How To Get A Passport

More and more Americans are traveling abroad, and with that comes the need for a passport. If you are about to venture to another country for the first time, you might think that the process of getting your passport is cumbersome and frustrating. As long as you are prepared for what is to come, however, you should encounter smooth sailing. Here is a quick guide to getting your passport, and it begins with passport photos.

Get Your Documents Together

Hop online and print out a passport application. The site that we just provided you a link to includes a checklist of documents that you will need to get your passport. You may have all of them already, or you might to send off for some (such as your birth certificate), so start this process as soon as possible. If you are a citizen but your birth certificate is foreign, you will also need to provide either your certificate of naturalization, or your certificate of citizenship (and pray someone knows what the latter is).

Basically, you need to provide your U.S. citizenship. You will need to have all of your documents before applying, or your application will be sent back to you without the passport. This will obviously not work when you get to the airport on travel day, so work to ensure that you have the proper documentation the first time around.

Get Your Pictures

In this age of taking a selfie everywhere you go, you might think that any old picture will do for your passport. According to photo studios, that, unfortunately, is not true. The good news, however, is that getting your passport photos is a rather simple and straight forward process. You will just want to head down to your local pharmacy or drugstore, or any place that does picture developing. Most such places will have the capability of getting your passport photos done while you wait. They know exactly what you will need for your application, and they will use the correct backdrop. In other words, they take all of the work out of the equation for you. Just wait for a few minutes, pay, and you will be on your way.

Head to the Post Office

Most post offices will accept passport applications. Just have everything ready to go and then head over to get it in the mail. Do not seal any envelopes, as most postal clerks will be well familiar with the process and are willing to ensure that you have completed everything properly. The most common omission is forgetting to sign the application, so take notice of that.

That really is all there is to it. Passports take about six weeks to receive the first time. When you get yours, just check to make sure everything is correct and then get ready to enjoy your trip!