Having a passport can open worlds of possibilities for you and
your family, but with this power comes great responsibility. Passports
for many are their sole source of proof of their citizenship, and if
your passport gets in the hands of someone who plans to abuse it, it
becomes a very serious situation for you and your identity. It is
important to remember that, when getting a passport, the proper
precautions can protect you from identity theft.
Knowing the
acquisition process for a passport can potentially save you from serious
consequences. An applicant, before he can gain a passport, has to
provide proof of their citizenship, either by a birth certificate or a
naturalization certificate. A form of identification, a driver's
liscense, a school ID, must be present to prove that the birth
certificate is actually theirs. This process can be manipulated,
however. With the right instruments, a criminal could steal or forge
both an ID and a birth certificate, effectively adopting someone else's
identity.
There are multiple ways a identity thief can get their
hands on a passport. With the application and granting of a visa, an
alien can enter the United States. This visa, however, only allows the
alien to stay for a preset amount of time. Criminals will stay in the
United States past this appointed time and will begin to integrate
themselves into American society, and will try to acquire identification
cards. Once he gains an ID, he can apply for jobs, credit cards, and
even a social security card.
There are other options that allow
criminals to illegally gain a passport. Passports are only valid for a
set aamount of time. A child under 16 has his passport valid for five
years, while a person over 16 has 10 years. This space of time presents a
fruitful opportunity for a criminal, especially if you don't travel
very often.
If you think your passport has been stolen or just
lost, be sure to report it immediately. When you apply for a new
passport, you fill out a form reporting that you suspect your passport
has been stolen. It is important then to reapply as quickly as possible,
time can be the difference when it comes to your identity.
Identity
theft doesn't have to happen to you. Armed with the right information
and the right precautions, it can be totally preventable. Simple steps
can prove to save your identity. Make sure you keep track of old, as
well as new, social security cards, driver's liscenses, ID's, and birth
certificates.
With the possibility of identity theft out of your mind,
you and your family can finally enjoy that relaxing get away.
When you apply for a new US passport,
the old passport is returned to you to keep. Although it is technically
useless, it can still be used as an informal form of identification. In
the case of a divorce or wedding, a new passport is required. It is
important that these two American passports don't get mixed up and put in the wrong hands.
