International travel or for identification purposes, a U.S. passport is a very essential piece of ID. Without a passport, one may not be able to enter any country around the world. Applying for the first time U.S. passports can be very complicated for new applicants or other travelers who have already gone through this once might face certain difficulties due to changes in the process. At 24 Hour Passport and Visas, we take you through a step by step process to overcome this complexity. Our ability to expedite first passport applications in as little as 24 hours can make the difference when your circumstances do not turn out to be what you expected.
Rules and regulations vary depending on your eligibility. The following must apply to you in order to be considered as the first time or new passport applicant:
· This is your very first U.S. passport
· Your previous U.S. passport was issued under age 16
· Your previous U.S. passport was issued 15 or more years ago
· Your previous U.S. passport was stolen, lost or damaged
· There has been a name change since the issue of your U.S. passport for which you are not able to legally document the name change
If you were issued a passport as a child when you were under the age of 16, your passport will no longer be valid, regardless of how long it has been since it was used. If you have passed the 16-year mark since you traveled, you will be required to apply for a new U.S. passport, as though you have never been issued a valid passport before.
If you are counting on getting your passport renewed for your trip, check the expiration date. It is easy for time to lapse without people realizing just how long it has been. If your passport was issued more than 15 years ago, you will be applying for a new U. S. passport instead of a renewal. If you have waited until immediately before your trip, we may be able to expedite your first passport application so that it is ready for you in as little as 24 hours.
For this application process, you will be required to complete a DS-11 passport application form. The form must be completed online and printed off. When filling in the details make sure that you provide accurate information and not make any errors. Make sure that you do not sign the form. The form will later be signed when asked by an acceptance agent.
It’s always a good idea to prepare all your ingredients before you start making your dish, similarly preparing all necessary documents required for the application process would make the procedure quicker and precise. Handing in the wrong documents could lead to further delay in your application process, therefore this step will assist you in avoiding any kind of delays. Following is the list of documents you must prepare before you start your application process:
· Two passport photos (2″ x 2″ with a white background). A photo service is available at our office.
· Proof of Identity (a valid driver’s license or government-issued photo I.D).
· Please call for a Letter of Authorization.
· Travel itinerary.
· Certified Check or Money Order payable to the “US Department of State” for $190.00 (for adults) or for $160.00 (for minors UNDER 16).
· 24 Hour Passport & Visas: Online Order.
The next step in this process is to visit an application acceptance facility. After the completion of the DS-11 form and gathering all required documents, you must visit an acceptance agent who will look through these documents. The Agent will then be a witness as you sign the application form which was left unsigned in Step 1. An execution fee of $35.00 will be paid to the Acceptance Agent who is assisting you. You must inform the Agent that you are using a passport agency to expedite the processing and that the sealed documents will be hand-delivered to the Department of State. This Department of State policy is called “Hand Carrying of Executed Applications.” The policy is detailed on pages 31 and 44 of the Acceptance Agent Manual. The Acceptance Agent will then return the sealed envelope to you. Do not open the envelope. FedEx or bring the sealed envelope with the rest of the quick passport documents to our office for processing. Next, you will be required to make the payment for the new passport application fee. Before you send us your express passport application with the sealed package through FedEx, UPS/DHL, or any other mail service provider, you must contact 24 Hour Passport and Visas to confirm your rush or emergency passport space. Our services are guaranteed.
If you have time and are able to plan accordingly and don’t need your passport in a hurry then you can go to the post office directly and it will take roughly 12 to 16 weeks to secure your passport.
If you need your passport quicker than that you can expedite your passport via 24 Hours Passport & Visas under 2 weeks. Perhaps, there is a possibility of expediting passport as fast as 24 hours as well. There are fees associated with expediting your passport in addition to the government fees. This service of expedited passport from 24 hours to under 2 weeks is only available from Licensed Passport Expediters in USA. For more information, please contact our regional offices or order your expedited new passport service online.
Having a new passport can be extremely exciting! Don’t stress however, in light of the fact that it is impeccably fine to feel that way. All things considered, you have to manage a great deal of things carefully like fill in forms, document submission etc. The fact of the matter is that in order to apply for a passport in the U.S. , it doesn’t need to be stressful. Primarily, you will need a few forms filled out. There are certain forms required to be filled out correctly for a new passport, lost passport, passport renewal or child passport.
