Learn About the Passport Renewal Process

A US passport enables a person to travel to other countries and re-enter the country as a US citizen. There is no need for holders to submit any other proof of their citizenship. So it is important that this identification document is updated and renewed so as to experience hassle free international travels.

Purpose of US Travel Permit

A person can possess only one valid US passport at a time. It is not a compulsory rule that a US citizen should hold a US passport, but it is a must if at all the person is planning to undertake frequent trips out of the country. US citizens did not require a passport to travel to Canada and Mexico, until recently. However they can now do so, only if they have a valid US passport.

The two formats of travel permit issued are the traditional passport book and the passport card. The book type is small with a navy color cover. It resembles a small book and has many blank pages inside it. The card type was introduced very recently (in 2008). It is highly compact and resembles a credit card. Unlike the book type, it has no pages and hence more convenient than the book. One major difference between the two is that the card type can be used only when a person travels to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean whereas the Passport books can be used during all international trips.

When should one go in for passport renewal?

When a person has a travel permit that is about to expire, he/she should go in for passport renewal. When a person applies for a renewal, he/she should submit the old permit in order to get it canceled, after which it will be returned. US passport is considered to be a property of the US government. (It has the right to revoke any person's travel permits on valid grounds.)

When a person applies for a new passport, it requires to be applied in person. It is not so in the case of renewing passports. Renewal of US passports can easily be done through mail itself. A person can go in for renewing if his/her US passport:

· is about to expire and is undamaged (so that it can be submitted along with the travel permit application) · was issued when the person was 16 years of age or older
· was issued within the past 15 years
· was issued with the person's current name

A person can also renew his/her permit in case he/she wants to document their name change legally.

Passport renewal process

There are two different situations in the process of renewing travel permit.

· Passport Renewal from inside the US - Form DS-82 (Application for a US Passport by Mail) should be filed to renew US passport.

· Passport renewal from outside the US - US Citizens in Canada should file Form DS-82 to the address mentioned on the form; Others should renew their passports at their nearest US Consulate or Embassy

A person, whose US passport has been badly mutilated or damaged, cannot apply for passport renewal through mail and should apply in person only. Also if a person is behind on child support payments, then this disqualifies him/her from applying for a renewal of the passport.

It is recommended that all passport renewal applications and personal documents (for proof) be sent only by a traceable delivery method like UPS, FedEx or USPS (United States Postal Service). The applicants are also advised to mail their applications and supporting documents using a secure packaging so as to protect the contents from extreme weather conditions. The application and personal documents should not be folded and applicants should never use a standard letter envelope. Passports that are renewed by mail in the US should be mailed only to US and Canadian addresses.

Fee for Passport Renewal Process

The fee varies depending on whether the applicant is filing to renew either passport book or card.

Passport Book and Card - $140 Passport Book - $110 Passport Card - $30

If you are interested in learning more about How to Renew Green Cards, Green Card Application, US Passport Renewal and Passport Application visit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Direct Services at

Applying for a US Passport?

A passport,an internationally recognized travel document acts as a verification of the identity and nationality of the one holding it. As far as the United States passport is concerned, the US Department of State is the sole authority that grants, issues, or verifies it.

The US passport comes with a 5 year and 10 year validity. For persons who were issued passports when they were 16 years old or older, the passport is valid for 10 years. Whereas for persons who were issued passports when they were 15 years old or younger, the passport is valid only for 5 years.

You can apply for a passport at over 9,000 facilities available across the US. These include many Federal, state, and probate courts, post offices, a few public libraries, county and municipal offices.

To expedite the process, additionally there are 13 regional passport agencies and one Gateway City Agency available to serve individuals traveling within 14 days, or who need foreign visas to travel. Under such circumstances, appointments are required.

You have to apply for your US passport in person if you are applying for the first time.

Also if:
your passport expired and is not in your possession
your passport expired and was issued more than 15 years ago
your previous passport was issued when you were below 16 years of age
you have a current US passport and that is lost or stolen.

