These days, it seems as if the world is shrinking at an ever-quickening pace. At a minimum, people can now undertake travel to almost every part of the globe and in an extremely quick manner. It’s still the case, though, that a passport will be required in order to do so. This means knowing how to go about making a passport application go smoothly will be a good skill to have.
Firstly, understand that the US State Department is the agency responsible for issuing and maintaining passports. And though it might seem a bit technical when it comes to getting one, it really isn’t actually all that difficult. In fact, people today have the ability to go about getting one in a number of ways, including using an passport expediting service or doing it by themselves.
Anybody 16 years of age and older who needs a passport for the first time will need to follow certain steps before receiving it. Generally, those who are first-time applicants will also have to apply in person at a passport agency or service center. They may also be able to use an expediter, in certain cases. Passport agencies include many US post offices, generally speaking.
Also, government Form DS-11 - Application for a US Passport - must be submitted, along with additional documentation. Never sign the form before arriving at the acceptance facility or passport agency as a passport worker must witness the signing. As far as documentation goes, proof of citizenship and identity, along with a Social Security number, will be required.
When it comes to citizenship, there are a number of different regulations that pertain to the kind of acceptable proof. Usually, a birth certificate that has a raised seal, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization papers will work quite well. If those aren’t available, there are some other secondary documents that will be accepted. Check on the State Department passport website for just which ones those are.
Identification documentation can take many different forms, by the way. Examples of such documents when it comes to proving identity include a valid driver’s license, military identification card or a government-issued identification card from a state, city or municipality or other official entity. Secondary identification such as a Social Security card and credit card may also be accepted.
The fee for the issuance of a passport for adults, meaning those who are at least 16 years of age, runs from $20 up to $95 along with an execution fee of another $25. Payment methods range from strictly cash through debit and credit cards, as well as postal money orders and personal checks, in certain cases. Check with the passport issuing agency for just which payment forms are accepted.
Even though it can seem a bit complicated at first, making a passports forms go smoothly is actually fairly straightforward. The first thing to do, of course, is to visit the passport section of the State Department website. Of course, one can always take on the services of an express new passport service. These businesses can make the whole process go very easily and quickly.