Applying For A U.S. Passport - Getting A Passport Is Simple
When making plans to visit a foreign country you will need to get a passport. Passports are legal documents that are provided by the government as proof of residency for that country. Passports typically contain a photograph and vital information. They will also have several blank pages that are intended for the stamps of foreign countries. The act of applying for a passport is a process that involves several essential steps to get the document issued.
Applying for a passport involves having your personal records on hand in order to prove who you are. These documents include a state issued Identification card (ID) or a drivers license, and your birth certificate. Without these documents you will be unable to process the necessary paper work.
In the case that you cannot locate a copy of your birth certificate, you will need to obtain one before applying for a passport. Obtaining your birth certificate can be done in person, requested over the phone, or via the Internet. You may also mail a request to Office of Vital Records in the county in which you were born.
As soon as you have your birth certificate you can apply for your passport. It is possible to apply online, but only if you have done so before. If you have not applied before, you will need to apply in person.
The US State Department’s website has a form online that allows you to fill out the application in advance. It is recommended that you hold off on signing this application until the passport agent approves it. Signing the application ahead of time could result in identity theft.
Applying for a passport for the first time involves visiting the post office or circuit clerk’s office for your county, an office that is typically located in the county courthouse. Along with your ID and your birth certificate you will need to have a small 2” x 2” color photo. The easiest way to get a passport photo is to visit any store that processes film, such as a pharmaceutical store.
When you have arrived at you passport issuing agency, then you will need to present your documentation and your photos. A passport agent will review this material. When the passport has been approved, you can then pay the passport fee. You will receive your passport via the mail.
Applying for a passport may take from six weeks up to six months from the time you apply to the time the passport arrives in your mail. For this reason it is important that you process the application as far ahead of your travel date as possible. If you need to expedite this process it is possible, however, it will cost a small additional fee to have this process rushed.
Should it be necessary, you can speed up the process by contacting your Congressional representative’s office and explain the situation when applying for a US passport. They will help you expedite the process in many cases. Once you have your passport, you will not need to renew it for 15 years. At the end of the 15 years you don’t have to go back through applying for a passport. You will find renewing a USA passport by mail is simple.
January 30th, 2010 at 6:28 am
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