Apart from the circumstances mentioned above, applicants under the age of 14 should appear in person, and be able to provide legal consent of his/her parents or legal guardians. The minor must either be accompanied by both the guardians, one guardian who can provide the other guardian's notarized consent, or one guardian who can submit evidence of soul authority to apply.

Application for Passport In Person:

You must use form DS-11 if:
You have never had a US passport
You are below 16 years old.
The current passport you hold was issued more than 15 years ago
You lost your most recent passport or it was stolen.

Form DS-82 (Application for Passport By Mail) has to be filed to renew a previously issued US passport by mail at anytime OR in person at a Regional Passport Agency in case you are traveling internationally, or need your passport for foreign visas within fourteen (14) days.

Replacing a lost or stolen US passport:

Ensure you report a lost or stolen passport as soon as possible and do it before you can apply for a new one. To do this, you have to fill out form DS-64, Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport. Submitting this form will result in the invalidation of your passport, thus making it unusable for travel. Passports that are reported lost or stolen cannot be re validated.

You have to fill out a new passport application. Complete form DS-11, Application for Passport as you would if you were applying for a new passport. Along with the DS-11 Form, you should also submit DS-64 and brought with you when you go in person to apply for a new passport if your previous passport has been lost or stolen.

The US passport comes with a 5 year and 10 year validity. Also ensure you report a lost or stolen passport as soon as possible and do it before you can apply for a new one. To do this, you have to fill out form DS-64

Passport Replacement - Making Trip Preparation Quick And Easy

Traveling anywhere is a special occasion that shouldn't be taken lightly. And it's so much more than just going to a hotel and seeing the sights. It's about living the life of the different people and experiencing what their culture is all about. This quality is really what makes traveling outside of the country important. Some people are afraid to take the initial step out of the country. It's never to late to start if you have yet to try. Passport replacement can be done on the internet, and once you have a passport, you are set to travel.

Only those who already have a passport are eligible for passport replacement. There are a variety of circumstances that would necessitate a passport replacement, so we'll take a look at the ones that apply to the most people, including one or more that might apply to you.

Passports have an expiration date, and for those who have passports past this date, a passport replacement is in order. It's easy to tell if your passport is expired or not; there are some simple guidelines. First of all, child passports are only valid for 5 years. This includes anyone under the age of 18. For those 18 or older, those passports expire after 10 years. In this case, you don't need to buy a brand new passport, you can just renew your current one. All you do is go online and fill out a form to have your passport renewed. If you happen to be older than 16 when your child passport expires, you need to apply for a new adult one.

Passports that have gone missing are another common factor for needed a passport replacement. It's so easy to lose track of a passport, more so when you don't travel very often. They can be dangerous, however, since so much of your identity lies in between a passports' pages. If you've spend a good while trying to track down your passport and have turned up nothing, then you will need to cancel it and get a new passport. This is the same procedure for if your passport's been stolen, which is explained next.

The worst case scenario is having your passport stolen, which can keep you from traveling or from even going home. However, there is a procedure to follow if you find yourself with a stolen passport either in the United States or overseas, a procedure that closely adheres to the general passport replacement process. Start by reporting your stolen passport. If you're abroad, you would report to a United States embassy, one of which can be found in many major cities. If you're in the US, report by calling the National Passport Information Center. They will have you answer some basic questions.

Online passport replacement is a simple electronic process. After you've reported your lost passport, all that's left to do is apply for a new one. This can either be done in person or completely online. Remember, however, that keeping your passport secure is a big deal. It could potentially be very dangerous in another person's hands. But things happen, so don't panic if you lose your passport. US embassies and the State Department have handled uncountable cases like yours.

Going online to apply for passport replacement makes trip preparation a breeze. These sites can address all of your passport questions, including expedited passport replacement, which happens to be a very powerful tool for those who are looking to travel soon. Your new passport could be expedited in as little as 24 hours, which is excellent if you lose your passport abroad.

Do You Need a Passport Book Or Passport Card?

