The information age has brought a wealth of information literally to people’s fingertips. All that is required is a few seconds to type an Internet search inquiry, a mouse click, and a list of Web sites meeting the search criteria is returned. People can even purchase an online USA passport in a fraction of the time it takes to get a passport in-person.

Gone are the days of traveling to the post office or U.S. Passport Agency to obtain a passport. Passport applicants can now go to the U.S. Department of State Web site in order to download and complete the required documents to obtain a passport. Passport renewals may be accomplished entirely via mail in certain situations. There are even independent companies that offer expedited processing of passport applications and they can be found online as well.

The services can offer different time frames in which the passport will be returned to the applicant. These times range anywhere from 7 to 10 days to as low as 1 to 2 business days, should an online passport be needed in an emergency. This does cost extra but in an emergency situation can be a great option is one is needed quickly.

The provider will require the applicant to complete the online passport application in addition to some additional forms required by the provider. The provider’s forms consist of a standard order form and sometimes a confidentiality agreement, due to the personal nature of information provided by the applicant. All forms may be found on the provider’s Web site and may then be downloaded and printed.

Proof of identity will also need to be provided in the form of a copy of the individual’s birth certificate. The birth certificate must be one from the city, county or state of birth and must be accompanied by that entities’ seal. Ones without the seal and certified copies are not accepted by any of the service providers, nor the issuing agency.

Additional documents such as a driver’s license or state identification card issued more than six months prior will also be required.. Applicants should make photocopies of all required documents and submit these with the passport application. It would be smart to double-check the list of required documents in order to make sure that all necessary paperwork has been gathered.

The applicant must also submit two identical photographs to the processing company. These photographs must measure 2×2 inches and be in color. There are stipulations regarding the face view and whether or not specific eyewear may be worn in the photographs, so check the government or provider Web sites for the requirements.

Once the application, documentation, and photos have been compiled, they should be packaged together and sent to the passport processing company. The package should be sent via a traceable method so that the applicant can make sure it arrives safely at the processing company’s location. Taking all of these steps will make the online USA passport application process relatively quick and painless. The applicant will have a new passport and be ready to make travel plans, which also can be done from the comfort of home.

Individuals looking to get a new USA passport can do a quick search online to find the best means to go about doing such a task. It will not necessarily be a difficult task, but it will consume a decent amount of an individual’s time. With this in mind, getting this documentation should not be a last minute venture, though acquiring such documentation is possible last minute under certain circumstances.

Those who have never had a passport before or fit into certain criteria will need to make an appearance in a government facility that falls under the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Passport Services and Customer Service. Those who lost their passport as well as those whose passport was issued over fifteen years ago must also make an appearance at such a facility. Form DS-11 will be needed for these circumstances.

Form DS-11 will not be difficult to fill out, but it will require certain information. Individuals looking to fill it out should do it in front of a computer to make the acquiring of the necessary information easier. The form will ask such standard questions like name and social security number. However, it will also slightly delve into family history, which is why it would be a good idea to have set time aside for this task.

As well as filling out Form DS-11, individuals looking to get a pasport need to have certain documentation for proof of identity and whatnot. The first type of documentation needed will be a proof of citizenship. An individual can prove their citizenship with a birth certificate, or if an individual was born abroad, but still a U.S. citizen, a consular report of birth abroad will work. A certificate of citizenship will also work.

Once citizenship has been proved, an individual will have to think of ways to prove identity. Well, actually, an individual does not have to think terribly hard as an appropriate list of all the different identification forms can be found online on the government’s Web site. The most commonly accepted form of identification is a driver’s license that has not expired.

While the original copy of the present identification is needed for the in-person trip to the designated government facility, a photocopy of the documentation must also be submitted. There are stipulations dictating how the photocopying must be completed. Those who do not have any of the primary forms of identification may be able to use secondary forms of identification.

Individuals looking to get a new passport must also supply the photograph that will appear in the identification. Not much of a surprise, the government mandates specific stipulations that need to be followed regarding the size of the photographs as well as the time they were taken. A complete list of the stipulations can be found online.

As long as an individual has a new passport, he or she will be able to travel abroad without problems, regarding identification. Even if a trip abroad were not planned, it would not necessarily be a bad idea to acquire a pasport. A boring day may lead to an adventure someday!

Applying for a First Time Passport Application for the first time can be very confusing. Don’t worry though, because it’s perfectly fine to feel that way. After all, you need to deal with a lot of things for the first time, fill in forms, and submit documents. The truth is that applying for passports doesn’t have to be confusing or even stressful. We’ll show you in the following paragraphs how you can easily apply for one minus the confusion and the hassle.

First of all, you need to be familiar with the different forms used when applying for passports. There are forms used when you’re applying for the first time, others are used when renewing it, and there are those that one fills in when they’ve lost their passport. But for the purposes of this article, let’s just focus on what you need for now.

For first-time passport applicants, the DS-11 form is the one that needs to be filled out.  Unlike the pre-Internet days where you had to go to the passport office to obtain the form, now all you need to do is download this form at the US Department of State’s office website. Once you’ve downloaded it, you can fill the form in before printing it, or you can just print it first then fill it in by hand.

You will need to submit this form along with the other documents that may be required of you once you have completed this. When processing your passport, you have two options of going about this procedure. The first one is the routine passport processing, which you can choose if you’re not in a hurry to get your passport. Currently, the processing time for routine passports is four to six weeks.

