subject: Requirements For Obtaining Your Passport [print this page] Anyone interested in traveling to another country must have a passport. One cannot enter or leave any country without one. When getting your U.S. passport, it will be necessary to give one's name, sex, date and place of birth (which includes country), social security number and two current pictures. The ordinary passport is good for a period of ten years. If one needs to renew a passport, they can fill in a form on the Internet and print it out. They then must mail the form, two pictures, their old passport and the fee to the National Passport Processing Center in Philadelphia.
There are many different types of passports, depending on the status of the people involved. The majority of passports issued are Ordinary, with the others titled Official, Diplomatic, Emergency, Collective and Family. The most popular passports issued are Ordinary, which are for the average citizen. With the heavy increase in foreign travel, the year 2007 showed a total of over eighteen million United States Passports issued.
The Family passport is an excellent choice for the family who is going on a vacation together in a foreign country. By only allowing the passport holder to use the passport there is no danger of the children taking the passport and getting in difficulty. Many people would have no other type of passport.
When groups of students or adults go on a trip to another country there is always the concern of one getting separated or coming home by themselves. Using a Collective passport insures that this will not happen. The passports is issued in the name of the group leader and they are the only ones who can use it. This is very assuring to the parents whose child might be in a group. Those going on missionary or humanitarian projects often use this passport.
It is much easier to obtain a passport these days than it was in the past. Due to the huge increase in travel, the government has speeded up their method of issuing a passport. With security concerns they are very careful when issuing the passports to scrutinize them very carefully. Passports can be applied for at post offices, most county recorders offices and on the Internet. Emergency passports can be obtained on the same day or within twenty-four hours under special circumstances.
When one is going to stay in a country for an extended length of time, such as a student or overseas worker, they must have a Visa. This Visa is issued by the country being visited to allow the person to stay for an extended time. They must also have a passport in their possession to show their country of origin. The Visa does not take the place of a passport.
Recognizing the problems that Americans run into overseas, the State Department has established a special section to give assistance. It is called the Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management (ACS). In coordination with the American consulates and embassies, they provide various emergency services for American citizens.
