Senator Kent Conrad | North Dakota

Passports, Travel and Immigration FAQ

Passports and Travel for US Citizens and Residents

I would like to travel to abroad. Do I need a US passport?

Individuals traveling by land and sea outside of the United States are required to present a passport book/card, or other valid travel documents to enter or re-enter the United States. For more information, click here.

What if I'm just traveling to Canada by car, do I still need a passport?

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

How do I apply for a new U.S. Passport?

To obtain a passport for the first time, you'll need to go in person to one of more than 9,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two passport size photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a drivers license.

Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also regional passport agencies, and one Gateway City Agency, which serves customers who are traveling within two weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.

You'll need to apply in person if you are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time ; your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession; your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago; your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16; or your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost or stolen.

Where do I get a passport application?

You may download forms from the State Department web site by clicking here.

Forms are also available at public offices like Post Offices, courthouses or municipal offices where passport applications are accepted. Find the location nearest you by clicking on this searchable list of convenient locations where you can apply for a passport.

How long does it take to get a passport?

Processing times can vary depending on workload and occasional unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters. During busier times, such as the summer travel season, it is recommended that customers expedite their applications if traveling in less than 10 weeks. See Processing Times for more information.

What if I need to travel immediately, is there any way to get a passport sooner?

You can schedule an in-person appointment at a regional passport agency if you need your passport in less than 2 weeks for international travel or you need your passport within 4 weeks to obtain a foreign visa. To schedule an appointment and for more information on the documents required, visit passport agencies.

I have already applied for a passport. How do I find out about the status of my passport application?

Visit Online Application Status-Check.

Do I need a visa to travel abroad?

Some countries require visas some don't. Visa requirements may also be different for non-citizens. For information on entry requirements for a specific country, please go to the Entry/Exit Requirements section in the Country Specific Information for the country you are interested in here. If a visa is required, a person in the U.S. would submit a visa application to the Embassy of the country to which travel was planned. Review the Consular Information Sheets for the countries to be visited, call the Embassy consular office or visit its web site.

I plan to travel abroad. Where can I find information on the country I am visiting?

The Web site www.travel.state.gov lists travel warnings and provides Consular Information Sheets. The Consular Information Sheets list the address and telephone numbers of the Embassy and Consulates. American Citizen Services will be helpful if you are abroad. This is the web site of the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Department of State.

What if I have an emergency while abroad, who can I contact?

If you are traveling abroad, you can register with the US State Department. Travel registration is a free service provided by the U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country. Registration allows you to record information about your upcoming trip abroad that the Department of State can use to assist you in case of an emergency. Americans residing abroad can also get routine information from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

I am traveling very soon. How do I get a passport in a hurry?

See How to Get Your Passport in a Hurry.

How do I renew my U.S. Passport?

You can renew by mail if:

Your most recent passport is available to submit and it is not damaged;
you received the passport within the past 15 years;
you were over age 16 when it was issued; and
you still have the same name, or can legally document your name change.

You can get a passport renewal application form by downloading it from this site.

If your passport has been altered or damaged, you cannot apply by mail. You must apply in person.

For more information on how to renew a passport, please visit the How to renew a passport page.

My child who is under 18 needs a passport. How do I get it?

If your child is:

Then....

Under 14

Your child must appear in person.
Both parents or legal guardians, can apply for your child.
Both parents or legal guardian consent is required for minors under age 14. ( See Two-Parent Consent Requirements.)
Both parents or legal guardians must show current, valid ID.

14 to 17

Your child must appear in person.
Your parental consent may be requested.

Is it true that passport applications for minors under 14 require the consent of both parents or legal guardians?

Effective July 2, 2001, Public Law 106-113, Section 236 requires that U.S. passport applications for children under the age of 14 require both parents' or legal guardians' consent. Read additional information on the Two-Parent Consent Requirement.

What if there is an error in the passport I just received?

In order to correct the error as quickly as possible, please submit the following:

The Passport to be replaced;

A completed DS-5504, U.S. Passport Re-Application Form;

Two new photographs; and

Evidence to document the correct information, such as a certified birth certificate, previous U.S. passport, certified marriage certificate, or naturalization/citizenship certificate.

Please include your departure date on Form DS-5504.