The U.S. Department of State Passport Services recently began issuing the passport card as an alternative to the traditional passport book. In a short period of time, Passport Services received over 350,000 applications for the passport card. What is the purpose of the passport card? How does it differ from the passport book? Which travel document should you choose? Is one better than the other? These are just a few of the questions for which you will find answers below.

You may use the passport card when traveling by land and sea anywhere in the U.S. when you arrive from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The Passport care may NOT be used if you are going to travel by air. Other than that, it carries all of the privileges and right of the U.S. passport book.

The State Department has begun issuing passport cards in response to the needs of resident communities that are located on the borders of our great country. It is a less expensive and a much more portable alternative to the traditional passport book. The passport card has the same validity as the passport book - ten years for adults and five years for children ages 15 and younger. If an adult already has a passport book, they may apply for the card and only have to pay $20 because it would be considered as a passport renewal. First time adult applicants will pay a fee of $45 while for children it is $35.

The passport card contains a radio frequency identification chip or RFID in order to facilitate U.S. citizens who are living in border communities. No personal information is written on the RFID chip.

The U.S. State Department along with the Department of Homeland Security stated that the U.S. Passport Card is now in full production and is also being distributed. The Passport Card is a convenient document that you can slip right into your wallet and is used for land and sea travel. It is NOT valid for international air travel.

Passport Holders - Cover Your Passport For Safety and Style

What is a Passport Holder anyway? A passport holder is a slim cover that you place around your passport to protect it as well as uniquely identify it. Passport holders are also called passport covers or passport wallets and you can find them under any of those names. You can easily buy them online.

Why use a passport holder to cover your passport? Here are 4 top reasons to use a passport holder to cover your passport.

1.     Security
2.     Style
3.     Distinction or Differentiation
4.     Maintenance and Preservation

The number one reason to cover your passport is Security. Your passport is your most valuable document, especially when traveling abroad and you want it to be protected. If you're traveling in areas where the population is really poor there may be a lot of pickpockets and thieves who want that passport because it could be worth years of income on the black market! It's a survival issue and morals go out the window. Best to protect yourselves and loved ones by disguising your passport to look like a notebook or other reading material.

Many people buy leather or very extravagant passport covers which is so opposite to their purpose. The idea is to have a simple sturdy passport cover with a beautiful, artistic but non-descript design. 11:11 Enterprises makes their designs with these considerations in mind. Artistic and fun designs can throw off would-be thieves.

Where to Get a Passport

There are many places to get a passport. The place you need to go depends on the type of passport service you require and how soon you need to have your travel document returned to you. The information below will help you decide where to get your passport.

Passport by Mail

You can apply for a passport renewal by mail using Form DS-82 if you meet certain requirements and have more than two weeks before your departure. Your present passport cannot be damaged. It should have been issued to you within the past 15 years and when you were at least 16 years old. Your name must be the same as that in your present passport or you need to send documentation of the change such as a certified copy of your marriage license. If you do not meet these requirements, you cannot apply by mail.

Passport Acceptance Facility

For regular or expedited processing of a new passport, you need to take your completed application form DS-11 along with all supporting documents to the nearest passport acceptance facility. The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Passport Services authorizes many public libraries, post offices, clerks of court, and other state, county, township, and municipal government offices to receive passport applications on its behalf. There are over 9,000 such locations throughout the United States and U.S. territories.

Regional Passport Agency

Another location available to get a passport is any of the thirteen regional passport agencies. These agencies only attend travelers who need a passport in less than 2 weeks. If you need to get a passport in a hurry, this is a good option. Agencies are located in Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. You can also find them in Aurora, Colorado and Norwalk, Connecticut.

You first need to call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 and set up an appointment at the passport agency that serves your region. You should neither arrive more than 15 minutes early nor be more than 15 minutes late. Be sure to take you completed, unsigned application, proof of US citizenship, current identification, two passport photos, proof of departure, and your appointment confirmation number.

