Thinking about taking that foreign cruise or adventure trip to
another country? If so, you are required to obtain a passport. How to
get a passport, you ask? It is a fairly straightforward process, but it
requires some preparation and patience.
You can get a passport
application at a post office or you may download one from the U.S. State
Department online website. You should follow the directions exactly and
completely fill out the form.
The correct form is a DS-11. You will
need to have this in your possession when you apply for the passport.
The
next step is to gather together any proof of U.S. Citizenship. You need
to obtain a certified birth certificate from the municipality in which
you were born. The certified birth certificate is the ultimate proof of
citizenship.
If you have problems obtaining a certified copy of a
birth certificate, you will have more difficulty applying for a
passport. You will need to obtain a letter of no record. You can get
this from your birth state. This letter of no record states that there
isn't a birth certificate on file for you. Other records you can obtain
include baptismal records, hospital records, hospital birth certificate
and early school records. An older blood relative can sign an affidavit
of birth form. This form needs to be notarized and signed.
If your
birth occurred in another country to one or two U.S. parents, you need
to obtain a foreign birth certificate. You should also obtain proof of
citizenship for your parents. They can also sign an affidavit which
details their places of residency for various time periods before and
around your birth.
The steps you follow on how to get a new passport
also require you to prove you are who you say you are. Your identity can
be proven by providing a previous passport, a valid drivers license, or
a government issued ID card.
The next procedure is to have two
photos taken. The photos should be taken in normal clothing. You should
leave your head bare and not wear a hat. Also, uniforms should not be
worn. Check the Internet or the yellow pages for merchants that do
passport photos. These photos should be full face, 2 x 2 size and
identical. Most merchants understand the proper requirements, but make
certain you are familiar with the requirements also. You do not want the
photos taken improperly as this will lengthen the time it takes to
receive your passport.
Make certain you know your social security
number when you apply as they will ask you for it. Next, you pay the
applicable fees. Look online before you go so you know exactly what the
fees are.
Do an online search to locate the closest passport
acceptance facility. There are over 7000 facilities across the country.
They include courts, post offices, public libraries and many county
offices. Also do a search for the government pages that will instruct
you on how to get a passport.
Subsequent to following exactly all the necessary steps, your new passport
should arrive sometime between fourteen days to two months. If you want
to get it in less time, you can spend $60 or more to get it rushed out
to you. Once you have your passport, you can pack your bags and go
explore the world!
