A United States passport agency is the first place you need to
visit if you want to get a passport in the US. A passport is required if
you want to go to any other country. This includes countries close to
the US, such as Canada and Mexico. Visiting the United States passport
agency can be an easy experience as long as you plan in advance and know
what information to bring.
Finding a nearby passport office:
Passport offices are generally located inside other government buildings
like post offices or public libraries, so they can be difficult to
find. The US Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs maintains a
website with a listing of all the passport offices in the United
States.
You may not need to go to the passport office: If you
already have a passport that you can send in with your application and
are eighteen or older, you may be eligible to renew your passport by
mail. If this is the case, you can download the form from the internet
and send it directly to the passport office.
Not eligible to renew
by mail: If your most recent passport was lost or damaged or is over
fifteen years old, if you are a minor, or you have never had a passport,
you will need to visit the passport office in person. In addition,
minors applying for passports must have both their parents present when
they go to the office.
Gathering the necessary documents: Before
you go to the passport office, you should make sure you have all the
required documents. These are all listed on the website. You will need
two pictures of yourself, money for fees, a document proving your
identity and a document proving your citizenship. If your name has
changed for any reason, documentation will be required for that as well.
Photographs:
The passport office requires the pictures that you submit meet some
very specific criteria. Passport offices will offer to take your
passport picture for about $15. By doing this, you will ensure that your
picture meets all of the necessary specifications.
Hours:
Passport offices decide on their hours individually and are not just
open during normal business hours. If you need to visit the passport
office, it is advisable to call ahead to confirm that they are open so
that you do not go there only to realize that they are closed.
Do
not procrastinate: Try to get to the passport office as soon as you know
you will need a passport. The application process takes a while because
the government has to process and approve your passport, and then ship
it to you. This usually takes the passport office about four to six
weeks. If you do not have that amount of time, you may expedite the
process by paying a $60 fee so that you can cut the wait time down to
two or three weeks.
Employees are trained to help make this
process easier for you and usually understand that this is not something
you do every day. As long as you bring all the necessary materials to
the office and plan in advance, the process of obtaining a passport at
the United States passport office is simple and quick.
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 Vacation Things to Do
[http://www.vacation-thingstodo.com] and How to Get a Passport
[http://www.how-to-get-a-passport.com]
