Posts tagged: First Time Passport

Your First Time Passport – Getting One Can Be Not As Hard As You Would Believe

Applying for a New American Passport can be very daunting, especially if you’re getting a passport for the first time. There are many requirements that you need to bring about, and sometimes you just might have to do a little legwork when processing your passport. We can help make things a lot easier for you. Let’s show you some of the basic things you need to know about applying for passports.

The first item you need to deal with is the different forms used when applying for passports. These different forms are used for different purposes, so you really need to know which one you’ll need. There’s a form for applying for a passport for the first time, then there’s another one that you’ll fill in if you lost your passport, and then a different one if you have to renew your passport.  Since you want to apply for a passport, let’s deal with the first type of form.

The form filled in by first time passport applicants is Form DS-11. It used to be that you had to go the nearest passport office to get a copy of this form. But today you can download this form via the US Department of State’s website. Once downloaded, you can fill the form in before printing it, or you could also print it first then fill it in later using a pen.

You will need to submit this form along with the other documents that may be required of you once you have completed this. When processing your passport, you have two options of going about this procedure. The first one is the routine passport processing, which you can choose if you’re not in a hurry to get your passport. Currently, the processing time for routine passports is four to six weeks.

An expedited passport is what you need if you need to travel within four weeks. Expedited passports are given priority over those that go through routine processing. Because of this, expedited passports are processed a lot faster.

Normally, an expedited New Passport is processed within a two to three week period. This is obviously a lot faster than routine passports. If you need to travel in less than four weeks, then this is the option you need to take.

Speeding up the process of your application takes more resources. That’s why expedited passports have a small additional fee on top of the regular passport processing fees. Don’t worry about this though, as the price you have to pay isn’t the hefty, and it pays for itself in the form of speed and convenience that you get.

When it comes to applying for a First Time American Passport, you have two options to go about it. First, you can choose the routine passport processing that doesn’t require an extra fee, but may be too slow if you need to travel soon. Then there’s the expedited passport processing. The price that you pay for this kind of service is offset by the convenience and speed that it affords you.

Want To Find Out How To Renew Your Expired Us Passport?

Once your passport has expired, it is automatically invalidated. What this means is you can no longer use your passport for travel to destinations where a US passport is required. You’ll therefore need to have your passport renewed. There are several ways of going about this. But for starters, let’s begin with how to renew your Expired U.S. Passport by mail.

If you’re after convenience, then applying for a passport renewal by mail is the option for you. The good thing about this is that you no longer need to go to the passport office just to submit the requirements for your passport renewal. With this option, you simply have to mail all the requirements, and you’ll just have to wait for the new passport, which will also arrive by mail.

However, not everyone can renew their passports by mail. First of all, you need to meet the requirements set for you to do this. Here’s your checklist on whether you can apply for a passport by mail: your passport should be in a good condition, it was issued when you were at least 16 years old, and it was issued no more than 15 years ago. Also, the passport must contain your legal name. Otherwise, you should at least be able to legally document your name change.

In case your passport has been damaged, or you do not meet the other requirements mentioned above, then you will have to submit your passport renewal application in person. Don’t worry though, if you have to do this. It’s just an extra measure to ensure that the passport is issued to the right person.

Also keep in mind that the passport renewal by mail is open to those in the US and citizens based in Canada. If these two conditions apply to you, then just download Form DS-82 at the US Department of State’s website. Once you’ve filled it out, mail it to the address indicated in the form with the other requirements.

What should you do if you are based outside of the US or Canada? Then you may not apply for a passport renewal by mail. Your option is to visit your nearest US Embassy or Consulate then have your Expired US Passport renewed there. They will assist you on how to do this. This is an important reminder, especially if you regularly take trips outside of the US or Canada.

Make sure you send your passport application by mail using a traceable method of delivery. That’s so you can keep track of your application until it arrives at the passport office, and get a confirmation when it does. In addition to that, place all of your documents in a secure envelope to protect it from the elements while it is being transported.

Your application for Expired US Passport renewal normally takes four to six weeks to process through the routine application. However, you could also have the process expedited if you need your passport sooner. This will cut the processing time to just two to three weeks. That’s everything you need to know on how to renew your expired passport.

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