How Do I Get a Valid State-Issued Identification Card or Passport in Days?

State-Issued Identification Card

• 1

  Visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles or your state's equivalent to apply for a state identification card.

• 2

  Present the clerk with proof of your identity, such as your birth certificate and your social security card, along with proof of your address, such as a utility bill or mortgage statement. Acceptable proof of identity varies by state, so verify acceptable forms before you go.

• 3

  Pay the fee for your state ID card. Fees differ by state. You will need to check with your state for the correct fees and accepted methods of payment.

• 4

  Smile for a photo and wait a few minutes while your state-issued identification card is printed. Receive your card once the previous steps are complete and begin using it as proof of your identification that day.

Rapid Passport

• 5

  Obtain a copy of Form DS-11, the application for a U.S. passport, which is found online at the U.S. Department of State's passport website and at any government post office in your city that processes passport applications (see Resources). Complete this form.

• 6

  Download and complete two letters of authorization (see Resources). These are required if you want to obtain a rapid passport.

• 7

  Download and complete a copy of the Global Reservation Form (see Resources) that is required by Travisa, the company that handles rapid passports.

• 8

  Obtain a copy of your certified birth certificate and your international departure date, which can be in the form of your airline ticket or your airline reservation. Gather these, along with your completed DS-11, Global Reservation Form and two letters of authorization. Have two passport photos made.

• 9

  Take the documents and the photos to a passport-handling post office or clerk of court in your city. Have them endorse your documents and enclose a copy of your photo identification, the passport photos and a check to the U.S. Department of State for $170 in an envelope marked "To Be Opened By Passport Office Personnel Only."

• 10

  Send via Federal Express to the Travisa office of your choice (see Resources). If you live near one of the Travisa offices, you can apply in person for rush service. Otherwise it will take 3 to 10 business days to receive your rapid passport from Travisa.