Private Passport Expediter

In cases where you need to get a passport within a couple of weeks and are unable to travel to a regional passport agency, you can contract a private expediting service to obtain your travel document for you. You still need to present your application and documents to a passport agent but, instead of mailing them directly to the Office of Passport Services, you would send them to the expediter you have contracted and authorized to represent you.

How to Expedite Your Passport Renewal

There are three ways to expedite a passport renewal. The method you pick out will depend on how speedily you need to acquire your renewed passport and how much time you have to devote to the process. The details below will help guide you in making the decision on how best to expedite your passport renewal.

Apply for Expedited Service by Mail to the National Passport Processing Center

Ddownload and complete the application form DS-82 to renew a passport. Put it in an envelope with your current passport, two photos and payment. The application fee and expediting fee can be made with one payment. Provide proof of your name change if it is different from the name in your present passport. This can be done with a marriage certificate or court order.

Clearly and legibly write "EXPEDITE" on the envelope so that it can be speedily identified at the processing center. The National Passport Processing Center address can be found on the application for renewal. Within 3 to 4 weeks the application should be processed and your passport delivered to your. It may take longer, especially during peak travel periods.

Renew Your Passport at a Regional Passport Agency

Applying at a regional passport agency is an option if you cannot wait for your travel document to be returned by mail. The regional agencies attend travelers whose departure date is within 14 days and who do not need a travel visa. Those who need to obtain a visa can be attended at the regional agency up to 28 days before their departure date.

Presently, fifteen passport agencies operate in the United States. The agencies can be found in major cities throughout the U.S. including Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, New Orleans, Miami, Norwalk (CO), Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago and Detroit. Each agency attends a particular area of the United States.

Pick the regional passport agency that services your state of residence to begin the passport renewal process. You can set up an appointment by callling toll-free at 1-877-487-2778. This number is for an automated appointment system. Sometimes, it can be pretty hard to get through. It may be necessary to make numerous tries. Just keep calling.

Take the completed form and accompanying documentation with you to the regional passport agency on the day of your appointment. You are asked not to get to the agency more than 15 minutes early or to be over 15 minutes late. Being more than fifteen minutes late could result in the cancellation of your appointment.

If your appointment is early in the day, you could receive your renewed passport that same afternoon. If you are not attended until later in the day, you might possibly have to wait until the following day to get your passport.

Get Your Passport Renewed Through a Travel Document Expediter

Travel document expediters have a special relationship with regional agencies that allow them to represent their clients who are unable to personally deliver their requests to the agency for processing. Allowing a passport expediter to take care of the expediting of your passport renewal is a wise choice when you are in a time crunch and have many other things to take care of before your trip.

Passport expediters specialize in obtaining passports quickly. You are ordinarily given several choices as to how quickly you want your passport expedited. Processing times are as follows.

    Standard - 8 to 10 business days
    Rush - 5 to 7 business days
    Priority - 3 to 4 business days
    Next Day - 2 business days
    24 hours - 1 business day


Once you have decided on how speedily you want to acquire your passport, you need to complete an online form with personal information such as your name, address, phone number and email. Next, type in information about your trip including date of departure and destination. Confirm whether you have an itinerary or not.

You need to download the expediter's authorization form. The completed and signed form should be sent along with your passport renewal application and other documentation to the expediter by express mail.

Make Your Choice

Now you know the three ways to expedite your passport renewal. Send the passport application yourself. Get it expedited at a regional passport agency. Or allow a private expediting service to get the job done for you. The choice is yours. You get to decide. You make the decision. Just make sure you choose a way to get your passport renewal expedited that gets it done before your departure date.

Canadian Passport Requirements - Ensure That You Can Travel to the USA on Time

I've just found a great deal on a trip to Miami, what documents do I need to have in order to travel?

This is a common questions that I am presented with. It is important to consider the requirements before booking an international trip of any kind: you would hate to miss your vacation due to being turned away at the airport!

