 |
| |
Frequently
Asked Questions:
Passports and Citizenship Documents
Where do I get a passport application? At any regional passport agency or a designated Post Office or Clerk of Court. You can look at the "Where to Apply for a Passport Nationwide" listing under Passport Information on this site or check your local telephone directory for locations. Look for Passport Services under the Department of State listing in the Federal Government blue pages of the directory. You can click here to print out passport forms. - Back to Top - Where are the instructions for filling out the passport forms? Instructions are on the back of the forms. - Back to Top - I am traveling very soon. How do I get a passport in a hurry? See How to Get Your Passport in a Hurry. - Back to Top - See How to Apply for a Passport Renewal. - Back to Top - I have never had a U.S. passport/My passport was lost or stolen. How do I get one? See How to Apply in Person for a Passport. - Back to Top - My child who is under 16 needs a passport. How do I get one? If applying for a child 12 and under: The child need not appear in person. A parent or legal guardian can apply for the child. The parent or guardian must show current, valid ID. If the parent is NOT a citizen, they must show an alien registration card ("green card"), valid foreign passport, other ID such as a driver's license. If the parent does not have acceptable ID, someone with current, valid ID must vouch for the parent as described above. If applying for a child age 13 to 16: The child MUST appear in person. - Back to Top - I was recently married/divorced. How do I change my name on my passport? You will need to complete Form DSP-19, Passport Amendment/Validation Application and send it along with certified documentation of your name change and your current, valid passport to the nearest passport agency. The agencies are listed on the back of the form. Your documentation will be returned to you with your amended passport. There is no fee for this service unless you require expedited service. (See How do I get my passport in a hurry?) Click here to print out the DSP-19. - Back to Top - My passport was lost/stolen. How do I report it? You report a lost or stolen passport when you apply for the new one. At that time, you will submit a DSP-64, "Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport." Click here for more information on the DSP-64. Click here to print out the DSP-64. - Back to Top - I was born abroad. How do I get a birth certificate? If you were born in a foreign country to a U.S. citizen parent or parents, and your parent registered your birth at a U.S. embassy or consulate in the form of a Consular Report of Birth (Form FS-240), and you would like evidence of your birth and United States citizenship, please submit a written request which includes the following five items: 1) The subject's full name at birth, and date and country of birth. All requests should be mailed to: Passport Services Click here if you would like to see more information on Consular Reports of Birth Abroad. - Back to Top - What should I do if my baby is born abroad? The birth of a child abroad to a U.S. citizen parent(s) should be reported as soon as possible to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to establish an official record of the child's claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The official record is a Consular Report of Birth of a Citizen of the United States of America, or Form FS-240. This document, know as the Consular Report of Birth Abroad, is a basic United States citizenship document. An original FS-240 is furnished to the parents at the time the registration is approved. (Click here for more information.) A Consular Report of Birth can be prepared only at a U.S. embassy or consulate. It cannot be prepared if the child has been brought back into the United States, or, if the person is 18 years of age or older at the time the application is made. - Back to Top - What do I do if there is no birth record on file for me? If you were born in a foreign country to a U.S. citizen parent or parents and your parent did not register your birth in the form of a Consular Report of Birth FS-240, we suggest that you apply to a U.S. passport agency for a U.S. passport, or, alternatively, to INS for a Certificate of Citizenship to document your U.S. citizenship. If you submit satisfactory documentary proof that you acquired citizenship at birth, a Certificate of Citizenship will be issued in your name. For more information, please contact your local office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. You may consult your local phone book for the telephone number listed under the U.S. Department of Justice. A U.S. passport is also proof of U.S. citizenship. - Back to Top - I'm renewing my passport. Do I get the old one back? Yes, we return the old, cancelled passport to you. It is a good idea to keep it in a safe place as it is considered proof of your U.S. citizenship. - Back to Top - My child is too young to sign his/her own passport. How do I sign my child's passport? In the space provided for the signature, the mother or father must print the child's name and sign their own name. Then, in parenthesis by the parent's name, write the word (mother) or (father) so we know who signed for the child. - Back to Top
Age Validity 16 and 10 years 15 5 years - Back to Top |
Passport
Services ||| Consular Affairs ||| State Department
Visitors ||| Business ||| Per Diem Rates ||| Travel ||| Living Overseas ||| Employee Services