A U.S. passport is a document issued to American citizens allowing them to leave and re-enter the United States. Each citizen traveling outside of the country over the age of 16 must have a passport. A passport has a bar code and is scanned upon departure and re-entry. It also identifies passengers as U.S. citizens when entering other countries.
United States passports are issued at thousands of locations throughout the United States, most of them inside of post offices. Overseas, US.. citizens can apply for a new passport at any consulate location. To find a passport office near you, follow the link at the bottom of this article.
To obtain a new U.S. passport, citizens need to present two passport-size photos, proof of citizenship (this may be a birth certificate--original or certified copy--an expired passport or naturalization papers), the completed application form and the required fees. You must apply in person if you have never had a passport or if yours expired more than 15 years ago.
Passports usually take between 4 and 6 weeks to process. During especially heavy volume times, such as late spring and early summer, the processing can take up to 10 weeks.
If you need your new passport sooner than the usual turnaround time, the U.S. State Department offers a service where they expedite your application for a fee. In addition, several companies, such as Visa Express and Travisa, will walk your application to the passport office and wait for your passport to be issued, again for a fee.
Those changing their name, such as new brides, are required to submit a change of name form to a U.S. passport office with their passport. The amendment is stamped onto the back of the document.
Those who have lost their passport or had it stolen are required to submit a form stating the particulars of the loss for a new document to be issued.
These forms may be found on the U.S. State Department passport information pages.
