A Passport Application Made Easy
A passport is a primary source of identification for a citizen while at home or abroad. To obtain this document, a citizen must fill out a passport application form and produce the required documentation to the government. Without a passport, world travel is impossible, as all customs officials from every corner of the globe require them to be produced before a citizen can pass into the country.
It must be remembered that obtaining a passport is a privilege, not a right. In all cases, the government has the final say in whether a person can or cannot leave or enter the country. These documents are necessary forms of identification that give holders certain rights and privileges. While abroad, a United States passport can give citizens access to an embassy in times of trouble.
Because of their high level of importance, a prospective recipient of a passport must fill out all necessary paperwork. This paper trail aids the government in following movements of citizens and visitors alike to promote the interests of national security. Locating a passport agency, such as a county store, is where one goes to begin this process.
People who wish to acquire a passport must do so in person at one of these passport offices. To purchase a passport, a citizen must be able to prove to government officials both their identity and citizenship. To do this, prospective travelers must bring documents such as a valid driver’s license, green card, birth certificate, social security card, or an old undamaged passport with them to the office.
Photographs on the passport are also a major step in the application process. Most offices will take the picture of a citizen on the date of the application, but a picture taken in the last six months can also be substituted. These pictures must be up to date and show the citizen in their normal clothes to guard against cases of mistaken identity. To guard against forgery, passports contain two pictures and a seal.
Once the picture is taken and citizenship and identity are proven to government officials, the final step in gaining a passport is payment. Payment for this document can be made by cash, debit or credit card, or by check at the government office. Two fees totaling $120 is the cost of a new passport while renewing one only costs $95. Passports for minors, also, cost less money than adults.
After a passport is sent to a citizen, it is their responsibility to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. International criminals and other nefarious people would love nothing more to obtain a U.S. passport so if one is stolen or lost, the government should be notified immediately. Because of their importance, penalties and fines for replacing lost or stolen passports have been put into place.
