Anyone considering international travel will need a passport. This applies to all U.S. citizens including children and infants. Furthermore, due to new laws, U.S. citizens are now required to carry passports for travel to border countries. The following article will explain how to get a U.S. passport for the first time.
The first thing everyone should do before applying for a passport is visit the U.S. Department of State website to read up on any new passport laws or regulations and to check the current estimated passport processing time. The U.S. Department of State is the government agency that oversees international travel as well as U.S. diplomatic relations with foreign countries. The State Department website is the best resource for passport information.
Passport photos are going to be needed are the complete responsibility of the applicant. While some passport centers will offer this service for an additional fee, they can usually be obtained for less money as some local photo shops. If that is the source of the photos, just make sure that they know the photos are being used for a passport so that they are sized correctly.
Before going to the applicant center, each potential applicant will need to present a valid form of identification as well as a valid certificate of naturalization. Valid ID cards are normally a drivers license, a military ID, or a government ID. Naturalization certificates can be a U.S. birth certificate or a notarized certificate of naturalization. Applicants must also bring photocopies of each form of identification.
In many cases, a local post office will have a passport processing unit. However, some smaller towns do not have this feature and it will be necessary to travel a bit in order to find one that does offer the passport services. This can be checked easily enough online on the USPS site as they have all passport locations listed.
First time applicants fill out the application at the center. Currently, the Department of State estimates a four to six week processing period for US passport application form. This is not a static number and it ends to fluctuate wildly. Typically, passport applications go up a few months before high vacation seasons. The busiest times of the year for international travel are typically summer and the winter holiday season.
If that time period is not acceptable, there are other services that can be used from the State Department or private agencies that will get the passport there quicker. In dire emergencies, there is also a 24 hour passport service that is available, but it is quite expensive. If a private agency is used, their fees get piled on top of the fees that the government charges.
Clearly, obtaining a passport for international travel can be time consuming, but not a difficult process. Anybody with additional questions concerning how to get a new passport should consult the State Department website. Filling out a U S passport application form is a small price to pay for the experience of international travel. What are you waiting for? Get a passport and get out in the world.