Anyone who wishes to travel outside of the United States will have to apply for passport. If you have never before had a travel document, it will be necessary to apply in person for a new passports. There are different requirements for children, teens, and adults. The following is a description of the application process for an adult.
The first step that an adult must take to secure a US travel document for the first time is to locate the nearest passport acceptance facility and appear to apply in person, even trying to use an expedited child United States passport service. Typically these facilities are inside your local post office, the county clerk office or libraries. Check the Internet or your local phone book for the Department of State to find the office nearest you.
Several documents are required as a form of proof of identity, which include a State ID, naturalization papers, military certificate, and driver license. If you have an ID card from some other state, you will have to provide a credit card, social security card, a library card or an alternative secondary identification document. It is a good idea to make copies of the forms of identification before taking them to apply for a travel document.
It is also required that applicants show proof that they are United States citizens. A certified United States birth certificate, a citizenship certificate or naturalization papers can serve as proof. You will also need a current photo for your new travel document. There are several places to have these pictures taken, however, check to see if it is possible to have it taken at the acceptance facility. Many of the facilities are equipped to take photos.
When you have collected all your documents and have your photo, you are to take them to the acceptance facility or post office. Save time by locating the correct application form on the Internet, printing it and completing it before you visit the agency. The form is not to be signed before an agent instructs you to. The application is always signed in front of the agent as a witness.
At the acceptance facility you work with an authorized agent who will review your documents and take your payment. All payments are accepted in money order or check only. The fees change periodically so it is a good idea to check for the correct fee amount before hand.
After completing the application and providing the documentation required with the required photo, the packet is forwarded to the Department of State for approval. For those who wish to receive their document in three weeks, an extra fee is charged. The normal delivery time for the document will be in about six weeks from the date submitted.
Getting a new passports is much easier than one might believe when the application process is started early enough to guarantee the document will be ready at travel time. Nationwide, there are thousands of passport acceptance facilities and many of them are located inside the local post office. To make the task even easier, it is not uncommon to have photo services on site, even when working with an expedited child U S passport service. This creates a type of one stop shop for acquiring travel documentation.

