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PASSPORTS AND VISAS
Passports. It is a good idea to apply 3 months
before you plan to travel. If you also need visas, allow more
time as you must have a valid passport before applying for a visa.
If this is your first passport, you must apply in person, bringing
with you proof of U.S. citizenship (usually a certified copy of
your birth certificate, previous U.S. passport, a naturalization
certificate, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad); 2 identical
recent front-view photos (2" x 2"); a completed passport application
(Form DSP-11); proof of identity, such as a valid drivers license
or other photo or physical-description I.D.; and the appropriate
fee for a passport valid for 10 years. Click
here to see a chart of passport fees.
You may apply at any passport agency (see list at the end of
this pamphlet) or at one of the many clerks of court or post offices
designated to accept passport applications. Your birth certificate
or other documents will be returned to you by mail, along with
your new passport.
You may be eligible to apply for a passport by mail. If you
have had a passport issued within the past 12 years and you are
able to mail that passport with your application, you can use
Form DSP-82, "Application for Passport by Mail," to apply. Obtain
this form from any office that accepts passport applications or
from your travel agent. Follow the instructions on the back of
the form. Click
here to see a chart of passport fees.
If you are leaving on an emergency trip within two weeks, apply
in person at the nearest passport agency and present your tickets
and itinerary from an airline, as well as the other required items.
Or, apply at a court or post office and arrange to have the application
sent to the passport agency through an overnight delivery service
of your choice. (You should also include a self-addressed, pre-paid
envelope for the return of the passport by express mail.) Be sure
to include your dates of departure, travel plans on your application
and all appropriate fees (including the $35 expedite fee).
When you receive your passport, be sure to sign it on page 1
and to pencil in on page 4 the requested information. This will
help us notify your family or friends in case of an accident or
other emergency. Do not designate your traveling companion as
the person to be notified in case of an emergency.
Visas. Many countries require a visa--an endorsement
or stamp placed in your passport by a foreign government that
permits you to visit that country for a specified purpose and
a limited time. A number of countries require you to obtain a
visa from the embassy or consular office nearest to your residence.
The addresses of foreign consular offices can be found in telephone
directories of large cities or in the Congressional Directory,
available in most libraries; or you may write to the appropriate
embassy in Washington, D.C. and request the address of their consulate
that is nearest to you. You can also obtain the Department of
State booklet, Foreign Entry Requirements, which lists
visa and other entry requirements and locations of all foreign
embassies and consulates in the U.S. To order this booklet see
page 11. Apply for your visa directly to the embassy or consulate
of each country you plan to visit or ask your travel agent to
assist you with visas. U.S. passport agencies cannot obtain visas
for you.
An increasing number of countries are establishing entry requirements
regarding AIDS testing, particularly for long-term residents and
students. Check with the embassy or consulate of the countries
you plan to visit for the latest information.
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