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Will I need a passport?
Where can I get a passport?
Where can I find online passport information?
What will I need to get my passport?
What is a visa?
Will I need a visa?
How can I find out if I will need a
passport or visa for my trip?
What should I do if I lose my passport?
How can I find the U.S. Embassy or Consulate
in the country that I’m visiting?
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Will I need a passport?
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It depends on where you are going. Foreign
travel often requires a passport. However, you may be able to
enter some countries with just a notarized birth certificate
with a raised seal and your driver’s license. Although, some
countries may not require much to enter, you’ll still need proof
of citizenship when you re-enter the United States.
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You’ll need to find out if any of the foreign
travel you are planning will require a passport or visa.
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You should be able to find specific instructions
on what type of paperwork you’ll need from the embassy or consulate
of the country you’ll be visiting.
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The passenger is completely responsible
for all travel documents. Just having a ticket to get there
won’t do you any good.
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If you don’t have a passport, apply for
one at least 3 months before travel.
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If you already have a passport, make sure
it will still be valid for your entire trip.
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If your passport will be within six months
of expiration while you’re traveling, you may want to get a
new passport since some countries now require that your passport
must be valid six months after your return to the U.S.
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Where can I get a passport?
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You can get one at a State Department Passport
Agency, a clerk of any Federal or State Court of record, designated
municipal or county official or a designated U.S. Post Office.
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Where can I find online passport
information?
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travel.state.gov/passport_services.html
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The U.S. State Department’s Passport Services
web page. This site contains information on how to get a U.S.
passport.
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What will I need to get my passport?
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You may need to appear in person. If you
are a first time applicant, you’ll need to appear in person
at one of the official locations listed above. You will also
need to appear in person if it has been more then 12 years since
your last passport was issued or you were under 16 years of
age when your last passport was issued. Applicants under 13
are not always required to appear in person since a parent or
guardian may execute the application on the child’s behalf.
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You will need one of the following to provide
proof of U.S. citizenship.
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A certified copy of your birth certificate
with a U.S. State or county embossed seal. Hospital certificates
are NOT accepted. OR
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Your naturalization/Citizenship certificate.
OR
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Your previously issued and expired passport.
If your name has changed from the one listed on your previous
passport, you must submit the sealed legal document showing
the name change. (Marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.)
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Two identical recently taken 2x2inch front
view facial, from the bottom of your chin to top of head, photographs.
No hats or dark glasses can be worn in the photographs. Have
them taken at a passport shop since snapshots and machine photos
are not acceptable. You may want to get several extra copies
of the photograph since they can also be used for international
driver’s permits and other documents. Traveling with extra photographs
will also make it easier to replace your passport, if yours
is lost.
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A Driver’s license or Military I.D. issued
over six months ago. State I.D. cards are only acceptable with
several other forms of I.D. Temporary or altered documents are
NOT accepted. Parent’s I.D. will be used for that of a minor
child.
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A completed official passport application
form.
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You’ll also have to pay a passport fee that
will be listed on your application form.
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What is a visa?
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A visa is an endorsement on your passport
that will allow entry into the country you’ll be visiting. It
states that your passport has been inspected and that everything
is valid. It will usually give permission for you to visit a country
for a specific time period and purpose.
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Will I need a visa?
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Some countries in the world require that you
be issued a visa before you are allowed to enter their country.
They may also have special requirements if you plan a particularly
long stay or will be doing business while visiting. You’ll need
to make sure to have all the papers you’ll need. All travel documents
are the responsibility of the passenger. Your ticket to get there
won’t do any good if you don’t have the required paperwork. You
should contact the embassy or consulate of each country you’ll
be visiting for information on the paperwork needed for entry.
Remember to allow plenty of time for the paperwork to be processed
before you travel. Visas often require several weeks to be processed.
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How can I find out if I will
need a passport or visa for my trip?
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Go To: Embassy
Links
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This page contains links to many foreign countries’
Embassies and Consulate Offices located in the United States.
Each Embassy’s web site is different, but they all contain contact
information and other helpful information for anyone planning
on visiting their country.
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travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html
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The U.S. State Department, Bureau of Consular
Affairs’ Foreign Entry Requirements web page. This site lists
the entry requirements of foreign countries. It also includes
the addresses and telephone numbers of foreign embassies and consulates
in the United States. This web site is a good starting point,
but since the information presented is subject to change, you
should also check directly with the embassy or consulate of the
country you a planning to visit.
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www.state.gov/www/travel/consular_offices/fco_index.html
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The U.S. State Department’s Foreign Consular
Offices web page. This site contains an updated listing of contact
information for foreign countries’ consular offices in the United
States.
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What should I do if I lose my
passport?
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Immediately notify the local police and the
U.S. Embassy or Consulate, so they can begin to work on a replacement
and grant you permission to re-enter the United States. Hopefully,
you will have made a copy of your original passport and brought
along some extra passport photographs to expedite the process.
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How can I find the U.S. Embassy
or Consulate in the country that I’m visiting?
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usembassy.state.gov
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The U.S. State Department International Information
Program’s U.S. Embassies web page. This site contains links to
U.S. Embassies and Consulates in foreign countries throughout
the world. Each site is different, but they all contain information
that would be helpful to a U.S. citizen planning on visiting the
particular foreign country.
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Section: your health AND safety
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