All US citizens, including infants, must have a passport when traveling by plane abroad. Adults and some children must have a passport to also expatriate by sea or land. If you are a US citizen and plan to travel overseas in the near future, it is important to understand the process of obtaining a passport.
This article is aimed at US citizens and may have little application in Italy; however, if you plan to move to the US and apply for citizenship over time, you may find some useful advice.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Obtain the Passport
Step 1. Prepare the necessary documents
The fundamental ones are the Proof of Have Citizenship and the Proof of Identity, respectively a certificate of citizenship and identity. If the passport is requested for the first time or the subject is a minor, the documents to be produced to prove identity and citizenship may be different.
- Proof of citizenship is a previous passport or a birth certificate attesting to having come into the world within US borders. For those born abroad, the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (consular birth certificate), the certificate of naturalization or a certificate of citizenship is required.
- To prove the identity, the previous passport, the driving license, the identity card (including military) or the certificate of naturalization are sufficient. All these documents must include a photograph and the person's signature.
- If you do not have any of these documents, you must produce two types of "secondary identity documents". These include the Social Security card, the credit card or the library card. You can also be accompanied by a witness who vouches for you and who in turn has valid proof of his identity.
Step 2. Take a passport-sized photo
It is absolutely essential and is not just a photograph: it must meet size standards and your face must be clearly visible. The best way to get the right photograph is to go to a shop where this service is performed; supermarkets often have a sector dedicated to this purpose.
Step 3. Fill out the application form
In most cases the DS-11 model is used. It must be completed by hand in the office where you will file the request or online (after which you will have to print it). In this form, you will be asked for your personal details (where you live, where you were born, your social security number and so on) as well as physical details, such as height and eye color. The social security number is essential.
Step 4. Hand in the documentation and form yourself
Unless it is a renewal for an adult's passport, it is essential that the person concerned presents himself in person. The offices in charge are the local passport issuing authorities or some designated offices (often post offices). You will also need to show up in person if you have changed your name from the previous passport, if more than 15 years have passed since the previous document was issued or if it has been lost, stolen or damaged.
- Offices where to deliver documents. These are called Acceptance Facility and are distributed throughout the national territory; to find the one closest to you, you can consult the page https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/. Acceptance facilities are often post offices, court chancelleries, public libraries, or government offices in another state, county, district or city hall.
- Passport Center or Agency. To bring your passport application to these offices you need to request an appointment and you will have to pay an expedited fee. The list of these agencies and passport centers is available on the department's website at:
- If you want to access a quick passport issuance procedure or need it for an emergency, some agencies require proof that your trip is scheduled within the next two weeks or that you need to obtain an external visa within the next 4 weeks. For these reasons, it is advisable to contact the agency or the passport center well in advance to obtain all the necessary information.
- The request for renewal of an already issued passport for an adult can be sent by post, although this is a less secure method.
Step 5. Get the money to pay the tax
You will need to bear a passport fee and be aware that it can be quite expensive, so be prepared. The fee for a normal adult passport, first issued is $ 135 (approximately € 120). The amount is lower if it is a renewal or a document for a minor. The fee can be paid by cashier's check, credit card, money order (a sort of prepaid check) and sometimes by personal bank check, according to the regulations of the office where you deposit the request.
If you want to travel only from the United States to Canada or Mexico (only by land and not by plane), you can request the passport card (a kind of identity card valid for expatriation in passport format) instead of the classic passport to booklet. It is a cheaper solution
Part 2 of 2: Considerations
Step 1. Know the additional steps to obtain a child's passport
The procedure in this case is slightly more complex (and children will need their own passport even if they are infants). You must produce proof of the parental bond that binds you to the minor (such as a guardianship assignment or a properly signed birth certificate), a valid identity document (as well as photocopies of the same) and both parents must issue the consent of person. Alternatively, the presence of a parent and the written consent, authenticated by a notary, of the other or proof that parental authority is exercised by a single person is sufficient.
However, minors who are at least 16 or 17 years of age can follow the procedure for an adult passport, but parental consent is always required
Step 2. Apply well in advance of your travel date
The process of issuing and receiving the document can be very long (even 4-10 weeks, depending on the request). It is recommended that you apply for your passport well before you really need it.
- If necessary, request the urgent process. It is possible to speed up the procedure by selecting and declaring this necessity when completing and submitting the form. You will be charged an additional $ 60 (approximately € 50) for this service, in addition to shipping costs. The US government recommends that you choose express delivery as your shipping method.
- Passports can be issued quickly even in cases of life or death. Contact the office in charge for more information.
Step 3. Check the progress of your online application
Thanks to the official website you can monitor the status of your application and this possibility should be communicated to you when you file the application. It will take approximately one week after submitting your application to be able to view your situation online. It is advisable to check periodically, as you only have 90 days from the date of issue to declare that your passport was never delivered to you. Don't forget, otherwise you'll have to do it all over again!
Step 4. Apply for a passport even if you are abroad
This is a completely possible procedure, albeit a little different. The form to be filled in is the same, although the documentation may vary; however, the application process may differ depending on the state you are in. Call the US Embassy in the country where you reside to find out what you need.
Remember that the fast procedure is not available if you are in an overseas state and that the document will be sent to you from the United States. Submit your application in time
Step 5. Make sure you have paid all alimony installments for your child
If you have arrears, you will not be able to obtain a US passport (yours, not your child's).
Advice
- You can obtain the DS-11 form at Acceptance Facility, passport agencies or Walgreen pharmacies.
- You can apply for tax exemption to obtain a passport if: you are a US government official or employee traveling overseas on behalf of the country, you are an employee of one of these people and accompany them on their business trip or go on a journey to honor a dead family member who was part of the military. Visit the department's website at https://www.travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_836.html for more detailed information on the exemption.
- Children under the age of 16 and people who obtained their passport before they turned 16 must renew it by presenting in person using the DS-11 form.
Warnings
- Be careful about the passport expiration date. You can find it on the document itself, but the US State Department recommends renewing your passport six months before it expires. If it is a document issued to a child under 16, the validity is five years, for individuals over 16, the expiry is set at 10 years from the issue.
- When applying in person, do not paste the passport photo on the DS-1 form.
- If you have a criminal record, regardless of where you committed the crime, know that you may not get a passport.
- If you have lost your passport or it has been stolen, report it immediately to the local police headquarters and to the US embassy or consulate in the country you are in (or even to the State Department, if you are in the United States). Once the theft or loss has been declared, the passport will no longer be usable even if you find it.
- Children need proof of the parental bond that binds them to parents or guardians, an identity document (and a photocopy of it) of the parents or guardians in addition to parental consent. For further information on the issue of passports for minors under 16 years of age, consult the website: https://www.travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html; for children aged 16-17:
- If you are applying for a passport while you are abroad, know that there may be special rules to follow. Consult the department's website at:
- If you submit your application at an Acceptance Facility and present an identity document issued by a state other than the one where you are applying, you may be asked for an additional document. For example, if you apply to an Acceptance Facility in California with a Montana driver's license, then you must show another ID that contains most of this information: photograph, full name, date of birth and date of birth. expiration of the document.
- If you have undergone a sex change process or are in transition, you will need to submit additional documentation. For specifications see the department's website:
