Planning--Getting USA Passport
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Canadians can find information on how to get a Canada Passport HERE Getting USA Passport All U.S. citizens, including children, are required to obtain passports in their own names for identification while traveling abroad and for re-entry into the United States. Unless specifically authorized by a passport issuing office, no person may have more than one valid, or potentially valid, U.S. passport of the same type at any one time. Following is a summary of the passport application process that was compiled from information provided by the U.S. State Department, which maintains a web site at http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html You can download PDF versions of all applications at http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_847.html go to bottom of page Web: Consular: http://travel.state.gov State Department: http://www.state.gov/ Security Administration: Check Current Aviation Threat Levels
FIRST-TIME PASSPORT APPLICATIONSIf you are applying for your first U.S. Passport, you must apply in person at one of over 3500 Clerks of Court or Post Offices which accept passport applications or at one of the regional Passport Agencies listed below. Call your county courthouse or the largest regional post office in your area or look under the blue pages of your phone book. You will need to provide the following documents:
Hawaii Residents Contact: Others see Below. PASSPORT INFORMATION & APPLICATIONS: (808) 522-8283 Oahu location: in Federal Building 300 Ala Moana Blvd, Suite 1-330 Neighbor Islands call Post Office: 1 800 275 8777 for nearest location go to: http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/ and enter your zip code
PASSPORT RENEWALS Applicants who have had a previous U.S. passport issued within the past 12 years, and who were 16 or older when the passport was issued, may be eligible to apply for a new passport by mail providing they can submit their passport and their name has not changed. They may also apply in person. Documents required for passport renewals include:
National Passport Center P.O. Box 371971 Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7971
If you are sending your renewal by overnight delivery other than the U.S. Postal Service, send it to: Mellon Bank Attn: Passport Supervisor, 371971 3 Mellon Bank Center, Rm 153-2723 Pittsburgh, PA 15259-0001 Your previous passport will be returned to you with your new passport.
PASSPORT FEES Passport fees for an initial ten-year passport are $60 if you are 16 years of age or over;, and $40 for a five-year passport if under 16. Passport renewal fees are $40. Make your check or money order payable to Passport Services. Some local governments are now charging additional processing fees as well.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A PASS PORT? Passport application processing time varies with passport agencies workloads. Processing time is normally about 3-4 weeks, but you should it's a good idea to apply at least 4-6 weeks prior to any scheduled international travel. It is best to apply in the fall when workload volume is at its lowest. The spring and summer months are the busiest so the application process may take longer during these months. NEED A PASSPORT IN A HURRY? If you are leaving on an emergency trip within five working days, apply in person at the nearest passport agency and present your tickets or travel itinerary from an airline, as well as the other required items. Or, mail your application overnight express mail and enclose a include a self-addressed, prepaid envelope for the overnight return of the passport, with a check made out to Passport Services and request for its return by overnight express mail. Be sure to include your dates of departure and travel plans on your application. Applications are processed according to the departure date indicated on the application form. If you give no departure date, the passport agency will assume you have no immediate travel plans. If you are leaving the country in less than 15 work days, enclose a $35 expediting fee (in addition to the overnight mail fee) and clearly mark the envelope "EXPEDITE."
KEEP YOUR PASSPORT IN A SAFE PLACE When traveling abroad, carry your passport with you at all times in a safe place--the safest being a money belt worn under the waist band of your pants. Make 3 photo copies of your passport. Take a copy with you and keep it in a separate safe place along with copies of your credit cards, traveler's checks and plane tickets.Give a copy to your traveling companion and leave a copy with US friend. If your passport is lost or stolen, U.S. embassies will usually accept this as proof that you're a U.S. citizen and can quickly issue you a temporary passport.
CHANGING YOUR NAME ON YOUR PASSPORT If your name has been changed, you may have your current, valid passport amended with this new name. To do so, mail your passport with your Court Order, Adoption Decree or Marriage Certificate showing your name change, and a completed passport application form DSP-19 to the Passport Agency nearest you. You must complete the application and sign it in your new name. OBTAINING ADDITIONAL VISA PAGES If you require additional visa pages before your passport expires, submit your passport with a signed request for extra pages to one of the passport agencies listed below. If you travel abroad frequently, you may request a 48-page passport at the time of application.
