Travel and Leisure

Passport Form – Get A Hold Of One In Advance

The U.S. government relies on paperwork for everything they do and this is no different when it comes to getting a passport or maintaining one. The right U.S. passport form can help an individual get a new passport or renew an old one and selecting the correct one can mean the difference between a quick application and a drawn out one. There are two basic forms when it comes to getting a new passport and they are the DS-11 and DS-82.

Most passports that are issued have a blue cover because this is the color for all citizens, as well as non-citizen nationals. Once acquired, a passport issued to an individual over the age of sixteen will usually not expire for at least ten years. For those who are either 15 years old or younger, the passport will expire in about five years. Either way, the appropriate forms need to be filled out to attain a passport.

The passport form along with other forms of identification needs to be presented in person at a Passport Agency of some type. The Passport Acceptance facilities or Passport Issuing Agency offices are located around the country. The most widely used of these is the local Post Office but not all handle passports so it will be a good idea to research this first.

In person appearances need to be made by any individual applying for a passport for the first time and any minors under the age of 16. The minors will also need to appear if they are renewing their passport until that are above the age of 16. There will be other forms of identification required and these should be on hand when making this trip.

Lost and/or stolen passport replacement requires the same type of documentation that is necessary for a new one. There are also separate forms for those that have had information change on their passport such as their name due to marriage and passport holders whose passport are over 15 years old and are in need of renewal. Any one meeting these conditions will need to fill out the DS-11 either before arriving or while at the passport facility.

As well as Form DS-11, there are some other documents that an individual needs to have with them when they appear at a designated government facility. For example, an individual will need to provide evidence of U.S. citizenship. A document that would fulfill this need is a birth certificate. Individuals who need to attain a copy of their birth certificate should contact the Vital Statistics office where they were born.

It is a smart idea to come prepared with copies of all the necessary forms of identification and have them well organized for easy access. Another piece of proof of identity will be needed and that is a copy of either a state issued ID card or driver’s license. If one of these is not currently held by the applicant, then there are others forms of acceptable identification that can be used in their place.

Acquiring a passport is something that everybody should do, whether an individual thinks he or she is going to travel abroad or not. One never knows what the future may hold. Regardless, a passport form can be found online and either filled out online or printed out to fill out with pen. Just make sure that nothing is signed until you are in front of an agent or you will have to do it all over again.