Going For A Holiday? Get A Passport!

A passport is a portable document around 3”x 4” in size, which can serve as your ID and is a requirement for entry back to the USA by plane. Some passports are in different color and there is a reason for this. The colors may denote a military position or affiliation (red), while blue is the regular one. The inside of this document is your photograph and other pertinent information like emergency contact number and visas.

If you want to travel overseas, you will need a passport. Most countries require a passport for entry into their territories. But even US territories now are requiring a passport.

If one member of your family is lacking a passport, you may be at a disadvantage when you need to travel as soon as possible. Because of the internet purchasing and printing out your application form has become easier. If you cannot spare the time to apply and do the legwork for passport renewal, you can hire someone to do it for you. There is always a way to get a passport, and the only real issue is the time from application to processing. It is recommended that you don’t go for last minute applications when you can.

You can apply online via the travel.state.gov website. Go to the front page and follow the links to the deeper pages you want to go to, including the page where you can apply for the passport. You will observe that there is a specific form for special cases and another for regular cases. If it’s your first passport, you are required to go in person so that they can verify your identity. The same is true for minors or individuals under 16 years. If you have had a name change, you may also be required to go to the facility where a passport agent can verify your identity.

A prompt to estimate what you owe as application fee will come up after you complete the form. There’s nothing you can do to make the processing go faster, so it’s best to apply six months before your scheduled holiday. If you need to rush out the country within a month, you can apply for a rush passport. You must travel to one of 17 agencies for passport applications. You have to book your appointment before you travel or else you will have to find lodging somewhere while you wait around town for your appointment date. You will have to shell out money for the special processing.

The following site will help you with more information:
Where to get a passport
Applying for passport