An expedited passport is what you need if you need to travel within four weeks. Expedited passports are given priority over those that go through routine processing. Because of this, expedited passports are processed a lot faster.

Normally, an expedited New American Passport is processed within a two to three week period. This is obviously a lot faster than routine passports. If you need to travel in less than four weeks, then this is the option you need to take.

Just take note that because expedited passports are given priority over routine ones, you will have to pay a little extra for that kind of service. It isn’t that pricey, and it’s actually money well spent if you really need to travel outside of the country quickly, yet do not have the passport to do so. If your passport can’t wait, have your application expedited.

To sum up, you have two options when it comes to applying for a New Pass Port. The first one is to take it through the routine processing. It’s best if you’re not in a hurry to get your passport. On the other hand, there’s the expedited passport. It’s quicker than the routine processing, and is the better option if you need to have a passport in less than four weeks.

If your passport has expired, then you’ll naturally need to have it renewed. Otherwise, you won’t be able to use it to travel to foreign destinations where US passports are required. You have several options when renewing your passport: sending it by mail, send it in person, or visit your nearest US Embassy or Consulate. What option is available to you depends on where you’re based, and if you are able to meet the requirements for renewing passports. First, let’s talk about renewing your Expired US Passport by mail.

Renewing your passport by mail is what you need if you don’t have the time to visit your local passport office. Aside from that, it also makes it convenient to have your passport renewed instead of submitting the documents yourself. You just have to send the requirements by mail, and wait for it to be processed. That’s all you need to do.

There are restrictions as to who can renew their passports by mail, however. First of all, your passport needs to be in a good condition. It means the passport office will not accept damaged passports. Aside from that, your passport must have been issued within the last 15 years, or when you are already 16 years old. You can also renew your passport by mail if it contains your legal name. If not, you should at least be able to legally document your name change.

If any of the conditions do not apply to you, then you will be required to submit your passport application in person. Once again, you’ll need to apply in person if your passport was damaged or if it was issued more than 15 years ago, etc. Don’t worry about this though, as this is only a measure to ensure that the passport office is issuing the passports to the right people.

Also keep in mind that the passport renewal by mail is open to those in the US and citizens based in Canada. If these two conditions apply to you, then just download Form DS-82 at the US Department of State’s website. Once you’ve filled it out, mail it to the address indicated in the form with the other requirements.

If you are living outside the US or Canada, however, you cannot choose to apply for an Expired United States Passport renewal by mail. You will then need to visit your nearest US Embassy or Consulate for your passport renewal. Just provide them with the necessary requirements and they will help you process your passport. Keep this in mind just in case you are traveling to a foreign destination.

When sending your passport application by mail, make sure that you use a traceable method of delivery. All modern courier services already provide this kind of service. Doing this will ensure that you can keep track of your documents until they arrive at the passport office. Also keep your documents safe and dry by sending them using a durable envelope.

In general, it will take four to six weeks to process your Expired pasPort renewal. This is unless, of course, you choose to have it expedited, which cuts the processing time to just two to three weeks. Now you know how to renew your expired passport.

Regardless of the type of passport-related transaction you’re going to do, you should always make it a point to know the requirements on getting a new United States passport. This is important because knowing what you need to do beforehand helps you save a lot of time. It becomes even more important when you need to make a personal appearance at the passport office. You don’t want to travel there only to waste half of your time trying to figure out what to do next.

We’ll show you how to get your first passport, renew your expired passport, and apply for a passport card. That sounds a lot of stuff you need to learn about, but don’t worry, as we’ll keep things as simple as possible. So read on and learn more.

First off, let’s talk about first-time passport applicants. If you are applying for a new USA passport, you will need to fill in the DS-11 form. Aside from this, you will also need to submit other requirements needed from first-time passport applicants.

Anyone applying for a passport for the first time should establish his/her American citizenship. There are particular documents you can submit to do this, such as your birth certificate, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, or a consular report on your birth if you were born abroad. You may submit any of these documents for your passport application. They will then be returned to you once you receive your passport, although they may be mailed separately.

Aside from the DS-11 and your proof of citizenship, you’ll also need to present an ID when you appear in person. In addition, you need to have that ID photocopied and submit it with the other requirements. You will also have to submit two passport photos. And finally, you will need to pay the applicable fees.

From first time passport applications, we move on to passport renewals. You need to renew your passport as soon as it expires, and as soon as you need it. To renew your expired passport, you have to accomplish and mail Form DS-82. However, if you are currently based abroad, you could also send it to your nearest US embassy and consulate. They will then handle the renewal of your passport.

Then finally, there’s the passport card. A passport card is a more convenient option to having a passport book, although applying for both are recommended. You can use your passport card in areas that are covered by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). WHTI areas are: Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Fill in the DS-82 if you already have the passport book, and then submit the form by mail. However, you need to fill in the DS-11 if you are not eligible for the mailing option, and then submit your form in person.

All in all, there are basically only two passport forms you need to keep in mind when applying for a new United States passport. When you’re getting a passport for the first time, you will be required to submit the DS-11 form and the other requirements, and then submit it in person. Meanwhile, if you’re renewing your passport, you can simply fill in the DS-82 form then send it by mail. The same rule goes for first time passport card applications, as well as those who haven’t had any passports before.