Thinking about taking that foreign cruise or adventure trip to another country? If so, you are required to obtain a passport. How to get a passport, you ask? It is a fairly straightforward process, but it requires some preparation and patience.
You can download a passport application from the United States State Department website. You can also obtain one from a local post office. The form you are obtaining is a DS-11. When filling it out, read the directions and follow them properly and exactly. Make certain to have the completed form with you when applying for the passport.
Next, you will need documents that prove your United States citizenship. You are required to obtain a certified official birth certificate from the city, county or state of your birth. This should not be a copy. The certified certificate of birth remains the most accepted proof of U.S. citizenship.
If you have problems obtaining a certified copy of a birth certificate, you will have more difficulty applying for a passport. You will need to obtain a letter of no record. You can get this from your birth state. This letter of no record states that there isn’t a birth certificate on file for you. Other records you can obtain include baptismal records, hospital records, hospital birth certificate and early school records. An older blood relative can sign an affidavit of birth form. This form needs to be notarized and signed.
If you were born in a foreign nation to one or two United States parents, you need to get a foreign certificate of birth. It would help to also get proof of U.S. Citizenship for your parents. Your parents can also sign an affidavit which lists the places they have resided for different time periods prior to and after your birth. The next step to take in getting a new passport is to prove your identity. This can be proven by bringing with you an old passport, a valid state drivers license, a government ID card, or a military ID card.
Your next step is to get two photos taken. Take the photos in normal clothing. Do not wear anything on your head or a uniform. Check your local yellow pages as many places take passport photos. The photos should be identical, in color and full face. Though most merchants know the proper requirements, you should also know the requirements to make certain they are done correctly. You do not want them taken incorrectly as this will make the process take longer.
Before you go to apply for your passport, write down your social security number. It is a requirement to know it when you apply. Next, the government wants your money! Do a search online prior to your visit to the passport acceptance facility and know what fees you will be required to pay.
There are approximately 7000 passport acceptance facilities across the nation. They include county and municipal offices, county courts, post offices, and some public libraries. Make sure all your paperwork is in order before you go as this will help things move along smoothly. Your new U S passport should arrive at your home sometime in two months or less. If you are in a rush, and want to know how to get a new passport, here’s a secret: money! You can shell out $60 or more and the government will send it out as a rush. With your new passport in hand, you will be ready to set sail, or take a plane to new and exciting foreign lands!