1. avie wt o at hrill.ne t http://aviewto athrill.net/2010/08/27/the-newbies-guide-to -applying-fo r-a-u-s-passpo rt/
The Newbie’s guide to applying for a U.S. passport
Renee King
Now that you’ve decided to
take the plunge to do a
little traveling across the
border, you should know
that there have been
several changes regarding
the issuance of U.S.
Passports in recent
months which will af f ect
your travel plans.
All U.S. citizens are now
required to have a
Passport card in order to
cross the borders to
Canada or Mexico. To
travel anywhere else
outside the U.S., you will
need a standard Passport.
When should I apply for
a Passport? Pho to c re d it: jame s he ywo o d .c o m
My advice is to go ahead
and apply f or your passport if you have a reasonably good idea that you will be traveling internationally in the
coming months. You can never predict a delay of some sort happening, so don’t chance missing your f light by
putting this of f .
How long will it take to receive my Passport?
T he standard processing time is between 4-6 weeks. If you will need your passport in less than two weeks, you
will need to schedule an appointment with your local passport acceptance f acility. If you plan during peak
travel seasons like the summer, be sure to apply within ten weeks of travel. Please note that in the rush to beat
the July 13, 2010 price increase, that there has been a large number of renewals that has extended the
processing time to a solid six weeks. It will probably take that long f or the f oreseeable f uture, so plan
accordingly.
What if I need my Passport sooner than that?
T here is an additional $60.00 f ee plus overnight delivery costs per application f or expedited applications. If
you choose to mail in your request be sure to clearly mark the overnight package “Expedite” and be sure to
enclose the af orementioned proof of citizenship documents in the package; they will be returned to you.
Where can I get a passport and how much does it cost?
All f irst time

2. All f irst time
applicants
(and all
minors, no
exceptions)
must apply
in person
at a
Passport
Agency,
Acceptance
Facility, U.S.
Embassy or
Consulate
to f ill out
Form DS-
11:
Pho to c re d it: The Ne w Yo rk Time s
Application For A U.S. Passport. T he U. S. Department of State has made it easier to apply f or a Passport
online by using this wizard that will help you to determine the correct f orm that you will need to f ill out, how
much you will have to pay and will allow you to complete and print out the completed application to take with
you to the af orementioned agencies. Be sure to leave the signature portion blank and do not sign the
document until you are instructed by an agent to do so.
As a general rule, passport f ees (which take into account price increases beginning July 13, 2010) are as
f ollows:
• New Passport (f irst time applicants)
$110.00 plus $25.00 administrative f ee
• New Passports f or children under age 16 (yes, even newborns must have one!)
$80.00 plus $25.00 administrative f ee
• Passport renewal
$110.00 (it’s not necessary to visit Acceptance f acility; you can renew via mail)
• New Passport cards (f irst time applicants)
$55.00
• Passport cards renewal
$30.00
• New Passport cards f or children under age 16
$40.00
• Passport cards f or children under age 16 (renewals)
$15.00
• Extra passport pages
$82.00 (previously, they were f ree)
What items will I need to bring with me when I apply for my Passport?
In order to apply f or a passport, you will need to submit one of the f ollowing items to prove U.S. citizenship:
Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport
Certif ied birth certif icate (with registrar’s raised, embossed seal) issued by the city, county or state.

3. Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certif ication of Birth
Naturalized Certif icate
Certif icate of Citizenship
Additionally, you will need two 2” x 2” color photos (that you can buy f rom Walgreen’s f or 8.00) where
one will be af f ixed to your passport and the other will be kept on f ile at the agency.
What is an e-Passport?
According to the State Department, the U.S.
Electronic Passport (e-passport) is the same
as a regular passport with the addition of a
small contact-less integrated circuit
(computer chip) embedded in the back cover.
T he chip securely stores the same data
visually displayed on the photo page of the
passport, and additionally includes a digital
photograph.
T he inclusion of the digital photograph
enables biometric comparison, through the
use of f acial recognition technology, at
international borders. T he U.S. e-passport
also has a new look, incorporating additional
anti-f raud and security f eatures.
Since August 2007, the U.S. has been issuing
only e-passports. Passports without chips
will still be valid f or the f ull extent of their
validity period.
When do Passports expire?
T he Passport f or children under the age of 16
years old expires af ter 5 years. T he passport
f or adults expires af ter 10 years. Please note
that many countries require that you have at
least six months to go on your passport bef ore you can enter their country. In f act, some tour companies
won’t even book you nor will some airlines allow you to board if you have less than six months lef t on your
Passport. It’s advisable that you renew your Passport when there is about nine months lef t on it to avoid any
six month deadline conf licts.
How will I know if a visa will be required where I’m going?

4. While U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa to travel, you may need a visa to travel to the country that you plan
to visit. T he Department of State has a list of every country that requires a visa. Use this searchable
database to determine whether or not your destination will require one. You will also be able to f ind out any
travel advisories, crime stats/penalties, traf f ic inf o, medical f acilities, etc. relating to that country by visiting
that website. Additionally, visas will not be issued if there is less than six months lef t on your Passport.
Remember when you are traveling that your Passport is your proof of U.S. citizenship, so take care not to lose
it. Your f riendly T SA agent and most assuredly, Immigration, will want to review it as you enter their country.
Most travelers tend to store their Passports in their hotel saf e and carry photocopies of the Passport on their
person. Or you may want to scan it and email it to yourself . Happy Travels!
Renee King is an At lant a, GA based administ rat ive assist ant by day who spends most of her
waking hours plot t ing t he next excursion t o anyplace out side of her zip code. She want s t o
t each t hose who t hink t hat t raveling is some unobt ainable dalliance f or t he rich and f amous or
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