Obtain a Passport
Obtaining International Documentation of Citizenship and Identification:
Why is it important to obtain your passport?
When it comes to your identity in the greater world outside of your home country, the only form of legal identification is a passport. Many of us in the United States are used to our State-Issued Identification Cards or Driver's Licenses to confirm our identification in police engagements, healthcare/hospitals, airports, and public transportation. However, when it comes to any movement of our person outside of the country, we have to have our passports as a form of identity.
In many other countries, they are not given state-issued or country-issued identification cards, and therefore in most other countries, every person has their passport as their main form of identity. In many other countries the cost of obtaining a passport is similar to that of our state-issued identification 30$-80$; whereas, in the United States we have to pay a minimum of $180 to obtain an adult passport booklet only. There is a clear barrier formed when it comes to access and acquisition of a passport in the United States; this prevention of people obtaining their passports due to state-issued identification that is easier and more reasonable to access if they primarily exist within their home country, is a control tactic to allow our identification and placement to be owned only by our home country, until they obtain a passport.
You can obtain your passport with your documents at the age of 16 and older without a guardian signature or present.
All other individuals are considered minors under the age of 16, and will need parental or guardian approval and signature to acquire a passport.
Getting the Documents for your passport?
Birth Certificate:
Figure out where the original/certified documentation of your birth is? Are you able to obtain it from that source? To acquire a new or lost birth certificate, go to the state website of where you were born and see how they prefer you to submit the necessary paperwork, and what documents you need in order to receive a new birth certificate. Some states have an online obtainment option through their state website or https://www.vitalchek.com/
Driver's License/Other Identification:
In order to process your application they will need to see 1-2 forms of Identification that have a picture of your face, and your name matching your other identification & birth certificate, unless you are changing your name on your passport as the main purpose of the renewal.
All of the following can be used as a form of identification for the in-person part of the application:
State Drivers License/ID Card
Costco/Sam's Club Card
Any verifiable card with a Name and Photo
Credit Cards with Photo and Name
Your Last Passport: If you already have a passport and you are looking to renew your passport, you can submit it with your paper work as a form of identification for your new passport (must not be damaged or reported lost or stolen previously).
Obtaining a Passport:
GO TO United States Postal Service (NOT UPS OR FEDEX):
Are you getting your first passport, renewing a passport, or reporting a lost/stolen passport and acquiring a new one?
1) Gather your documents
2) Figure Out which form you need to fill out for your new passport: Passport Renewal Application, Lost/Stolen Passport Record, and/or New Passport Application. All of these documents are available in their printed form at your local post office, where you can also take your photo for the passport before the day of your appointment (if you’d like, the photo time is already included in the appointment).
3) Make an appointment online or in-person at USPS(click for link)
4) Decide what Priority Level you'd like for your passport to come back to you
5) Attend appointment with documents, and get your photo done for your passport
6) Await the return of your documents and Passport (they come back separately)
WARNING: Please keep in mind that over the holiday season, many people are trying to access their local post offices for sending holiday gifts, or obtaining passports for travel so wait times and efficiency maybe be affected. We can be kind to those helping us obtain these documents, even when the process can be strenuous.
Cost of a New Passport:
Through the United States Postal Service (NOT UPS OR FEDEX):
Passport Photo cost is $15 at USPS
Price for the 6-8 weeks standard passport waiting period is $130 for adults and $100 for those under the age of 16, before processing fees typically $35, and extra $35 for the passport card along with the passport booklet, which we highly recommend having both.
To put your passport into an expedited process of 2-3 weeks, you add a $60 fee to that total.
If you need your passport in an emergency situation you can add 1-2 day shipping after your passport has processed, so it will get to you as soon as possible, which costs an additional $21.36
If you are over the age of 16:
Passport Booklet only: $130 + $35 + $15 = $180 + TAXES
Passport Booklet and Card: $130 + $35 + $35 + $15 = $215 + TAXES
Expedited Passport Booklet only: $130 + $35 + $15 + $60 = $240 + TAXES
Expedited Passport Booklet and Card: $130 + $35 + $35 + $15 +$60 = $275 + TAXES
If you are under the age of 16:
Passport Booklet only: $100 + $35 + $15 = $150 + TAXES
Passport Booklet and Card: $100 + $35 + $35 + $15 = $185 + TAXES
Expedited Passport Booklet only: $100 + $35 + $15 + $60 = $210 + TAXES
Expedited Passport Booklet and Card: $100 + $35 + $35 + $15 +$60 = $245 + TAXES
