By watching some of the older movies like Titanic, it would give one reason to believe that obtaining a passport is something that only the rich and well off were entitled to. The reality of it is that everyone should have a passport and as long as expedited service is not needed, a passport is pretty inexpensive to obtain. Here is a quick rundown of some new passport requirements in the United States.
Any first time applicant will have to make a personal appearance at a government passport office. There are also several other situations that will require the person to go to the office in person. Minors will always have to be presented at the office and anyone that is trying to replace a lost or stolen document will have to go to the passport office.
The one form that everyone has to fill out is the DS-11. In addition to this form, several other pieces of documents must be presented in person. The main reason for this is that the passport agency needs to check ID and make sure that the signature matches the documents that are presented. For this reason, do not sign anything until you actually get to the passport office. The forms can be filled out, but nothing should be signed until an agent is present.
Proof of citizenship is one of the secondary pieces that must be present in order for the documents to be accepted. This is usually just a birth certificate for any US born citizen. If the applicant is an immigrant, they must have their immigration papers at the ready. If these documents are not present, the application will be put on hold.
A birth certificate to be considered as being certified must have an embossed or raised seal from the registrar in the state or county of birth, along with that person’s signature. It must also have been filed within one year of the birth date on the certificate. Some shorter, or what are known as abstract versions of the certificates may not meet passport requirements. Be prepared too, to have a photocopy of both sides of the document that can be given to the agent.
A minor will always have to get their passport in person. All above documentation must be brought with them along with their parents. If the parents are divorced and sharing custody, they must both still be present. The only situations where only one parent need be present are when there is sole custody or a parent is deceased.
The parent or parents that are with the child will also have to have the appropriate ID in order for the minor’s application to be accepted. Everything will be checked, so make sure that everything is valid and current. The best bet is to bring their current passport as it is the be all and end all of documentation. Also, 2 passport photos must be presented with all of the documentation for the applicant.
One of the reasons that acquiring a passport takes so long is because of the all of the documents that are needed to get approved. Sometimes a birth certificate cannot be found and a new one must be ordered. It is unlikely that current passport photos are lying around and this means another trip. However, as long as all United States passport requirements are met and the photos are current (within 6 months), everything should go smoothly at the passport office.