Traveling Abroad? Get your Passport Today!
A Passport Booklet is required for departure from and entrance into the United States,
regardless of the mode of transportation. If you do not have a current passport booklet and need information on where and how to acquire one, you may check www.travel.state.gov. Minors (under 16) traveling alone or in someone else’s custody must present written authorization, signed before a notary, from the parent(s) or guardian, and they must also carry a passport.
When planning international travel, be sure your passport will be valid for at least six months after the return date of the tour. If you are traveling abroad, better start preparing now. You may obtain the proper forms through the Clerk Of Court or at the local Post Office. You may also apply for a passport via the State Department’s Web Site. Go to www.travel.state.gov/passport, click on “How to Get a Passport” and download application form DS-11. There is now available a “Passport Card” for crossing the border between Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda, when traveling by land or sea. It is not sufficient for air travel across the border.
After downloading the form:
- Provide proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate (new requirements, please see following link), naturalization certificate, or certificate of citizenship. http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_5401.html
- Present proof of identity, such as a current driver’s license or government ID, and your Social Security number.
- Bring two color passport photos
- Pay the fees: www.travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html (All children, regardless of age, must have passports.)
- Take the forms to any passport acceptance facility, such as a local post office or county or municipal office. To find a nearby office, click on www.travel.state.gov.
If you are not a U.S. citizen or would like more information on border security, you might like to go on the internet to the U.S. government website at www.travel.state.gov or the Department of Homeland Security’s website at www.dhs.gov. If you would like to acquire a passport or need to get an official government birth certificate, you can look on the internet at www.travel.state.gov or you can call our office, and we will send you information.
Note: Beginning May 7, 2027, a REAL ID-compliant license, identification card, or another form of federally-acceptable identification such as a valid passport or REAL ID or military ID) will be required to board domestic commercial flights, enter a military base, or enter a federal facility that requires ID at the door.