Passports: The Key to the World
Passports resemble U.S. driver's licenses. It verifies your identity and nationality for international travel. An expedited passport is needed to enter and leave most countries. U.S. passports are recognized worldwide. The U.S. Department of State issues and verifies passports.
You'll need identification and time to apply for a passport. Current passport restrictions require most applicants to present in person.
U.S. residents who have never had a passport must provide a documented birth certificate, a valid driver's license, government, or military I.D., two passport pictures, and $97 additional $60 for expedited processing.
Most overseas travel requires a passport for under-17s. Passport applications for under-14s need parental or guardian permission. US-born children just require a birth certificate, two photographs, and fees. Parents or guardians must provide a passport, birth certificate, or driver's license.
Foreign birth certificates, reports, certifications, and adoption decrees are required for children and adults born abroad.
Passport photos are 2x2 inches. These must be similar, shot within 6 months, in color, with the entire face and front view on a white backdrop. The look must be 1 to 1 3/8 inches from the chin to the skull. Hats, headgear, and uniforms (unless religious) are prohibited. Wearing non-obstructive prescription glasses or wigs is allowed.
At travel.state.gov, select "Passports," then "Where to Apply for a Passport," to discover a passport facility near you. Passports take two to six weeks to arrive. For 10 years, your key won't expire.
Passport renewal is cheaper, faster, and more straightforward. If you acquired your passport within 15 years, it is not damaged, you were older than 16 when it was issued, and you have the same name or legal name change papers, you may renew it.
To renew your passport, you must send a completed application, two identical passport photographs, $67, and your valid, unmutilated passport. $60 for expedited processing. Renewals take two to three weeks.
At travel.state.gov, click "Passports" then "Online Application Status Check" to check the status of a new or renewed passport. Enter your name, birthdate, and social security number's last four digits.
U.S. electronic passports are coming. E-passports will resemble paper passports. A digital picture and a tiny embedded computer chip on the back cover will add value. First, data will be harder to access and change. Second, biometric face recognition technology will compare the digital snapshot. E-passports will also include anti-fraud measures. Paper passports will be accepted until they expire.
Always have a valid passport before traveling. Your passport is your ticket to protection and rights in Mexico, Malaysia, or anywhere when things go wrong. Carry it like a U.S. driver's license.
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