Travel Tips

How to Get Your Passport

Written By 2 Travel Anywhere, LLC

Helping Couples Plan Their Dream Honeymoon

How to apply for a U.S. passport

The first time getting a passport may seem complicated. It can be hard to know where to begin. If you be traveling out of the Untied States for your honeymoon and you are a US citizen then you will need your passport. In this article it will help explain how to get your passport.

 How to apply for a passport?

To apply for a passport make sure you allow plenty of time. Turn around for a passport application can be up to six weeks. It is highly recommended that you start the process with at least two months before you plan to travel. Did you know that applying for a passport between September and February as there is the lowest volume of applications? If you don’t have six weeks to wait for your passport there is ways to expedite your process.

You can apply for a passport by mail or in person. When will you need to apply in person?

Below is a list of reasons you should apply in person:

§  This is your first time applying for a passport.

§  You have changed your name but do not have any legal documentation of the change you will need to apply in person.

§  You have lost your passport or it has been stolen.

 What  you will need to apply for a passport?

To apply for your first passport you will need to:

Fill out an application form called DS-11. You can get a DS-11 form from any passport agency. Provide proof of US citizenship. For proof of citizenship you will need either a certified birth certificate, a previous passport that you may have, and/or certificate of citizenship.

Provide proof of identity. Identity can be either of these options: previous passport, driver's license, government ID or military ID.

Provide two passport photos. A photo must be 2x2 inches, in color, just your full face, identical, taken within the past six months, and should be of your normal appearance.

Pay the fee.  The total fee is $97 for those over 16.

Provide your social security number.

For renewal applications, which can be mailed, you will need to:

§  Get the form DS-82, available online ( http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html )or can be picked up at a passport agency or a passport acceptance facility.

§  Be sure to include your recent passport.

§  Provide two passport photos of size 2x2

§  Passport renewals will be $67.

If you have changed your name you also need to include legal documentation for your name change and fill out form DS-19.

  

Wanting to rush (expedite) a passport application?

If you are traveling within six weeks, there are ways to ensure you get your passport on time. If you apply by normal methods, but mark your application "EXPEDITED" and pay an extra fee of $60, then the passport office will return it within two weeks. If this still isn't enough time, or you want to make sure that you have applied correctly, you can use a third party passport service. The US Passport Bureau can issue a passport in less than four days. You can apply online or by telephone at (572) 331-8290. Another option is Travisa (http://www.travisa.com/) issues passports and visas when you need them in a hurry. They can even rush through a passport application on the same day. Needless to say, you will pay more for these services.

Where to apply for a passport?

There are several places to apply for a passport with 13 passport agencies and more than 7,000 application acceptance facilities across the US. You can search online for your closest facility on the Department of State‘s website @ http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/.

If you choose to apply by mail, send your forms to the National Passport Center, P.O. Box 371971, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7971.