Question Answered: How To Get A U.S. Passport
Thinking about taking that foreign cruise or adventure trip to another country? If so, you are required to obtain a passport. This is how to get a pass port, you ask? It is a fairly straightforward process, but it requires some preparation and patience.
You can get a passport application at a post office or you may download one from the U.S. State Department online website. You should follow the directions exactly and completely fill out the form. The correct form is a DS-11. You will need to have this in your possession when you apply for the passport.
You will then need to gather together some proof of United States citizenship. You should get your certified birth certificate issued by the city or county where you were born. This is the best proof of 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 your birth occurred in another country to one or two U.S. Parents, you need to obtain a foreign birth certificate. You should also obtain proof of citizenship for your parents. They can also sign an affidavit which details their places of residency for various time periods before and around your birth. The steps you follow on how to get a USA passport also require you to prove you are who you say you are. Your identity can be proven by providing a previous passport, a valid drivers license, or a government issued 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.
Do an online search to locate the closest passport acceptance facility. There are over 7000 facilities across the country. They include courts, post offices, public libraries and many county offices. Also do a search for the government pages that will instruct you on how to get a U S passport. Subsequent to following exactly all the necessary steps, your new passport should arrive sometime between fourteen days to two months. If you want to get it in less time, you can spend $60 or more to get it rushed out to you. Once you have your passport, you can pack your bags and go explore the world!