You will need a passport. As of January 2007, Canadians flying into the USA require passports. You are still allowed to travel by car, train or bus without a passport, but by January 2008 these travelers require passports as well. I recommend getting a passport now if you have travel plans of any kind. Your passport should be valid until at least six (6) months after your return to Canada.

How do I get a passport, and how long does it take?

This depends on your situation, if you have a Canadian passport issued after January 2002 there is a new simplified process to obtain a new passport. Canadian Citizens applying for their first passport, or renewing a passport issued before 2002 have a more complicated application to submit. If you are a Permanent Resident (Landed Immigrant) of Canada, you are not allowed to apply for a Canadian Passport, and must follow a different process altogether.

All application forms/ instructions are available at your local post office. Be sure to check with Passport Canada for unique situations (my passport was stolen!), updates and office locations for applying in person.

Simplified Passport Renewal

If you are an adult looking to renew a passport that was issued after January 31 2002, and you do not need to change your name, replace a lost, stolen or damaged passport, you may be able to take advantage of the new simplified passport application. This option is available only to those that are residing in Canada and were 16 years of age or older and residing in Canada when the previous passport was issued.

This application allows you to skip the Guarantor process, and avoid submitting proof of identity, as well your birth certificate or citizenship card. You must submit the application form, two (2) new photographs, a processing fee of $87, and your previous passport.
Passports applied for in person can be ready in as little as two (2) weeks. Passports applied for by mail will take at least six (6) weeks.

Panama Instant Passport and Residency Programs

Panama offers a multitude of programs enabling one to fairly easily obtain a Passport, Visa, Residency and Citizenship. Panama is an excellent place for a second passport (2nd passport). The plans are outlined below. Do feel free to ask questions. We do not advise attempting to deal with the immigration authorities without adequate legal representation by a competent attorney.

Warning: All of our passport programs require you to be physically present at the immigration department for fingerprinting and photographing. These are NOT the "Pay someone off in the dark" programs you see on the internet which do not require you to go to the country physically and come with a passport, identity card and driver's license. There are numerous stories on the internet if you look for them of people getting arrested all over the world when they attempt to travel on these passports. What is often done is passport blanks that come back from the manufacturer slightly defective (bad printing, stitching etc.) are marked as not usable by the government and are then sold by unscrupulous immigration officials through third parties. The problem is when the country that issued those does an audit of their immigration department they pick these things up and then the passports are flagged as fraudulent or stolen and this is sitting in some unfortunate person's wallet waiting to be used and can cause a police detention with likely arrest to follow. There was just a raid recently in Guyana and the corrupt immigration officials there were issuing hundreds of passports daily. Now along comes some guy who bought one of these "officially issued" passports and he goes through immigration in say the EU. Well he doesn't appear to be a Guyana type so they query around a bit and he gets arrested. Months after the scandal we still see Guyana Passports being sold on the internet which makes one wonder.

We even see Diplomatic passports being sold on the internet for $50,000 and up. This is ridiculous. What the buyers are not aware of is in almost all countries travel using a Diplomatic passport requires a visa so the country you intend to visit will require you to physically submit the diplomatic passport to their embassy for a visa which will involve scrutiny. So when they contact the diplomatic passport issuing government to verify the purpose of your visit, duration, whether or not you will be attached to the embassy, etc. what do you think is going to happen? Do you think the issuing government is going to provide official documentation for all of your journeys? Do you think they will even know who you are? They will most likely remain non responsive and your passport will probably never be returned as a best case scenario but this would most likely be followed by a knock at the door shake you up or arrest you visit by some authorities depending on where you live, admittedly some countries will not care what you did but others that are terrorist sensitive will get really interested in you and your whole life and you should expect to be added into the watch/stop list making airport travel a nightmare for the next ten or twenty years. The government that issued this diplomatic passport may also contact you after they get contacted for a $10,000 bribe or they will make trouble for you and on it goes. Remember why do you see Nigerian Scam Emails - because they work. There are a lot of stupid people out there so don't be one of them.
How can you tell if a second passport or residency/citizenship program is real?

