Passports what do you need

Passport cards are wallet-sized IDs that allow for entry to the U. The difference between a regular passport and a passport card is that passport cards cannot be used for international air travel. If you do want to spring for both, you can apply for both a passport and a passport card at the same, using just one application form.

It takes seven to 10 days for passport applications to show up in the online system , but you just plug in your last name, date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number to track your passport status.

Contact us at letters time. Here's What You Need to Know. Top view of american passport on wooden desktop. By Sophia Gottfried. Law Enforcement. How to Apply for A Passport. Y Z All. Learn about the steps for how to apply for or renew your U. Fill out or Download your Form. Cost of your Passport. How to Submit a Good Photo. Tips for your U. Citizenship Documents. Show us your Photo ID. Guidance Passport rules for travel to Europe.

Contents Passport validity Countries this applies to Applying for a new passport. Print this page. Brexit Check what you need to do. Explore the topic Passports Travel abroad Brexit: business guidance Brexit: guidance for individuals. Is this page useful? Maybe Yes this page is useful No this page is not useful. Thank you for your feedback. Report a problem with this page. A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air.

The application process is the same for either the passport book or card, even if you want both at the same time. You have to go in person to present your application. If you need to get a passport in seven weeks or less , you will need an expedited process. If you will be traveling in more than seven weeks , you can follow the regular application process and apply in person at a passport acceptance facility. Contact the U. Embassy or consulate near you for information and forms to request a passport from outside the U.

Application Form - To complete the application for a passport book, card, or both together, first do one of the following:. Fill out the application online. Use the Passport Application Wizard to step through the process of filling out the application. Passport applications cannot be submitted online. Fill out the application by hand. Download the passport application form DS and instructions and complete the application by hand, or go to a local passport acceptance facility to get a copy to fill out.

Whether you fill it out online or by hand, it is important that you do not sign the form until you are instructed to do so in front of a passport designated official you will meet when applying in person. Passport photo - Follow the photo requirements. Payment - Calculate your passport fees.

Damaged, lost, or stolen. Issued in your previous name and you do not have a legal document like a marriage license to prove your legal name change.

If any of these are true, you cannot renew your passport.