subject: U.s. Passports - Answering Your Important Questions [print this page] Your passport is your gateway to the worldYour passport is your gateway to the world. However, a lot of mystery surrounds the passport. Clearing up some of these questions can help you understand just what you need to know about what a passport is, why you need one, how to obtain a United States passport, and some other facts that might be useful in your travels.
Who?
Anyone who is traveling outside the United States must have a passport, no matter their age. From the youngest member of your family to the oldest, re-entry to the United States will be denied if an official passport is not presented. Any child, even a newborn traveling internationally must have a passport but because a child's appearance will certainly change radically, their passport is not valid for the same period as adults. A passport issued to a child sixteen years or younger is valid for five years but one issued for a person sixteen and older is valid for ten years. A name change for any reason or the need for additional passport pages requires an official passport update before traveling.
What Exactly Is A Passport?
A passport is a legal document that validates your identity when entering a foreign country and provides re-entry into your home country when you return. Your picture and specific information about you provide identification to legal authorities both at home and abroad. A passport and a visa are not the same thing. A visa is evidence of your ability to enter a foreign country. If traveling to boarder countries, passport cards can be purchased and are less expensive than a passport. They allow you to travel to boarder countries but only by land or sea. All air travel requires a passport.
Where?
Every country on the globe requires a passport for entry and re-entry unless as discussed above where passport cards would suffice. Likewise, each country has their own system of government passport agencies and most countries provide online passport services as well.
When Is The Time Frame For Getting One?
Normally, it takes up to three months to acquire a passport so it is vital to plan your trip timetable accordingly to allow enough time for you to get your passport. If, however, you find you need a passport quickly, passport expediting services are available to allow you to complete the process in a shorter period of time. Both free standing and online passport agencies and companies can be easily located but no service is more efficient and timely than an online passport expediting service. Although at an additional cost, it is possible to get your passport the same day you apply so go online and locate a company providing this service.
Why?
A passport is used to verify your identity and citizenship when traveling or in any other situation where this information is required. When you travel internationally, you need a passport to re-enter the United States. The importance of a passport can not be underestimated as it is the only universally accepted form of identification used around the world. If you lose your passport or think it may have been stolen, you must report it immediately.
