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Anyone thinking of doing any international travel will need to obtaining your pasport . With a few small exceptions, this is now true for border nations and Caribbean Islands that were once exempt from these rules. Any travel outside American States and territories requires a passport, which means many potential travelers need to think about getting a passport for the first time.

Getting a passport for the first time requires the applicant to follow some specific steps. First time applicants must apply in person at a government sponsored application center. However, certain things must be taken care of prior to the in-person application.

First, keep in mind that rules and laws can change in a moments notice. Because of that, it is recommended that before actually heading out to the new United States passport office that the State Departments website is checked for the materials that are needed and what types of travel require a passport. While we have a synopsis of it here, by the time you are reading it, it could very well be outdated.

The first step in getting a new passport is getting passport photos. These must be taken prior to the trip to the application center. Pharmacies with photo labs are the best place to get passport pictures taken because they will crop the pictures to the proper specifications. These pictures are often relatively inexpensive.

Passport photos should be taken in the manner in which the person is going to travel. For instance, that McDonalds uniform cannot be worn during the photo. Attire should be casual and the photo should depict the person as they will look when they are traveling. If a hearing aid is worn, make sure it is in when the picture is snapped.

Next, the applicant must have all of their documents in order. A valid, government issued ID is required. This would include a state non-drivers license, a drivers license, and military ID. They will also need proof of citizenship in the United States. In most cases, this is proven with a birth certificate. It is also best to make a photocopy of all of these documents that are being used.

Once all of the above documentation has been obtained, they can then head to a certified application center. Typically, these centers are located in a U.S. Post Office. The U.S. State Department website has a list of approved application centers. At the center, the applicant must fill out all paperwork and provide all of the various forms of identification mentioned above. If the applicant center approves the requisite forms of identification, the application may be sent for processing. Applicants in need of rush passports, which are typically defined as a passports needed in less than four weeks, must go to a special regional passport agency.

Clearly, obtaining your U.S. passport for the first time can be a time consuming process. Because new U S passport are so important to our own national security, and the national security of other nations, our government needs to make sure that new passport applicants are legitimate. The resulting process is time consuming, but necessary.