TRAVEL DOCS

Before you can even step foot out of the U.S., you need the right paperwork – a passport and, depending on where you are headed, a visa.  These documents are literally your permits to travel the world and they are the most important pieces of ID you will carry while abroad. 

Having the right documentation is critical for getting in and out of the country you visit.  Make sure you do your homework on what you need, BEFORE YOU GO. 
go from here…

Passports
Need It In A Hurry?
Passport Cards
Visas
Lost or Stolen Passports
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

[Back To Top]

PASSPORTS

A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and
nationality of the bearer. A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave most foreign countries. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue, or verify United States passports.

Give yourself several months before your planned trip to apply for a passport; during peak application times it can take up to 10-12 weeks to receive the final document in the mail.  Take into account the time of year you are applying – demand for passports goes up during the spring and summer.

If this is your first passport, you will need to apply in person at your local passport acceptance facility.  Find the closest office to you.  Facilities may include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries, and a number of county and municipal offices.    

Follow these easy steps when applying for your passport.

  • Download, print, and complete form DS-11, but don’t sign it until you are directed to do so at the passport office.
  • Provide proof of U.S. Citizenship
    • Previous U.S. passport (mutilated, altered, or damaged passports are not acceptable as proof of U.S. citizenship)
    • Birth Certificate issued by the city, county or state
  • Provide proof of identity
    • Previous U.S. passport (mutilated, altered or damaged passports are not acceptable as proof of U.S. citizenship)
    • Naturalization certificate
    • Current, valid
      • Driver’s license
      • Government ID – city, state or federal
      • Military ID – military and dependents

*NOTE* Your Social Security Card does NOT prove your identity

  • Provide two pictures suitable for attaching to your passport.  The pictures must be:
    • 2x2 inches in size
    • Identical
    • Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
    • Color
    • Full face, front view, with a plain white or off-white background
    • Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
    • Taken in normal street attire
      • Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily.
      • Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline.
      • If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig, or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture.
      • Dark glasses or non-prescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons.  A medical certificate may be required.

DON’T FORGET TO BRING THE PAYMENT FOR YOUR PASSPORT!
Effective February 1, 2008:

  • Age 16 and older: The passport application fee is $75.00. The execution fee is $25.00. The total is $100.00.
  • Under Age 16: The passport application fee is $60.00. The execution fee is $25.00. The total is $85.00.
  • The passport application fee includes a $12.00 Security Surcharge, which became effective March 8, 2005.

Fees and surcharges are combined into one payment, made payable to the “U.S. Department of State.” 
At the passport agencies passport fees can be paid by credit card, debit/check card, personal check, certified check, or money orders.  At our passport acceptance facilities, payment options vary by location.
After you apply, you can check the status of your passport application online. 
Get even more detailed information from the State Department’s travel pages and read FAQs on the passport application process.  Prices and policies may change, so be sure to check back for all the latest information regarding travel!

[Back To Top]

NEED IT IN A HURRY?


OK, so it slipped your mind…and now you need your passport, like, yesterday.  Don’t freak out!
You can request the expedited service (to get the passport to you in about three weeks) when you apply in person, for an additional $60 per application.  If you are traveling within the next two weeks and really need your passport in a hurry, you’ll have to go to the closest regional passport agency to apply. 
*Appointments are required for this kind of application*

[Back To Top]

PASSPORT CARDS


The Department of State is issuing this passport card in response to the needs of border resident communities for a less expensive and more portable alternative to the traditional passport book.  The passport card is a basic component of the PASS (People Access Security Service) system announced by Secretaries Rice and Chertoff in January 2006.  It will meet the specific requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) to secure and expedite travel.

The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.  The card may not be used to travel by air.  It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport book and will be adjudicated to the exact same standards.

To facilitate the frequent travel of U.S. citizens living in border communities and to meet DHS’s operational needs at land borders, the passport card will contain a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip.  This chip will link the card to a stored record in secure government databases.  There will be no personal information written to the RFID chip itself. 

The card will have the same validity period as a passport book: 10 years for an adult, five for children 15 and younger.  For adults who already have a passport book, they may apply for the card as a passport renewal and pay only $20.  First-time applicants will pay $45 for adult cards and $35 for children.

U.S. citizens may begin applying in advance for the new U.S. Passport Card beginning February 1, 2008, in anticipation of land border travel document requirements.  We expect cards will be available and mailed to applicants in spring 2008. 

For more information about passport cards how to apply, and more information about the RFID technology, visit the State Department online.

[Back To Top]

VISAS

Depending on which country you are planning to visit, you may also need to a visa.
A visa is an official document issued by a foreign country, formally allowing you to visit.  Visas are attached to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation. 
Look through the State Department’s Country Specific Information to find information about your destination.  You can research the entry and exit requirements, get more details about necessary documentation, and find out how to apply.  You may be able to apply online, at that country’s U.S. embassy or even at the airport in the country itself once you get there.

[Back To Top]

LOST OR STOLEN PASSPORTS

If your passport is stolen while you are abroad, contact or visit the local embassy or consulate immediately and ask the American Citizens Services (ACS) unit to report the loss. The consular officer there may have you fill out an affidavit or a sworn statement to state the circumstances under which you lost the passport. Remember, embassy officials are there to help you. Telling the truth is always your best course of action – you don’t want to have any difficulties getting a new passport to get home.
Your identity and citizenship will need to be confirmed by the officer through a personal interview and information gathered from your friends and family.  The officer will then have you complete an application for a replacement passport and make sure you can safely return home.
Usual application fees do apply if you have to replace your passport, however, if your money has also been stolen, no fee will be charged and a limited validity passport will be issued.  This passport is only effective long enough to get you home.
Look here for more information about lost or stolen passports.

[Back To Top]

WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE

Think you don’t need a passport to travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean?  Guess what? The rules have changed! 
It used to be that you didn’t need a passport to travel to and from certain nearby countries.  However, in an attempt to strengthen U.S. border security, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) developed the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).  As of Jan. 2007, ALL PERSONS traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.  Beginning January 31, 2008, this rule will apply to land and sea travelers, as well.
Be sure you carefully read all the information about the WHTI.  Protect your travel plans and be informed!