Travel Tips: Getting a Passport

To submit your paperwork, you'll need to go to a passport agency (about 19 of them are scattered about the country) or to an acceptance facility. The latter are more widespread and include post offices, government offices, and public libraries. The US Department of State website lets you check their hours for passport submissions and also indicates whether you can have photographs taken on the premises while you're there. The agent on hand will check your paperwork and have you sign the DS-11 form in his or her presence. (Do not sign it beforehand.) When all the documents have been collected and fees paid, the agent will submit your application to the government. You can check its status online approximately 5-7 days after it's been turned in.

People who need to apply in person include first-time applicants, children under 16, adults getting a passport who first obtained one when they were younger than 16, people whose former passport has been lost, stolen, or damaged, applicants who got a passport more than 15 years ago, and people with name changes who are unable to document the change.

These days, everyone who intends to travel needs a passport, including babies and children. Youngsters, like first-time adults, are required to apply in person and have both parents (or guardians) in attendance to offer and sign their consent. (Notarized statements of consent are allowable in certain situations.)

In addition, the parents are required to present their own forms of identification; copies of them must accompany the minor's passport application to verify a legal relationship.

No simple do-it-yourself photograph will suffice for your passport. The official regulations dictate that two identical, color photos are required. They must be full face shots with a white background, taken recently, and they should represent you as you normally appear. Street clothes are preferable, along with glasses if you typically wear them. Hats and sunglasses are not permitted. Photos should be precisely 2 inches by 2 inches in size, and they can not be taken at vending machines.

Some passport acceptance facilities are equipped to take and process photographs while you're there. If your location has this service as an option, it's often the best choice since you don't have to worry about all the appropriate criteria being met – the professionals there are schooled in the proper requirements.

Although there are options regarding the type of passport ID you want, the basic price for the traditional booklet is $75 (non-refundable, even if no passport is issued) for the application and $25 for the execution of it. For an adult passport card (valid only in North America, Bermuda, and the Caribbean), the fee is $20 for application and $25 for execution. To obtain both, there's a $95 application fee, along with the $25 execution fee. Adult renewals (available by mail) keep the same application fees; execution fees are waived.

There is no fee to add extra pages to an existing passport or to correct information that has resulted from the processing of the passport. Name changes may or may not demand a fee, depending on the circumstances.

Although forms of payment differ according to where or how you make an application, post offices typically accept money orders and bank drafts (payable to the US Department of State) without issue. Depending on the location, some also take personal checks, exact cash, and credit cards. Do be aware that application fees and execution fees often must be paid separately, and sometimes, the terms of payment for each one differs. Call in advance to avoid confusion.

Since the processing of passport applications is done by human beings rather than machines, time frames can be variable. Seasonal traffic, staffing, and unforeseen circumstances can alter performance standards. Generally, you can expect to receive a completed passport in 4-6 weeks, although sometimes, the range can extend to more than 10 weeks. If you do have time constraints, consider expediting an application, which usually takes 2-3 weeks.

If you require a passport in less than 2 weeks for international travel, make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency if your location permits (they're scattered around the country in major cities).

For emergency service that requires immediate attention, contact the National Passport Information Center (877-487-2778).

Realize that expediting a passport application does incur extra expenses. The regular fees for submitting an application must be paid, plus a $60 fee for expedited service. Beyond that the Department of State recommends overnight delivery of the application both ways, which is an added cost of $14.85 each way. (Overnight delivery is available only for passport books, not cards.)

It's also suggested that applicants specify traceable delivery methods, such as USPS express or priority mail with delivery or signature confirmation. Doing so gives you additional insurance. Registered and certified mail are available as well, although they are usually not as speedy.

Forms of payment depend on the location where you submit the passport application. Check with them to make sure you have the proper methods.

Although most people know that you need a passport for international travel, not many could likely explain its benefits. For Americans, in particular, it confirms your identity as a US citizen. The document is an agreement between our country and others that allows residents to travel and live temporarily in a foreign country and that ensures they are protected and cared for while abroad. Additionally, a passport gives citizens access to the consulate in other countries and assures them re-entry into the US following their travels.

The passport card, intended to facilitate land and sea travel to adjacent countries (no air transportation), is available to residents of the US, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It allows them to travel within these countries and to Mexico as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). It is a convenience for border residents rather than a replacement for international travel.

If you're outside of the US and run into troubles with your passport, you should locate a US Embassy or Consulate. These entities represent the United States in foreign countries: Embassies typically deal with governments while consulates take care of expatriates, visitors, and businesses. Embassies are found primarily in foreign capitals, and consulates are located in major cities. If you need help while abroad, either can render assistance.

First passports and passport renewals for Americans living outside the US are handled at the embassy or consulate. Fees are accepted in the foreign currency, equivalent to standard passport prices in US dollars.

Americans planning to live abroad or travel for extended periods of time should consider registering with a US embassy or consulate, especially if traveling in an area characterized by civil unrest. Making your whereabouts known will help the embassy or consulate alert you to changes in circumstance and provide assistance if evacuation becomes necessary or natural disaster strikes.

If you're a frequent flier and jet into and out of many foreign countries, there will come a time when you'll fill your visa pages. Some countries or airlines, in fact, require you to have 2-4 available pages before you're allowed to travel. When your pages have about been exhausted, you don't have to throw out the whole passport. Rather, you can request additional pages by submitting Form DS-4085 and mailing it, along with your current passport, to the address provided on the form.

There's no cost for this service unless you need to have the passport expedited, in which case there's a $60 fee. Overnight delivery service both ways is suggested. Plus, taking advantage of a mail service that has delivery confirmation is always recommended when you submit passport documents or the booklet itself.

Should your passport become damaged, its validity is negated, and you'll no longer be able to travel with it. In fact, when this sort of alteration occurs, you'll have to apply for another passport in person and go through the application process again. When possible, keep your passport protected and on your person to keep from going through this inconvenience.

If, even worse, your passport is lost or stolen, you should report it immediately to 877-487-2778. Just be sure that it is gone – once a passport is classified as missing, it can not be re-validated. You'll be compelled to apply for another.