers and letters - it's your personal ID number in Mexico) and there was one more copy needed but I can't remember what it was for. You can get copies made right across the street from the SRE. I suggest you show up earlier than your appointment - the earlier the better. The photos (make sure no hair is covering your forehead) are used for your expediente (application) - the official passport photos are taken inside. You can download a copy of the application, but have to fill it out there.
After you hand in all documents, you'll get a number. You go back at 3 PM and line up in numerical order - that's why it's good to get there early. The day I went there were 160 people getting or renewing passports. You file in, get handed your passport and that's it.
I found the phone call to make the appointment the most annoying as Lynn said the line is often busy, and then spelling out the CURP (O de Oscar, B de bueno, etc.) can be rather tedious. If you don't get the email confirmation within a few minutes, call again - it's usually because they didn't get the CURP right - it's a combination of your name, birthdate and other stuff.
Dobie, I am assuming that when you say "a copy of your CURP (a long thing with numbers and letters - it's your personal ID number in Mexico)" you mean the CURP, number (and letters) and not a copy of an actual CURP card (which I don't have). Lynn stated in her post you only need the number so kind of nit picking here but want to avoid a potential B movie while doing the B movie.
I never actually got a card, but you can always cut out the CURP and have it laminated if you so desire. I just saved it on my computer and whenever I need it I just print out another copy.
En México, la Clave Única de Registro de Población (CURP) es un código alfanumérico único de identidad de 18 caracteres utilizado para identificar oficialmente tanto a residentes como a ciudadanos mexicanos de todo el país.
First time I called the guy spoke Spanish so fast i couldn't get some of the words, so I gave up. I just called again and got a lady who spoke more clearly and made an appointment. I waited 20 minutes, no email. I called back and told them I had an appointment but no email. We went over the information and used the phonetic alphabet to verify the CURP just like Dobie said. It was a bit of a challenge trying to think of a Spanish word for a couple of the letters but got the verification email.
When you call you press 1 at the first menu then 1 again at the second menu. All three times I called they answered right away.
Here is a website that gives the sound of each letter in Spanish
You can always print your CURP. Look on the Internet under CURP. As long as you know your CURP number. Fotos can normally be made in shops close to the public office where to have to renew your passport