Passport Information
you need to know!

Here's essential passport information.

It used to be that citizens didn't always need US passports. Unfortunately, times have changed. Now you need a passport anytime you leave the US.

How to get a passport:

You will need to apply in person at a Passport Agency, US Embassy or Consulate or a Passport Acceptance Facility for your first passport.

You can apply at most post offices and some clerk of court offices.

You will need to take:

• Your birth certificate or other proof of citizenship


• government-issued identification.


• Passport applications
• Application For a U.S. Passport: DS-11
• Application for a U.S. Passport By Mail: DS-82


• Passport Photos


• And of course, Money

You can check the status of US passport applications online. Please wait at least a week after you submitted your application before you try to check the status.

You will need:

• Your last name, exactly as it was written on your application.
• Your date of birth in the MM/DD/YYYY format and
• The last 4 digits of your social security number.

Go to https://passportstatus.state.gov/opss/OPSS_Status_ip.asp to check the status of your application.

Passport Information for Special Circumstances

You can apply for an Expedited Passport.

An expedited passport should only take 2-3 weeks if you use two-way overnight delivery.

If you need a passport quicker you can use a passport expediter. They can usually get you a passport in a few days.

How to renew a US passport:

Adult passports are valid for 10 years. However, if you are traveling near the end of your 10 year period you should renew earlier rather than later.

Some countries won't admit you if you have less than 6 months before your passport needs to be renewed.



Do I need a passport for my children?

All children, including newborns and infants, must have their own US passports.



What if I have problems with my passport ?

• If your passport is lost or stolen, you must report the lost to the US State Department.
• If you change your name, you will need to mail documentation to the State Department.
• If you have only a few blank pages left in your passport, you should request additional pages.

For more passport information, contact the US State Department at: http://travel.state.gov

Since 2007, the US has issued only biometric passports. A biometric passport, also known as an e-passport or ePassport, is a combined paper and electronic passport.

The RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip stores an image of the photograph of the passport holder, passport data, and personal data of the passport holder; and has capacity to store additional data.

The passport cover contains a radio-frequency shield, so the cover must be opened for the data to be read. According to privacy advocates, the shielded cover is ineffective when a passport is open, and a passport may have to be opened for inspection in a public place such as a hotel, a bank, or an Internet cafe. An open passport is subject to illicit reading of the chip data.

Sellers of travel supplies sell RFID blocking passport holders and wallets but these only work as long as the passport is inside. Once the passport is removed the RF data can be accessed.

Visas

If you are traveling to Europe as a tourist and plan to stay less than 90 days you probably won't need a visa (Russia and a few other countries are exceptions to this).

If you are a student or plan to work, even temporarily, you will need a visa in most countries.

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