How to Get Your U.S. Passport in Time for Your Travel Plans

Getting a United States passport is necessary for all United States citizens who are traveling outside the US. You will need a passport to enter or leave most foreign countries. Recent changes to the law now also require that you have a passport to enter or leave Canada and Mexico, where before a valid driver's licesne was sufficient. Your passport is internationally recognized as proof both of your dientity and of your nationality as a U.S. citizen. To obtain a passport, you must apply through the U.S. Department of State.

If you are applying for a passport for the first time, you are required to apply in person. There are 8,000 passport acceptance facilities in the U.S., including many U.S. Post Offices; you can find a location by visiting the U.S. State Department locator web site. You will need to bring two photographs of yourself, proof of your U.S. citizenship, and another valid form of photo ID, such as a driver's license.

For proof of citizenship, you can use a certified birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (if you were born of U.S. citizens but born in a foreign land), a Naturalization Certificate, or a Certificate of Citizenship. If you do not have any of the above documents, there are other accpetabel documents which you can find listed on the State Department website. If you are applying for a minor, the proof of citizenship must list both the mother and father's name.

The two photos you bring must meet certain requirements as well. The photos must be two inches square, they must be identical and taken within the last 6 months. They must also be color photographs, taken of your full face, front view, with between one inch and 1-3/8 inches from your chin to the top of our head. You must be wearing normal street attire. You can check the phone directory to find photo stores where you can have passport photos taken that will meet State Department requirements.