Get That Passport!

Adventure is a State of Mind

Do you have any interest in traveling abroad? If you do, and you don’t have your passport yet, what are you waiting for?

Are You a Brave Wise Traveler?

I’m surprised at how often people tell me they are interested in international travel and then add, “but I need to get my passport first.” Or friends who tell me they’ve let their passport expire. If this is you, my advice is run, don’t walk, to get your passport!

Why is this important? First of all, as the habits expert, James Clear, says, “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” Having a valid passport is a vote in favor of you being a brave and wise traveler!

Our minds only believe we are the sort of person that our actions provide evidence in support of. Much like we don’t believe someone who tells us they are an athlete when they never get up off their couch, we will find it difficult to believe that traveling abroad is an option for us if we don’t even have a passport.

Missed Opportunities

The other reason it is so important to have your passport is that you don’t want to miss out on a travel opportunity because of not having one. It might not happen frequently, but every once in a while, an opportunity could arise to take a trip abroad with little or no warning. It could be because a friend calls you when their travel companion has to back out of a planned trip due to an emergency. They might invite you to share the home they’ve rented in some exotic location, but if it is only a week or two until they leave, you might not have enough time to obtain a passport to be able to go.

Another scenario might be having dinner with a group of friends and one of them mentions this great travel deal they found on the website TravelZoo, and the group spontaneously decides that it would be something fun for you to all do together. Do you really want to not have the option to join your friends because you’re the only one without a passport?

Limitations

If you have any loved ones traveling or living abroad, not having a passport could limit your ability to get to them in case of an emergency. Years ago, my parents had friends who were unable to travel to be with a family member who suddenly became severely ill and eventually died while out of the country because they did not have passports. They didn’t have a strong desire to travel internationally for fun, but they regretted not having passports because they likely would have traveled abroad for this emergency.

Avoiding Extra Stress

Another reason for getting your passport sooner rather than later is to avoid the expense and stress of having to expedite getting a new passport or renewing your expired passport. Many of us (me included) have a tendency to put off things that aren’t important at the moment, but putting off getting your passport and then crossing your fingers in the hope that it will arrive in time can be nerve-wracking. Not to mention the added expense of expediting the process!

How to Apply

Some people put off getting passports because they don’t understand the process. If you are an American, you can find information about obtaining a United States-issued passport here. Below is a summary of those steps. (If you are a citizen of another country, visit your country’s state department website for the information you need.)

1. If you are applying for a passport for the first time, if you no longer have your passport because it was lost or stolen, if your passport is more than 15 years old, if your previous passport was issued to you before you were 16 years old, or if you are applying for someone younger than 16 years old, you will need to apply in person. This will involve making an appointment at an acceptance facility near you. If none of these circumstances apply to you, you can apply by mail. Please note, this requires you to mail in your current passport, so you need to plan accordingly around travel so that you have either your old or your new passport when you need it.
2. Whether you are applying in person or by mail, you can fill out the application online and then print it out, or you can print out a blank form and write in your answers. Make sure to fill out everything because leaving anything blank can result in your application being rejected!
3. If you’re applying in person, you need to provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or a certificate of naturalization. (A complete list of acceptable documentation can be found on the website.) Make sure to bring a photocopy of this paperwork to the appointment to be sent in with your application. Electronic records (such as a copy on your phone) will not be accepted. If you are applying by mail, you will send in your old passport as your proof of citizenship.
4. If you are applying in person, you need to provide an acceptable form of identification. A complete list of accepted IDs can be found on the website.
5. The name you want on your passport generally must match your other paperwork. If there is a reason that the names are different, such as if the name on your ID is different from the name on your birth certificate because you changed your name when you married, you need to include copies of paperwork documenting the name change, such as a marriage license.
6. You can indicate your preferred gender marker (M, F, or X) on your application, and it does not need to match the gender on your supporting documentation. Also, medical documentation of a gender change is no longer required.
7. Whether you are applying in person or by mail, you need to submit a color photo meeting the specified guidelines. (Please note that you are not supposed to wear glasses in your photo unless you include a note from your doctor.) If you are applying in person, do not staple your photo to your paperwork. If you are applying by mail, you will staple your photo to your application, but make sure to follow the guidelines on the website. If you’re nervous about getting all of the photo details correct, consider having your photo taken someplace where they specialize in passport photos, such as an AAA office. (This is what I do.)
8. Be prepared to pay with either a check or money order, regardless of whether you are applying in person or by mail. Cash will not be accepted, and when I checked recently, there are no options to pay online.
9. Be prepared to wait six to eight weeks for your new passport unless you pay the extra fees for expediting the process, in which case it will generally arrive in two to three weeks. If you need a passport sooner, you can request an emergency passport, although you will likely need to provide documentation of the emergency.

Online Renewals

There was a brief period of time in which adults with a valid passport could renew online. That process was “paused” in March 2023 and has not yet been reactivated.

Passport Book Versus Passport Card

If you are an American citizen, there is also an option of obtaining a passport card for travel to and from Canada, Mexico, Caribbean countries, and Bermuda. The passport cards are less expensive to obtain but are limited as to when and how you can use them. Not only are they limited to only a few countries, but they also can be used only for border crossings by land or water. In other words, you cannot use a passport card if you plan to fly in and out of those countries. For the most options and flexibility, a passport book is usually the preferred choice.

How Long is a Passport Valid?

So long as you are at least 16 years old when you obtain your passport, it is valid for 10 years. For children younger than 16 years old, passports need to be renewed every 5 years. As a general rule, consider renewing your passport at least six months before its expiration date. This is because some countries will not let you enter if you have less than six months left on your passport.

If you travel enough, there will be some wear and tear on your passport. If it has missing pages, large rips, or is significantly damaged so that important details cannot be read – especially if the cover, including the Radio Frequency Identification Chip (RFID) in it, is damaged – you will need to apply for a replacement passport. Also note that having unofficial stickers in your passport can invalidate it. (Keep those souvenir stickers for your water bottle!)

If you’ve traveled so much that your passport pages are filled, first of all, lucky you! Make sure to check that you have two to four blank pages still left. If not, or if the number of available pages is rapidly shrinking and you have upcoming travel planned, you may need to apply for a new passport. If you are applying for a new passport and anticipate that you will be traveling so much that you will likely fill it up before the 10-year expiration date, you can select “large book” on your application form, which will provide you a passport with extra pages.

When you look like your passport photo, it’s time to go home.

Erma Bombeck

Lost or Stolen Passports

If you lose your passport while at home, you need to go through the process of applying for a passport in person as though it is your first time getting one. If you lose your passport while traveling abroad, contact the embassy or consulate for your country that is closest to where you are staying. You will need to apply for and obtain a new passport before you will be allowed to leave the country.

If you are applying for a new passport while traveling, you need to provide proof of citizenship, which could include a copy of your lost passport. For this reason, I usually leave a copy of my passport with a trusted friend or family member before I travel so that they can send it to me in an emergency. If you can access your email while traveling, emailing a copy of your passport to yourself can also serve the same purpose (because just a photo on your phone won’t help if your phone also goes missing).

If your passport was stolen, reporting it to the police and providing the embassy or consulate staff with a copy of the police report can also help with the process. The U.S. State Department website states, however, that if trying to obtain a copy of the police report will significantly interfere with or delay your travel, it is not mandatory that you do so. You may also be asked to provide information about your travel itinerary and proof of travel, such as airline ticket documentation, as part of the application process.

Your Key to the World

A passport is your key to unlocking access to most of the world. If you don’t have one yet, what’s keeping you from applying? If you’re dreaming of being a brave and wise traveler, take that first, very important step of applying for your passport today!