U.S. Government Passport

United States Passports are official booklets issued exclusively by the U.S. Department of State to American citizens or non-citizen nationals. The booklets are valid for travel by Americans anywhere in the world.

A United States passport proves the United States nationality of the bearer, and, consequently, their right to assistance from United States consular officials overseas or their right to return to the United States, as the case may be. If a citizen does not have a passport (e.g., because it was lost or stolen), and they can prove their United States nationality by another means (e.g., by providing information about themselves), they will be entitled to consular assistance as a citizen or to enter the United States as a citizen, whether or not they have a passport.

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States . . ." Under this provision, "United States" means the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and, so, excludes a U.S. territory or possession.

By acts of Congress, every person born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands is a United States citizen by birth. In addition, every person born in the former Panama Canal Zone whose father or mother (or both) are or were a citizen is a United States citizen by birth. Other acts of Congress provide for acquisition of citizenship by persons born abroad.

Every citizen is a national of the United States. Not every national is a citizen. There is a small class of American Samoans, born in American Samoa, including Swains Island, who are nationals but not citizens of the United States.

There are several different types of U.S. Passports with different colored covers. The regular (blue cover) passports are issued to all U.S. citizens and non-citizen nationals. The official (maroon cover) passport is issued to citizen-employees of the United States assigned overseas, either permanently or temporarily. This also includes their eligible dependants and members of Congress who travel abroad on official business. The diplomatic (black cover) passport is issued to American diplomats accredited overseas and their eligible dependants, and to citizens who reside in the United States and travel abroad for diplomatic work.

You must apply for a U.S. Passport in person if this is your first passport, you are under the age of 16, your previous passport was lost, stolen or damaged, if your previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago, or if you have changed your name.

When applying for a U.S. Passport you must provide evidence of United States Citizenship. Evidence of citizenship must be a previously undamaged U.S. Passport, a certified birth certificate, consular report of birth abroad, naturalization certificate, or certificate of citizenship.

When applying for a U.S. Passport in person, you must also have one form of primary identification. This can include a previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport, a naturalization certificate, valid driver's license, current Government ID, or a current military ID.

You must also provide two passport photos. These photos must be identical, in color, 2x2 inches in size, taken within the past 6 months, full face with a plain white or off-white background, between 1 inch and 1 and 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head and taken with normal street clothes. Do not wear a uniform, hat or sunglasses.

U.S. Passport fees range from $75 to $100 depending on if you apply in person, by mail, or are under 16 years of age. If you would like to expedite the processing of your passport, an additional fee of $60 is required.

U.S. Passport Card
The U.S. Passport Card is now available. Production of the U.S. Passport Card began on July 14, 2008. To date, over 700,000 U.S. Passport Cards have been processed. Applications for the U.S. Passport Card are being processed in approximately 3 weeks from the time of application.

The wallet-size passport card is convenient and less expensive than the passport book. However, the U.S. Passport Card cannot be used for international air travel. This new travel document can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry.

The card has the same period of validity as the U.S. Passport Book. Ten years for an adult and 5 years for minors under age 16. The card costs $45 for a first-time adult passport applicant and $35 for all minor applicants under age 16, regardless of whether they are previous passport book or card holders. Adults who already have a fully valid passport book may apply for the card as a passport renewal by mail and pay only $20.

To facilitate the frequent travel of U.S. citizens living in border communities and to meet DHS's operational needs at land borders, the passport card contains a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip. This chip points to a stored record in secure government databases. There is no personal information written to the RFID chip itself.

With RFID technology, Customs and Border Protection inspectors will be able to access photographs and other biographical information stored in secure government databases before the traveler reaches the inspection station.

The passport card uses state-of-the-art security features to prevent against the possibility of counterfeiting and forgery. In addition, a protective sleeve is provided with each passport card to protect against unauthorized reading or tracking of the card when it is not in use.