Passports! They key to all international travel. Even if you don’t have a trip currently planned, I always recommend keeping your passport handy and valid, especially since they take so long to renew! You never know when you may get the urge to hop on a plane or your best friend suggests a spur of the moment weekend trip to Paris (we can dream, right?). If you’ve never had a passport before, listen to this week’s episode to find out how to get one! For a few handy tips and FAQs from the US State Department, read on.
How long does it take to get a passport?
From mailing in your application to receiving the passport, currently 18 weeks (this can fluctuate based on a number of factors, and the current, unusually long 18 week estimate is largely due to the chaos of 2020, from what I’ve heard)
How much does it cost?
For an adult (over 16) a new passport book will be $145 ($110 plus a $35 execution/acceptance fee). A passport card is $30 plus the $35 fee. A new children’s passport will be a total of $115 ($80 plus the 35 fee), and a child can get the card for $15 plus the fee. Always that $35 fee!
What do you need to apply for a passport?
There are several documents you have to include, and for the full list of accepted documents, make sure you go to the State Department website! Here is a list of requirements with just a few of the more common documents that would be accepted.
- Evidence of citizenship (original or a certified copy, and regular copy). This could include an expired US passport, birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, etc.
- ID. You could use a driver’s license, learner’s permit, Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, government employee ID, military ID, Green Card, Tribal Cards/tribal photo IDs, etc
- Photo. You can take your own as long as it meets the requirements, but most places like Walgreens, CVS, FedEx UPS facilities, etc are also easy options. The photo must:
- Be a color photo, taken in last 6 months
- Be a clear image of your face. No Instagram filters (yes, the State Department website specifies this!)
- Be taken by someone else (no selfies, as it’s the wrong angle)
- Have no glasses
- Have a plain white or off-white background.
- Have no masks
- Fee
- Completed application form
If you are under 16
- You must apply in person with 2 parents or guardians
- You need the same documents as adults, plus prove parental relationship and consent:
- Parental consent is given by physically going with the child to apply
- Relationship can by proven by providing:
- U.S. birth certificate
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
- Foreign birth certificate
- Adoption decree
- Divorce/Custody decree
Can you get it faster than 18 weeks?
Yes, but it’s complicated.
The current timeline is 18 weeks, but if you pay an extra $60 you can get it expedited in 12 weeks. There is an option for a 72 hour rush, but you have to provide a reason that fits either urgent, international travel or a life or death emergency.
What are passport cards?
Passport cards are newer alternatives to passports, but be careful, because they’re not nearly as useful! As opposed to the passport book, a passport card is, well, a card that fits in your wallet. They serve as ID and they will also let you enter the US at land and sea borders in North America. So, traveling by plane or outside of North America? They won’t work!
Now that you know the process, get your passport and travel far! If you have any questions, comments, or passport stories to share, you can email goingoutyourdoortravel@gmail.com and find more wanderlust and travel inspiration at Going Out Your Door on Instagram and Facebook!
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