A U.S. passport is a form of identification used when traveling internationally that proves your identity as well as your nationality.
Original passport applications must be made in person. Proof of U.S. citizenship must be presented at that time as well as proof of identity, both of which are determined based on a list of acceptable documentation. A form DS-11 must be completed and turned in at this time as well, and so should two passport photos and the appropriate fees. Federal arrest warrants, criminal court orders or conditions of probation may make you ineligible to apply for and receive a U.S. passport, though it is up to law enforcement agencies to deny your request. Prior criminal records or arrests will not necessarily make you ineligible.
As of 2008, both the original Passport Book and a new Passport Card were made available. The Passport Card is less expensive then the Book, but cannot be used for international travel. It can be used to travel between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico, however, as long as you are going by land or by sea. It is about the size and shape of a driver's license and contains information such as a photo of the card holder as well as her date of birth, name, the date of issuance and the date of expiration, and a Passport Card ID number. The original Passport Book is valid for international travel of all types including by land, sea or air. It is more expensive than the card, and also larger physically. It actually opens up as a small book with pages for stamps from countries you travel to. You can carry both a Passport Book and a Card at the same time, and apply for both so that you have one for international air travel and one for use when traveling across borders into other countries by land or sea. There is also an E-Passport, which includes a small electronic chip embedded into the cover of the traditional passport and carries the information from the passport as well as a photograph and several security measures to keep anyone from changing the important passport information if the passport is stolen.
Passports (both the books and cards) are valid for 10 years if you are an adult and for five years for those younger than 16. Receiving your passport once you have applied for it can take anywhere from 10 weeks to longer, depending on the time of year and the current demand for passports. Sometimes you can receive it in less than 10 weeks if you expedite the process or if it is a time of year when not a lot of people are applying.
"Passport" documentation has been around in various forms for thousands of years. An early mention is made in the Hebrew Bible and refers to the time of the ancient Persian empire when letters were given from the king to request safe passage for his people traveling to foreign lands. The term "passport" is likely to have come from Medievel times, when documents were needed to pass from one town to another and had to be shown when passing through the gates of these towns. While documents and "passports" were needed for travel among European countries for many hundreds of years, during WWI they fell into disuse as they were not required for most travel from country to country in Europe. Passport standardization did not come about until 1980, through the efforts of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
U.S. passports are not needed to travel between states or to travel to U.S. territories (such as Puerto Rico or Guam). If you must travel by land through another country to get to a U.S. state or territory, you may be required to have a passport, though some of these countries will allow you to use an Enhanced Driver's license or Military Identification card instead.
A passport application must be done in person if it is the first time you are applying, if you are under the age of 16, if you have had a passport lost, damaged, or stolen, or if you had a passport before you were 16 and now need an adult passport. Several forms of ID that prove your U.S. citizenship must accompany you and your paperwork when you apply for a passport. These can include a previous passport that is not damaged, a certified birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or even a Naturalization certificate. You will also need a valid driver's license or other form of ID to prove your identity. Because passports can be used as forms of ID when getting other documents or accessing bank accounts and financial information, it is very important to protect the safety of your passport by locking it up in a safe or safe deposit box when not in use. If it is lost or stolen, contact the proper authorities immediately to have it replaced.
A U.S. passport will give you the opportunity to travel internationally and visit other countries and cultures in the world, though it cannot guarantee you entrance into these countries if customs or the border patrol for these countries decides there is a reason they cannot allow you in. A U.S. passport can also be used as a form of ID when you are getting a driver's license, state ID card or copies of documents such as birth certificates.
