Our experience and the Steps to Take to Get a US Passport

Step #1:

Have all the necessary documentation. The major necessary documentation are Proof of Citizenship and Proof of Identity. There are a number of different documents that can be used, depending on if this is the first time apply or if the passport is for a minor.

Proof of citizenship includes a previous US passport or a birth certificate for those born inside the US. For those born outside the US, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Naturalization Certificate, or Certificate of Citizenship will be necessary.

Proof of identity includes items like a previous US passport, driver’s license, current government or military ID, or a Naturalization Certificate. These items should have your photo and your signature.

If you do not have one of those forms of ID, you will need two forms of what are called “secondary ID”. These include items like a social security card, credit card or library card. You can also appear with an identifying witness, who will need their own sufficient forms of ID.

Step #2:

Get a passport photo. You will need a passport photo. This is not just a normal photo: it must be a very particular size and you must be clearly visible with the required photo layout. The easiest way to get this photo is to go to a place which takes these photos. Dan & I had our photos taken at AAA for Free since we are plus-members. Candice had hers taken at the Court House office for about $10.60. Once we submitted Dan and I's photos we were told Dan's wasn't centered and he would need a new set of pics for another $10.60. Many large chain grocery and drug stores will do this if they have a photo lab.

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Step #3:

Fill out the appropriate form. This is form DS-11 in almost all cases. This can be filled in by hand at the place where you submit the form, or online (after which you will need to print it out). This form asks for your details (where you live, where you were born, your Social Security Number, etc) as well as information like your height and eye color. Filling in your SSN is absolutely required.

Step #4:

Submit form and documentation in person. Unless you are renewing an adult passport, you will usually have to submit your application in-person. This can be done at your local passport authority, or at designated locations (often major post offices). You will also need to apply in person if you changed your name since your previous passport, if it has been more than 15 years since your last passport was issued, or if your previous passport was stolen, lost, or damaged.

Acceptance Facility. You may locate the Acceptance Facility nearest you, but visiting the Passport Acceptance Facility search page at http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/. Acceptance facilities may include post offices, clerks of court, public libraries or other state, county, township, and municipal government offices.

We personally picked up the forms at the Clerk of the Courts and once we had everything we returned to the clerk of the courts to file.

Passport Agency or Center. You must have an appointment in order to apply at a Passport Agency or Center, and an Expedited Fee is required for each application submitted in person at any agency or center. A list of Agencies is located on the Department’s website at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html.

If expediting the process or requesting an emergency passport, some Passport Agencies and Centers require proof of international travel within two weeks, or proof of need to obtain a foreign visa within four weeks, so be sure to contact the center in advance in order to ensure that you have all the necessary information.

Passport renewal for previously issued adult passports can be done by mail, though this method is much less secure.

Step 5:

*Note: Rates change the shown rates are what we paid in October 2014

Have money for the fee. You will have to pay for your passport and it is relatively expensive, so be prepared. The fee for a basic, first-time adult passport totals $110 plus a $25 processing fee. It is less if you are renewing or if you are getting a passport for a minor. This fee can be paid checks, credit cards, money orders, and sometimes personal checks, depending on the facility where you submit your application.

For us we were only allowed to pay via Personal Checks as that is all the clerk of the courts excepts in our area. Call ahead to find out what your area requires.

If you only want to travel between the US and Canada or the US and Mexico (and you plan to drive, not fly), then you can get a passport card instead of a passport book. This will be cheaper.

Step 6:

Track your application online. You can track your application on the official website, which you should be informed of when you submit the application. It takes roughly a week after submitting the forms for your status to appear. You will want to keep an eye on it, since you only have 90 days from issue date to report that your passport has not arrived. Don’t forget about it and then need to reapply!

We applied with no additional speedy services for all of our passport's on October 15, 2014 and we all had our passports back in our hands on November 8, 2015. Our original birth certificates arrived back to all of us a few days later.