Passports - Your License to Travel

A passport is very similar to a driver's license in the United States. It is an globally recognized document, typically used for international travel, verifying who you are and where you're from. Most countries require a valid passport to enter or exit. All countries issue their own globally recognized passports, the US included. The U.S. Department of State is the division of the government with the authority to grant, issue and verify United States passports.

To apply for a new passport, you'll need some documentation proving who you are and some time to go apply. Recent changes in the passport regulations require that most applicants must appear in person to apply for one.

US citizens that have never received a passport before should bring a certified birth certificate; current and valid driver's license, government or military ID; two passport photos that meet the requirements below and fees of $97 plus optional $60 expedited service.

Children under 17 years old are required to hold a passport for most foreign travel. Children under 14 are required to have consent of either both parents' or guardians' to apply for a passport. For children born in the United States, a birth certificate, two photos and the fees are all that will be needed. Parents or guardians will need to show proof of citizenship and identity, like a valid passport, birth certificate or driver's license.

Children or adults born outside the US will need to obtain a foreign birth certificate, report of birth abroad, certification of birth abroad or an adoption decree.

Photos for passports are required to be 2x2 inches. They must be identical, taken within the past 6 months, be in color with the full face, front view showing on a white background. The face must be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from the chin to the top of the head. Hats, headgear and uniforms except religious dress word daily may not be worn. Prescription glasses (not sunglasses) or wigs worn as part of everyday attire may be worn if they are not obstructive.

To find a passport location near you, visit travel.state.gov and click on "Passports" then "Where to Apply for a Passport". It typically takes between two and six weeks to receive a passport once it's been issued. After you received your valid passport, you won't have to worry about expiration for a full ten years.

Renewal of your passport is easier, quicker and less expensive than the original issuance. You are eligible to renew your passport if you have received it within 15 years, it is not damaged, were older than 16 when it was last issued and still have the same name or documentation for a legal name change.

To renew your passport, you must submit a completed application, two identical passport photos, the fee of $67 and your current, valid, not-mutilated passport. Expedited service is an additional $60. Renewals are usually processed and returned within two or three weeks.

You can check the status of a new or renewed passport by going to travel.state.gov, clicking "Passports" then "Online Application Status Check". You'll input your name, date of birth and the last four digits of your social security number.

Electronic passports are in the works in the U.S. The electronic passport, "e-passport", will be very similar to the current paper passport. The addition of a small integrated computer chip on the back cover and a digital photograph will provide a number of additional benefits. First, the data stored will be much more difficult to penetrate and alter. Second, the digital photo will allow for biometric comparison through facial recognition technology. Additional anti-fraud security features will also be included on the e-passport. Traditional paper passports will still be accepted through their full period of validity.

Biometrics And E - Identity E -Passport

The increasing threat of identity fraud means the government must strengthen the security features in passports. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) chose facial recognition as the primary biometric with iris and fingerprint as backup. ICAO is a multi-national, transnational organization that sets the standards and rules by which international flights are conducted. One of their top mission priorities is to regulate border crossings by airplane. As such, they have taken on the task of developing the standards which all nations will adhere to when sending or receiving international passengers on flights across their respective borders. The goal of the passport specifications as developed by ICAO are meant, quite simply, to create the most secure document in the world. The use of biometric information to link a person to a passport can help to counter identity fraud. In practice, biometric verification can be used at border controls and to verify the image on a passport renewal application against images held on record. The use of biometric information to link a person to a passport serves a dual role:

o helps to detect counterfeit or manipulated documents

o confirms the identify of the individual

2. Biometric in the passport
Facial recognition: Facial recognition technology has quietly matured to the point where software can scan live video feeds in real-time, find faces in the video stream, capture them, and match them against photographs in databases in merely a few seconds. Facial recognition maps various features on the face, for example, the distances between eyes, nose, mouth and ears. The measurements are digitally coded and this can then be used for comparison and verification purposes. Biometric technology is perfectly safe as facial biometrics can be taken from a good quality passport photo.When the person enters a place where he is presumed to volunteer his face for biometric examination, he will be required to remove hats and facial coverings. An e-Passport scanned the passport, pulled the physical image up, scanned the chip and pulled the digital image up, placed the two side by side for comparison, verified they were identical, took a picture of the person standing in front of them, used facial recognition to compare the person to the pictures, all while comparing the pictures to a watch-list database for a match. Four points of comparison keyed on one photograph, with three comparison methods. engaged: visual comparison by the operator, one-to-one match against the photos on the passport, and one-to-many match against the watch-list databases.


