Sep 12 2010
A Passport Application Is The Initial Step To Discovering Foreign Lands
You are required to present your passport any time you travel outside the United States, even to our closest neighbors, Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Mexico. Every member of your family, even children, are required to show their passport to enter a foreign country. There is a standard new passport form that you will complete to obtain one for the first time or for renewing an existing or expired passport.
Hard copy applications can be obtained at your local library and most post offices. Some post offices also have set hours when they process applications including taking the required two pictures for placement in your passport. To find out if a post office near you offers these services, call ahead or research the internet. All you need to do is type in your zip code and a list of available locations and service options will appear on your screen.
If you dont want to leave your home or office, you can download an application to your computer, print it and fill it out. It is as easy as searching for United States Passport on your internet search engine. Government sponsored sites will be listed as well as commercial websites. If you are on a government site, downloading an application and instructions will be free. There are other sites that will offer you extra guidance to fill out the application and submit it, however, they will charge you a fee to download their instructions and application.
If this is the first time you have applied or are under the age of 16, you will need to submit your application in person. As part of the process you will need to bring two pictures, and valid forms of identification. Consult the instructions for a list of acceptable methods of verifying your identity. If you had a passport previously but it has expired and the original issue date is more than 15 years ago, you will also have to apply in person. If you just need to renew one not already expired, or one less than 15 years since issuance and there have been no name changes, you can send your application by mail along with your fee and original passport. A new one will be issued and mailed to you.
Not planning to travel for several months? We suggest you submit your application through routine processing. It will take four to six weeks or, during busy summer travel season, up to 10 weeks. However, if you just found out about travel and need a passport super fast, there are ways to speed up your application. For those traveling in less than four weeks, there is an expedited process that includes overnight delivery to your home or office within two to three weeks. Are you traveling in less than 14 days? You will need to schedule an appointment to visit one of the passport agencies in person. Most major cities across the U.S. have a agencies for U.S. passports.
There is a standard fee to process your application and for the passport booklet, or card. The fee varies depending on whether it is your first time applying or if you are renewing. Having the freedom to travel whenever you want and to almost anywhere in the world you would like is well worth the small investment. Also, once you receive your passport, it is good for 10 years if you are over the age of 16. If younger, it is valid for five years.
There are additional costs involved in expediting your applications. These include sending it through an overnight, certified delivery service and fees for the processor to expedite the application. If you are traveling on official government or corporate business, your agency or administrative officer will walk you through or even complete the process for you. When you have to handle it yourself, any expenses paid personally should be reimbursed by your agency or company.
One bonus of having a passport is using it as verification of citizenship for employment. When you are hired for just about any job today, you are asked to provide two forms of identification. This requirement is reduced to one if you are using an official passport. This form of I.D. tends to trump just about any other form. This is because it is issued by the federal government and you have already produced other forms of identification for the new passport form, such as your original birth certificate, to obtain one.
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