subject: Passport Form - Better Not Delay Before The Last Minute [print this page] The U.S. government relies on paperwork for everything they do and this is no different when it comes to getting a passport or maintaining one. The right passport form can help an individual get a new passport or renew an old one and selecting the correct one can mean the difference between a quick application and a drawn out one. There are two basic forms when it comes to getting a new passport and they are the DS-11 and DS-82.
Everyone has seen a passport at some point in their life, whether it was in real life or in a movie, with its blue cover and distinctive gold seal. The standard issue passport has a life of 10 years for adults and only five years for a minor child, 16 or under, before needing renewal. The age of the applicant plays a part in which forms will be necessary when filing an application for a brand new passport.
When applying for a new passport, the majority of applicants will need to appear in person at a Passport Acceptance facility. They will need to have the proper passport form filled out when they appear along with current identification documents proving their citizenship. The Post Office is one of the most widely used locations for applying for a passport.
A new passport will only be issued to those appearing in person and cannot be obtained by mail. A personal appearance must also be made by anyone 16 years old or younger when applying for a new passport or renewing an old one. There is a wide variety of documentation that the applicant must have on hand when applying for a new passport.
There is also a separate form for replacing a lost or stolen passport and this may also be found online. This will need to be printed out and completed before arriving at the acceptance facility along with having photocopies or proper identification documents. This is yet another application process that must be completed in person.
Once the proper form has been found and completed, there will be accompanying paperwork that the applicant will need to provide. Proof of citizenship is one major form that will need to be produced and this should be in the form of a birth certificate. The birth certificate should be one that is obtained for the city, county or state that the individual was born in and have the issuing agency's seal on it.
Individuals that need to appear in person should gather all their documentation together and even designate a folder to put all the information in so that it will be organized and difficult to lose. Another piece of documentation that an individual needs is form of valid identification. This can be either an old passport, as long it is not damaged, or a valid driver's license. There are other documents accepted too, for those who do not have either of these.