3. The Physical e-passport
There are three threats to the security of the e-Passport; forgeries, falsifications, and illegal issuance. Forgeries involve the complete creation of a false passport. Falsifications take an existing legally issued passport and change the data on it. And illegal issuance is to convince the government to actually issue a legal passport to someone they didn't want to, or to steal blank passports and issue them fraudulently. The substrate of the passport, or the paper, is highly recommended to include several features that you'll probably recognize from all the Monopoly(TM) money floating around the globe nowadays. UV reactive paper lights up all special and pretty under an ultraviolet lamp. Dual-tone watermarks are difficult for all but the top-end photocopiers to duplicate. Chemical reactions like those special pens they use to check a $20 can be built into the paper. Fluorescent fibers, colored flecks, and plastic threads are all options to make it difficult to reproduce legitimate looking passport paper.The printing on the passport is also subject to a wide variety of security methods. These include background art and text, often in rainbow colored print. There can be UV printing that is invisible to the naked eye but shows up clearly under the same UV lamp. Micro printing and printed watermarks are also included. In addition, today's printing techniques allow all of the above to be personalized to the passport. So there could be the bearer's name micro-printed or UV-printed into the paper. Or perhaps the background art includes a UV version of the photograph. Personalization makes it impossible to get a generic template for the printer to run off a bunch of legitimate looking passports, because each one must be customized. And printing the data for the passport is not printing on the paper, but into the paper, laminate, or plastic. The result is that an ink-jet printed passport actually has ink injected into the substrate. Laser engraving into the laminate offers the same challenges, particularly when that laser engraving is personalized.

16 Tips to Prevent Passport Problems

Carelessness is the number one reason for a passport application being rejected or delayed or for a passport being lost, stolen, or damaged.

What steps are necessary to prevent these things from happening? How can you take care of your passport? Below are 16 practical tips you can follow to acquire your passport, keep it in your possession, and preserve it in good condition.

Before You Leave On Your Trip

1. Check to see if you even need a passport.
Countries can, and often do, change foreign entry requirements. If you arrive at the airport without the required documents, you'll be denied boarding privileges. And, of course, This isn't covered by travel insurance.Currently, more than 80% of the world's countries require a valid passport for entrance. It's important to verify the foreign entry requirements for the country you plan to visit as early as possible.

2. Apply for your passport early.
You should apply for a new passport at least 90 days before your departure date. For a renewal, begin the process 8 to 11 months before your passport expires. Why so early? Many countries require that your passport have six to eight months of validity remaining before they will issue a visa.

3. Fill out the correct form correctly.
Each type of passport service has specific criteria that must be met. Make sure you get the right application form, and then fill it in carefully. Double-check each entry. Ask a friend or relative to verify it as well. Errors made on the application form can lead to delays, or even rejection of your passport request.

4. Follow the specifications for the required documents exactly.
When applying for a new passport, the most frequently used documents are a certified birth certificate for proof of citizenship along with a valid driver's license for proof of your identity.Your birth certificate must be a certified copy with a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal, registrar's signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth. No photocopies are accepted. Your driver's license must be more than six months old.For a passport renewal, your previous passport serves as both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. To be valid, it cannot be mutilated, altered, or damaged in any way.You must send two identical passport photos taken within the last 6 months. These passport photos must be 2 x2 with a plain white or off-white background. They have to be a full-face view with the head being from 1 to 1 3/8 inches from the chin to the top of the head. The photos can be either color or black and white.

