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.
Pre-Departure Passport Care
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, youll be denied boarding privileges. And, of course, This isnt covered by travel insurance.
Currently, more than 80% of the worlds countries require a valid passport for entrance. Its 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 drivers license for proof of your identity.
Your birth certificate must be a certified copy with a registrars raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal, registrars signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrars office, which must be within 1 year of your birth. No photocopies are accepted. Your drivers 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. Photos must be in color. Black and white photos are no longer accepted.
5. Sign both the passport application form and your check.
Surprisingly, many people forget to sign either the passport application form or their check to Passport Services. Once again, check everything twice, or even three times.
6. Request additional pages.
Are you a frequent flyer? Request a 48-page passport (at no additional cost). It will allow you to travel longer before having to replace it.
7. Sign your passport and fill out the emergency information.
When your passport arrives, check to see that all the information contained in it is correct. If it is, sign it and fill in your current address and the name of a person to contact in case of emergency. If not, return it to the State Department for correction.
8. Make two copies of your passport and photos.
Give one copy of your passport to a friend or relative who can be easily contacted in case of an emergency. Take the other copy and the extra photos with you on your trip. If you use an online document storage service, you can scan your passport and upload a copy. That way, you can access it from almost anywhere in the world.
Visit U.S. Passport Service Guide for the remaining 8 tips for Preventing Passport Problems.