INVALID COUNTRIES Currently, the U.S. Secretary of State has decreed the U.S. passport is not valid for travel to Libya and Iraq.
PASSPORT AGENCIES
To search for location in Your state go to: http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/ All have limited 24-hour recordings which include basic information about the passport agency location, hours of operation and information regarding emergency passport services during non-working hours. For additional information try the U. S Department of State's Passport Information web site: http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html You can also listen to automated recordings or talk to a live person by calling the new privately run passport information service at 900-225-5674. Callers will be charged 35 cents per minute for automated service which will explain what's in this document and $1.05 per minute to speak to a live person. BOSTON Passport Agency Thomas P. O'Neil Federal Building 10 Causeway Street, Suite 247 Boston, MA 02222-1094 (617) 565-6990 Region: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Upstate New York, & Vermont
CHICAGO Passport Agency Kluczynski Federal Building 230 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 380 Chicago, IL 60604-1564 (312) 341-6020 Region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, & Wisconsin
HONOLULU Passport Agency Federal Building 300 Ala Moana Blvd Suite 1-330 Honolulu, HI 96813-2809 (808) 522-8283 Region: American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, & Northern Mariana Islands HOUSTON Passport Agency Mickey Leland Federal Building 1919 Smith Street Suite 1100 Houston, TX 77002-8049 (713) 653-3153 Region: Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, & Texas
LOS ANGELES Passport Agency Federal Building 11000 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 13100 Los Angeles, CA 90024-3615 (310) 235-7070 Region: California (all countries South of an including San Luis Obispo, Kern and San Bernardino), and Nevada (Clark County only)
MIAMI Passport Agency Claude Pepper Federal Office Building 51 SW First Avenue 3rd Floor Miami, FL 33120-1680 (305) 539-3600 Region: Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, & U.S. Virgin Islands NATIONAL Passport Center 31 Rochester Avenue Portsmouth, NH 03801-2900 (603) 334-0500 Applications Handled: Applications for Passport by Mail (Form DSP-82) and workload transfers from regional passport agencies
NEW ORLEANS Passport Agency Postal Services Building 701 Loyola Avenue Suite T-12005 New Orleans, LA 70113-1931 (504) 589-6728 Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia (except D.C. suburbs)
PHILADELPHIA Passport Agency U.S. Custom House 200 Chestnut Street Room 103 Philadelphia, PA 19106-2970 (215) 597-7480 Region: Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, & West Virginia SAN FRANCISCO Passport Agency 95 Hawthorne Street 5th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 744-4444/4010 (415) 744-4019/4020 Region: Arizona, California (all countries North of and including Monterey, Kings, Oulare, and Inyo), Nevada (except Clark Co.), & Utah
SEATTLE Passport Agency Henry Jackson Federal Building 915 Second Avenue Suite 992 Seattle, WA 98174-1091 (206) 220-7788 Region: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, & Wyoming STAMFORD Passport Agency One Landmark Square Broad and Atlantic Streets Stamford, CT 06901-2667 (203) 325-4401/4402 Region: Connecticut and Westchester County (New York)
WASHINGTON Passport Agency 1111 19th Street, N.W. Room 300 Washington, D.C. 20522-1705 (202) 647-0518 Region: Maryland, Northern Virginia (including Alexandria, Arlington County, and Fairfax County), and the District of Columbia
SPECIAL ISSUANCE Agency 1111 19th Street, N.W. Room 300 Washington, D.C. 20522-1705 Applications for Diplomatic, Official, and No-Fee passport Passport Photo Sources: You can usually find Passport Photo studios/sources near most Passport offices. You will need 2 to be sent in with your passport application. (see requirements above) I usually take a couple of extras for local transportation cards I will want to get in Europe's large cities. (see Getting Around Europe's Cities) Here are some of our favorite sources: AAA will take any one's photo--it is cheaper if you are a member. Costco is the cheapest source I've found. In Honolulu they charge $4.95 for two (2). Kinko's is a bit pricey but are open 24 hours. Check your local Copy stores.
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