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Passports and Visas - Travel Documents
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U.S.
Passports Information
To
apply for a passport for the first time, you must present, in
person, a completed application at a State Department Passport
Agency (located in major cities) or at one of the several
thousand federal or state courts or U.S. Post Offices
authorized to accept passport applications.
Bring
proof of U.S. Citizenship (such as a certified copy of your birth certificate),
an ID that includes your signature and photo, and two identical
2" x 2" photos. The fee is $55, and an adult passport is
valid for 10 years.
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Check
the expiration date of your passport well in advance of your
trip.
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If
your passport has been issued within 12 years prior to the date
of a new application, you can renew by mail by picking up
an application at U.S. Post Offices or at a Passport Agency.
The mail-in procedure costs $55 and can take up to four weeks during
peak spring and summer travel seasons. If
you are planning to travel abroad frequently, request a 48-page
passport.
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An
accordion sheet of extra pages to provide additional space for
visas and stamps in a valid passport can be issued at any local
Passport Agency or U.S. Consulate overseas.
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If
you have questions about where or how to apply for a passport,
call your local Passport Agency or the Washington, D.C. Passport Agency
at 202-647-0518. More information is available on the World
Wide Web at the Department of State's
Passport
Services Page.
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Lost
or stolen passports
If you're in the U.S. when your
passport is lost or stolen, immediately telephone the
Department of State, Passport Services at 202-647-0518 or the
nearest Passport Agency. An agency employee will register the passport
loss and make arrangements to issue a new one, usually within two
weeks. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it to the
local police and the nearest American embassy or consulate. A new passport
can usually be issued within 24 hours. You can speed the process
if you have with you a photocopy of the identification page of
the original and three passport-size photos.
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Visas
A visa is a special notation or
stamp added to your passport that permits you to enter and
leave a country. More than half of the world's roughly 190
countries require a visa.
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Check
with the consulates of countries you plan to visit to find out
if a visa is required.
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For
a listing of entry requirements of individual countries ($0.50
each), consult the Department of State publication, Foreign Visa
Requirements, available from the Consumer Information Center,
Dept. 361C, Pueblo, CO 81009, or call (719) 948-3334.
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Current
information on foreign visa requirements is also available from
the Department of State, Citizens Emergency Center (202-647-5225).
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For
a list of countries that require a visa, and a list of countries that
require vaccinations you may call the Global Assist Hotline for
American Express Personal, Gold, Optima and Corporate
Cardmembers. Platinum Card members should call
Travel Emergency Assistance; Executive Corporate Card
members should call the Executive
Service Desk.
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Precautions
The State Department suggests
that you take two or three wallet-size photos along on a trip
overseas, in case you need to replace your passport or decide
to visit an additional country that requires a visa.
Political
situations may affect your travel plans as well as procedures for
second passports and validations. Check with the Passport Agency for current
regulations.
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