The US Department of State recommends that every American citizen
apply for a US passport. Travel rules have changed in recent years.
Borders have tightened security, and most cross-border travel now
requires a US passport. Every person, including babies and children,
must have his or her own passport.
You may be asking: should I
apply for a US passport in person or by mail? The answer depends upon a
few criteria. The US Department of State allows people in some
circumstances to submit an application via the mail. Others are not
eligible to submit a mail-in application. You must apply for a US
passport in person if:
* You have never had a US passport before.
* You are not in possession of your old/expired US passport.
* Your previous passport expired more than 15 years ago.
* Your previous passport was issued to you when you were under the age of 16.
* Your current passport has been lost or stolen.
Appearing
in person to apply for a US passport helps to prevent fraud. You can
apply at any local passport acceptance facility. When you appear, you
must supply appropriate documentation/identification. This includes
legal picture ID (driver's license, government ID or military ID card)
and your birth certificate (if born in the United States.) If you were
born outside of the United States (i.e. naturalized citizen) you must
present your Certificate of Citizenship. If your name is different than
it appears on your legal identification you must also supply proof of
legal name change. You must also supply two passport-regulation photos
If
you do not fall into any of the above-mentioned categories, you may be
able to apply for a US passport by mail, or through the Internet via an
authorized passport processing agency. Applying by mail can save time
and trouble. However, if you need your passport in a hurry, applying in
person may be a better bet. You can also submit an expedited US passport
application through an online passport processing agency. You need not
appear in person to submit a passport application if:
* Your last US passport expired less than 15 years ago and is not damaged.
* Your last US passport was issued to you when you were over the age of 16.
The
main advantage to applying for your passport through the mail or the
Internet is convenience. You don't need to stand in line and wait.
Simply ship your application and documents to the appropriate agency. Be
sure to use the carrier
that is recommended by the passport processing agency in order to
protect your sensitive documents. You may need to purchase extra
insurance, since personal identification is very difficult to replace if
lost in shipment.
Deluxe Passport Express: Expediting passports in 24 hours or less.
http://www.deluxepassportexpress.com/
http://www.deluxepassportexpress.com/
