Everyone knows that, despite the rise of the internet, the U.S.
government runs on paperwork, with some kind of designated form for
every imaginable document.
The passport application process is no
different. Anyone who needs a passport for the first time will find
that the application form is only part of the process for getting a
passport.
The paperwork you'll need for your first passport is
called a DS-11: "Application for U.S. Passport" but I'm getting ahead of
myself. Before diving in to the form, let's discuss a little background
on the whole passport thing. What exactly is a passport and why do you
need one?
Believe it or not, references to the first known
passport date back to the Hebrew Bible, where Nehemiah needed something
official from King Artaxerxes of Persia which would verify his identity
when traveling through the various lands on his way to Judea. The
passport became more of what we know today when King Henry V of England
came up with a standard for identification for his subjects. The
passport was born and has evolved to what we use today.
This being
said, you can see that you're going to need something that verifies
your citizenship and identify when you apply for a passport for the
first time. Start looking for your original Birth Certificate. If you
gained citizenship in other ways, such as through naturalization, locate
those documents. You'll be mailing the original along with your
application but it will be returned with your passport.
You'll
find the DS-11 form at any passport office, such as the U.S. Post
Office, library or other city, state or municipal government office. Or,
make it easy on yourself and download it from the web site of the U.S.
Department of State. Be sure to only use black ink when filling it in
and don't sign it as you'll have to do that in the presence of the
passport official when you turn it in.
Also don't forget to have 2
passport photos taken which will go along with your application. Most
post offices can take care of this for you, which makes it easy and one
less place to visit. Pick up a strong and durable mailing envelope while
you're there so nothing gets damaged in transit.
You cannot pay
passport fees with a credit card, but checks or money orders are
accepted. The State Department asks $75.00 for the passport book and
another $25.00 for the processing costs. Photos run around $10.00 but
ask to see if the price has gone up. Mailing your application by
certified mail, or any other traceable means, is highly recommended.
You'll get your passport in approximately 3 or 4 weeks.
This has
been a general outline of what's involved in getting a passport for the
first time, but there's more to know that may fit your unique situation.
Check out the U.S. Department of State web site for lots of
information. Soon you'll be the expert on applying for a passport and
will be able to explain the process to your friends and family.
C.L. Hendricks has been a Jill-of-all-trades and become an expert
in some. She has also traveled extensively and now writes about travel
destinations around the world for How to Get a Passport
[http://www.how-to-get-a-passport.com] and other travel sites as Web Content Provider.
