Any citizen wishing to visit a foreign country must have a passport to enter and leave that country as well as to get back into the United States. Instructions for obtaining your United States passport are quite specific. The passport must have a picture of the citizen, and give one’s name, social security number, sex, date and place of birth. Ordinary passports expire in ten years and must be renewed. It is now possible to fill out an application form for a new or renewed passport on the Internet. The form is then printed out, on the computer, to be signed. Two pictures and the fee must accompany the application. If it is for a renewal the old passport must also be surrendered.
There are many different types of passports, depending on the status of the people involved. The majority of passports issued are Ordinary, with the others titled Official, Diplomatic, Emergency, Collective and Family. The most popular passports issued are Ordinary, which are for the average citizen. With the heavy increase in foreign travel, the year 2007 showed a total of over eighteen million United States Passports issued.
The Family passport is an excellent choice for the family who is going on a vacation together in a foreign country. By only allowing the passport holder to use the passport there is no danger of the children taking the passport and getting in difficulty. Many people would have no other type of passport. Many times groups of adults or children will go together on tours, mercy projects, or other types of outings. For them the Collective getting a passport is excellent. It is in the name of the head of the group and provides a good method of keeping the group together safely. No one except the person with the name on the passport can use it.
It is much easier to obtain a passport these days than it was in the past. Due to the huge increase in travel, the government has speeded up their method of issuing a passport. With security concerns they are very careful when issuing the passports to scrutinize them very carefully. Passports can be applied for at post offices, most county recorders offices and on the Internet. Emergency passports can be obtained on the same day or within twenty-four hours under special circumstances.
There is a difference between a Visa and a passport, which some people do not understand. A Visa is issued by the country one is visiting and allows them to stay a certain length of time. It must be obtained from the country being visited. Students who are studying overseas or Americans who are working there often use this. One still has to have a passport.
Recognizing the problems that Americans run into overseas, the State Department has established a special section to give assistance. It is called the Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management (ACS). In coordination with the American consulates and embassies, they provide various emergency services for American citizens.
There are a number of non-emergency passports services, but the most important are assisting in getting a deceased body home, assisting crime victims and trying to help people who are arrested. They also have a loan program to assist destitute citizens return home. They are in existence to help people who are overseas who run into difficulties getting a passport and are a lifeline for citizens in a foreign country. Get your passport today!