A passport is universally perceived as a travel document; however it also can be used for confirmation of identity and nationality of the person holding it. Only the State department can issue Americans valid US passports.
In order to get a new passport in U.S, you must be aware of the following things like, the US passport comes with a 5 year or a 10 year validity. For persons who were issued passports when they were 16 years of age or older, the passport is valid for 10 years. Though for persons who were issued a passport when they were 15 years of age or younger, the passport is valid for only 5 years or less.
Information like the following: Where to get a new passport, How to apply for a new passport and other related inquiries related to this particular travel document are available through the US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Passport Services. There are numerous assigned post offices and representatives of court, open libraries and other state, region, township, and metropolitan government work places with the power to receive the application for new passport on your own behalf. Since there are numerous Passport Acceptance offices in the US, you have to discover the particular office that is closest to your home location. Apart from this these are the following documents required to be taken along with you whenever you are applying for a new passport:
A) Completely filled Passport form (unsigned)
B) Two passport size photograph
C) Identity proof
D) Citizenship Proof
Also there are 24 hour passport service providers by which you can get a new passport in the U.S within a few days only! They are generally within a two week time frame or less and are therefore the decision of travelers who need to have their passport quickly. If you need to go within that period (within 2 weeks!) getting an expedited passport services is the way to go. There are fees associated with expediting your passport in addition to the government fees to expedite a passport. So if you have time and are able to plan accordingly and don’t need your passport in a hurry then you can go to the post office directly and it will take roughly 8+ weeks to secure your passport. If you need your passport in a hurry or if you want to pay for the convenience of having an expediting passport agency take care of it for you – That’s where 24 Hour Passport and Visas can help! Both alternatives have their own benefits.
24 Hour Passport and Visas is a private, non-government passport and visa expediting service providing company. The fees included with our services are to expedite the procedures and are in addition to the government fees. If you are in a situation that does not require expedited services you can apply directly through the US Department of State, and avoid paying our additional courier fees.
Below lists the passport fees for each service that the US Department of State and the Acceptance facility will charge.
24 Hours Passport & Visas Agency Fees for Expedited Passports:
There are fees associated with expediting your passport in addition to the government fees. 24 Hour Passport and Visas offers to expedite the process of your passport or visa as fast as 72 hours, this means you will get your travel document quicker then through any other way and you can be sure you will have the documents you need for your next travel in time. To know the price for expedited passport services, click here.
This depends on the service you have chosen. If you have decided to apply for a routine passport, the processing time is from 12-16 weeks. The processing time can get extended by 2 to 3 weeks more if there is an increase in passport application submissions during peak travel times. This is usually when the holiday season approaches and people plan for vacations.
If an expedited passport agency service such as 24 Hour Passport and Visas has been used, the processing time is under 2 weeks and in some cases, it can be expedited within 72 hours.
An additional fee is charged in order to speed up the processing of your application. Check 24 Hour Passport and Visas pricing here.
Step 1: Complete DS-11 application form
The form must be completed online and printed off. Make sure that you do not sign the form. The form will later be signed when asked by an acceptance agent.
Step 2: Gather all required documents
Two passport photos
Proof of Identity
Letter of Authorization
Travel itinerary
Certified Check or Money Order payable to the US Department of State
24 Hour Passport & Visas: Online Order Receipt.
Step 3: Getting the New U.S. Passport requirement documents authorized.
The next step in this process is to visit an application acceptance facility. You must visit an acceptance agent who will look through these documents. The Agent will then be a witness as you sign the application form which was left unsigned in Step 1. You must inform the Agent that you are using a passport agency to expedite the processing and that the sealed documents will be hand-delivered to the Department of State.
Upon receiving your U.S. Passport, it is very important to sign your passport for it to be considered valid. You are required to sign on the page opposite of the photo page. On the page opposite of the photo page, sign in the blank space where a line indicating reads “Signature of bearer.” This must be done using a non-ballpoint pen and make sure you do not smudge your signature.