Passports: What You Need to Know (Part 1)

All U.S citizens are required to obtain passports in their own names for identification while traveling abroad and for re-entry into the United States.

Here are some facts you need to know:

* Passports are required for all air, land, or sea travel to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

* U.S Citizens on cruises that begin and end at the same port in the U.S. will only need to display proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

* The State Dept. has developed a cheaper alternative to the traditional passport called the passport card. This card is not valid for international air travel, but may be used instead of a passport, for land and sea travel between the U.S and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. This is perfect for any Cruise that ports into and out of the U.S.

* First Time Passports: You can apply for your first U.S. passport in person at courthouses, post offices, or a regional passport agency. When applying for a passport, you will need the following documentation:

* Proof of United States Citizenship or nationality such as: a certified copy of a birth certificate, one that was issued from a government office, not a hospital, for all applicants born in the U.S. If you were not born in the U.S, you will need to provide a Certificate of Nationalization or Citizenship, or an expired U.S. passport.

* Proof of Identity: You will need a photo ID with a signature. For example a previous U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, or Citizenship, a valid driver’s license, or a valid government or military ID card.

* Passport Photos: You will need two identical passport photographs taken within the last six months. The photographs must be 2×2 inches with a picture size between 1 and 3/8 inches. All photos must be a front view, full face, taken in normal street attire without a hat or dark glasses, with a plain white background.

Paradise Getaways recommends that you get your passport photos taken at the place you are handing in your application to, that way there is no chance of a photo not being accepted.

When two of our agents took their photos at Walgreens, the photos were not accepted at the courthouse, and they had to be redone.

* Signature: Once you have your application form filled out with all of your required info, DO NOT SIGN YOUR FORM YET! You must sign your form in the presence of an authorized passport official.

Basically, once you have your application, fill it out at home and get everything you need together, and then go back to the passport agency that is near you, and sign it there when you turn it in.

* Passport Fees: An initial passport is good for 10 years and will cost you $135 if you are 16 years of age or over. The $135 fee is really two different fees: An application fee and an execution fee that are combined together. If you get your photos taken at the passport agency, it will cost another $10, but we believe well worth it. The last thing you want is to spend money on your photos, and then having the passport office tell you they won’t work and have to get them done a second time.

Paradise Getaways is here to answer your passport questions and help you in this process!

Next: What to do if you need your passport in a hurry, or how to renew your passport.