The Newbie's Guide to Applying for a US Passport

Now that you've decided to take the plunge to do a little traveling across the border, you should know that there have been several changes regarding the issuance of U.S. Passports in recent months which will affect your travel plans.

All U.S. citizens are now required to have a Passport card in order to cross the borders to Canada or Mexico. To travel anywhere else outside the U.S., you will need a standard Passport.

When should I apply for a Passport?

My advice is to go ahead and apply for your passport if you have a reasonably good idea that you will be traveling internationally in the coming months. You can never predict a delay of some sort happening, so don't chance missing your flight by putting this off.

How long will it take to receive my Passport?

The standard processing time is between 4-6 weeks. If you will need your passport in less than two weeks, you will need to schedule an appointment with your local passport acceptance facility. If you plan during peak travel seasons like the summer, be sure to apply within ten weeks of travel. Please note that in the rush to beat the July 13, 2010 price increase, that there has been a large number of renewals that has extended the processing time to a solid six weeks. It will probably take that long for the foreseeable future, so plan accordingly.

What if I need my Passport sooner than that?

There is an additional $60.00 fee plus overnight delivery costs per application for expedited applications. If you choose to mail in your request be sure to clearly mark the overnight package "Expedite" and be sure to enclose the aforementioned proof of citizenship documents in the package; they will be returned to you.

Where can I get a passport and how much does it cost?

All first time applicants (and all minors, no exceptions) must apply in person at a Passport Agency, Acceptance Facility, U.S. Embassy or Consulate to fill out Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport. The U. S. Department of State has made it easier to apply for a Passport online by using this wizard that will help you to determine the correct form that you will need to fill out, how much you will have to pay and will allow you to complete and print out the completed application to take with you to the aforementioned agencies. Be sure to leave the signature portion blank and do not sign the document until you are instructed by an agent to do so.

As a general rule, passport fees (which take into account price increases beginning July 13, 2010) are as follows:

1. New Passport (first time applicants) : $110.00 plus $25.00 administrative fee
2. New Passports for children under age 16 (yes, even newborns must have one!) : $80.00 plus $25.00 administrative fee
3. Passport renewal : $110.00 (it's not necessary to visit Acceptance facility; you can renew via mail)
4. New Passport cards (first time applicants) : $55.00
5. Passport cards renewal : $30.00
6. New Passport cards for children under age 16 : $40.00
7. Passport cards for children under age 16 (renewals) : $15.00
8. Extra passport pages : $82.00 (previously, they were free)

What items will I need to bring with me when I apply for my Passport?

In order to apply for a passport, you will need to submit one of the following items to prove U.S. citizenship:

* Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport

* Certified birth certificate (with registrar's raised, embossed seal) issued by the city, county or state.

* Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth

* Naturalized Certificate

* Certificate of Citizenship

* Additionally, you will need two 2" x 2" color photos (that you can buy from Walgreen's for 8.00) where one will be affixed to your passport and the other will be kept on file at the agency.

What is an e-Passport?

According to the State Department, the U.S. Electronic Passport (e-passport) is the same as a regular passport with the addition of a small contact-less integrated circuit (computer chip) embedded in the back cover. The chip securely stores the same data visually displayed on the photo page of the passport, and additionally includes a digital photograph.

The inclusion of the digital photograph enables biometric comparison, through the use of facial recognition technology, at international borders. The U.S. e-passport also has a new look, incorporating additional anti-fraud and security features.

Since August 2007, the U.S. has been issuing only e-passports. Passports without chips will still be valid for the full extent of their validity period.

When do Passports expire?

The Passport for children under the age of 16 years old expires after 5 years. The passport for adults expires after 10 years. Please note that many countries require that you have at least six months to go on your passport before you can enter their country. In fact, some tour companies won't even book you nor will some airlines allow you to board if you have less than six months left on your Passport. It's advisable that you renew your Passport when there is about nine months left on it to avoid any six month deadline conflicts.