The U.S. government relies on paperwork for everything they do,
and this is no different when it comes to getting a passport or
maintaining one. The right passport form can help an individual get a
new passport or renew an old one, and selecting the correct one can mean
the difference between a quick application and a drawn-out one. There
are two basic forms when it comes to getting a new passport and they are
the DS-11 and DS-82.
The standard passport book is known by its
royal blue cover and this is the style that is issued to all applicants
upon acceptance. The life expectancy of the standard passport is 10
years for adults over 16 years of age and five years for those holders
that are younger than this. Depending on the applicant's age, the
correct form will need to be filled out when applying.
When
applying for a new passport, the majority of applicants will need to
appear in person at a Passport Acceptance facility. They will need to
have the proper passport form filled out when they appear along with
current identification documents proving their citizenship. The Post
Office is one of the most widely used locations for applying for a
passport.
A new passport will only be issued to those appearing in
person and cannot be obtained by mail. A personal appearance must also
be made by anyone 16 years old or younger when applying for a new
passport or renewing an old one. There is a wide variety of
documentation that the applicant must have on hand when applying for a
new passport.
There is also a separate form for replacing a lost
or stolen passport and this may also be found online. This will need to
be printed out and completed before arriving at the acceptance facility
along with having photocopies or proper identification documents. This
is yet another application process that must be completed in person.
Once
the proper form has been found and completed, there will be
accompanying paperwork that the applicant will need to provide. Proof of
citizenship is one major form that will need to be produced and this
should be in the form of a birth certificate. The birth certificate
should be one that is obtained for the city, county or state that the
individual was born in and have the issuing agency's seal on it.
It
is a good idea to have all the documentation organized and in one place
when coming in to apply for a passport. The issuing agency will also
require photocopies of identification such as a driver's license or
state issued ID card for proof. If these are not available, there are
other forms that will be accepted in lieu of these and the list can be
found on the government's website.
A US passport is something that is better to have and not need, than need and not have. The right passport form
can help in the application process moving along quite smoothly. One
thing to keep in mind is to not sign the completed application until in
the presence of an agent at the facility, otherwise it will be need to
be redone completely.
