A few years ago our family booked a cruise. Unfortunately, the pandemic canceled our cruise and we weren’t able to reschedule until last October, but when we scheduled the cruise I knew we all needed Passports.
I could probably go on and on about the importance of having a passport with you anytime you leave the country, but for this blog, I want to focus on how easy it is to get your passport and encourage you to go out and get one now if you don’t already have one.
First, if you are 18 or older your passport will have a life of 10 years before you will need to renew it again.
We have a large family, there are always at least five of us when we travel. We have to double up on hotel rooms, cruise cabins, etc.
So when we got our passports a few years back, we had 4 adults and a 15 year old.
And it was super easy.. even for all of us.
First, I recommend finding all of your needed identification and getting it all in one spot. I like using the big manilla envelopes you can get from Walmart or any office store. Either, paper clip each individual’s information all together or put each person’s information in individual envelopes.
To learn what all Identification you need to gather up, go to this WEBSITE.
Or copy and past this link into your browser’s search bar:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/records-and-authentications/requesting-a-vital-record-as-a-u-s–citizen/vital-records-ids.html#:~:text=In-state, fully valid driver’s,county, state, or federal)
Got everything together?
Great!
Now, I would recommend going to this website. Follow the instructions to filling out the application.
Or copy and past the below into your browser’s search bar:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport.html
Once complete with the application, don’t forget to print it out. The offices will only accept applications printed on single sided paper – meaning don’t print on the front and back of the paper. Also, DO NOT SIGN THE FORM. The passport facility will not accept the form if it is already signed. The applicant must sign the form in front of the facility employee assisting with the process.
TIP: If this is your first passport whatever secondary proof of identity you bring, I’ll use a birth certificate for an example, they will keep that secondary proof of identity with your application and mail it in all together. Once approved, your new passport will be mailed to you, then, your birth certificate or whatever secondary proof of identity you used will be mailed back to you. If you are renewing your passport, they will keep your current/expired passport. So be careful planning your travels around passport services.
So now you have everything together you need, your application is completed and printed out on single sided paper all you need to do now is to set up your passport appointment at your local passport services office (most likely a Post Office).
Well, you also need a passport photo. We usually pay the extra $15 the Post Office charges to have them take the photo for us. That way I know it is the perfect size and an acceptable passport photo. Just one more thing to make the process as easy as possible.
After you finish your application, you will be instructed to set up an appointment. It will be step one on your passport to do list after the application.
Step 2 will be the “What to submit with your passport.”
Let me make a quick note here, in this screen shot, your passport fees may vary. We do not get the passport cards so in this screenshot we paid $130 for the passport book, $35.00 for the acceptance facility fee, and then, once there, we paid an extra $15 for the photo. We did not expedite delivery because we have no plans of traveling abroad in the next 4 to 6 weeks.
Mentioning the 4 to 6 weeks, that was the time frame we were quoted for delivery of the new passport. I seen online though that it could take up to 11 weeks. I want to mentioned here that one of my guest waited to get passports till 2 months prior to their cruise and paid for both the passport book, the passport card, and for them to be expedited and ended up paying $290 per passport package per person. Don’t put yourself in that position, go out and get a passport now so that you can freely travel in the next 10 years without that stress.
I highly recommend taking a moment to look over the Travel Resource page on this website before traveling. There are some great links that will help you have your best trip yet!
Additional Resources:
Passport Cost:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/fees.html
Schedule a Passport appointment:
https://tools.usps.com/rcas.htm
Enjoy your Travels! Ciao!
