Thursday, November 17, 2011

Necessary Paperwork Needed To Get A Passport

By Jan Janssen


The U. S. Government website will give you a list of all the local places you can go to get a passport. Visit these local establishments and they will give you all the necessary papers that you need. Strict rules must be followed but getting these credentials is not the problem some people like to say it is.

Vacationing or working outside your own country requires travel permits. Homeland security has gotten much tighter in terms of travel out of, and back into your native land. Many things happen without warning, and if you have to travel immediately, your paperwork will be completed and you will have documents you need in hand. Never wait until it is too late.

The paperwork can be filled in at home, but pay close attention to the directions. Properly filled in forms will save a lot of time. You will need a birth certificate to prove citizenship. If you have misplaced yours, a notarized copy from your place of birth is acceptable. The website will give other additional accepted forms.

Having a valid driver's license is the best way to show residency. If you do not have a license, the Department of Motor Vehicles can make up a document that looks very much like a driver's license. Either of these documents are adequate proof of where you live.

All government offices are equipped to take the photo necessary that will be placed inside your passport. Most often two photos are taken and the best of the two is the one chosen to accompany your document. This will cost about $15.00 but that rate is no more than what a private photographer will charge. If a person still desires to have their photo done elsewhere, remember that the government agency will not accept anything less than a photo that is two by two inches in size.

When you have met all the criteria and paperwork is complete, you will pay the fees involved. Presently a passport can run between $110.00 and $140.00 plus $25.00 for the passbook card. If you are in a hurry for your documentation, an additional fee of $60.00 is charged to receive it in two or three weeks. The normal wait time on the completed document is four to six weeks.

Getting your passport is not a walk in the park. Still, if you arrive with everything in order, it is much less of a hassle than you thought. With all the fees paid in full and the paperwork filled out and filed, all there is left to do is to patiently await the arrival of your document by mail.




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