Mail the above to:

If using U.S. Postal Service -
National Passport Processing
P.O. Box 13290
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3290

If using delivery other than U.S. Postal Service -
National Passport Processing
ATTN: Department 13290
1617 Brett Road
New Castle, DE 19720

I was recently married/divorced. How do I change my name on my passport?

You will need to complete DS-5504, U.S. Passport Re-Application Form, within one year of the issuance date of your current valid passport and submit along with the following:

The passport to be replaced

Certified documentation of your name change (e.g., marriage certificate, divorce decree with your new name); and

Two recent passport photos.

After one year of the issuance date you must submit a DS-82, Application for Passport by Mail, your current passport, certified documentation of your name change, two recent passport photos, and pay all applicable fees. Click here to see How to Change Your Name in Your Valid Passport.

My passport was lost/stolen. How do I report it?

Please apply for a new passport immediately. You may report your lost or stolen passport when you apply for the new one. Along with your application, you must submit the Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport , Form DS-64. Click here for more information on the DS-64. You can print the DS-64. If you decide not to apply for a new passport immediately, you may report your lost or stolen passport by completing Form DS-64 and mailing it to:

US Department of State
Passport Services
Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

Or call toll free at: 1-877-487-2778 (TTY 1-888-874-7793)
Operators are available 6 a.m. to midnight, ET, Monday-Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

I need to travel abroad. I am not a citizen. What do I need to be able to re-enter the U.S.?

Depending on your immigration status, you may need a re-entry permit, a refugee travel document, or advance parole document. For more status specific information visit www.uscis.gov or for information on these types of documents, click here.

USCIS petitions, applications and benefits

I am a US citizen. How do I bring my fiance(e) or family member to the U.S.?

To file for a spouse, fiance, child, parent, or sibling, view the requirements and related forms for each here.

I am a Legal Permanent Resident. How do I bring my spouse or child(ren) to the U.S.?

For requirements and related forms, visit USCIS.

How does a refugee get to be resettled in the U.S.?

Click to see the "How Do I" section: there click on "Refugees to review the information on how one applies for resettlement in the U.S. as a refugee.

I am a Legal Permanent Resident. Where can I find information on my rights and responsibilities?

Go to the USCIS website to find more information about the rights and responsibilities of Permanent Residents.

Can I work while I am in the U.S.? If so, what documents are required as proof of employment eligibility?

The ability to work in the U.S. depends on the individual's immigration status. Some people immigrate to the US permanently and become Legal Permanent Residents which automatically makes them employment authorized. Others individuals in the U.S. on a temporary or permanent basis are required to apply with USCIS to receive an Employment Authorization Document, if they are eligible to work at all. Each employment category for admission has different requirements, conditions and authorized periods of stay.

I have a question about immigration. Who do I call?

Call 1-800-375-5283, the National Customer Service Center 24 hours a week. The National Customer line can answer questions on pending case, location of USCIS local offices, forms, immigration benefits, recent news, or assistance.

I have a pending application. How can I check the status of it?

In addition to calling the National Customer Service Center, applicants can view the status of a case by entering the corresponding application receipt number on the USCIS website here.

How do I know what form has to be filed, where to send it, and what the fee is?

Go here , click on forms on the top of the left hand side of the home page. A list of forms is provided; one can click on the form type to view and print the form and instructions.

I am a member of the military, is there anyone at USCIS that can offer assistance to me and my family?

USCIS has established a toll-free "Military Help Line" exclusively for members of the military and their families: 1-877-CIS-4MIL (1-877-247-4645). For more information, visit USCIS's military help page here.

Nonimmigrant (visitor and student) visa Info

A friend or relative abroad wants to visit me in the U.S. What must they do?

Visitors to the U.S. must apply at the U.S. Embassy or Consular office in the country from which they are visiting. On the Web site www.travel.state.gov under services, click on "Visas for Foreign Citizens to Come to the U.S." Here you will find information on immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Non-immigrant visas are for visitors. Information on how to apply for a visa and schedule an interview can be found on the U.S. Embassy website for the country your friend or family member resides.

My friend or relative was denied a visitor's visa. Why?

An applicant must show strong ties to their home country and must not be presumed to be an immigrant. See www.travel.state.gov. Click on "Visas for Foreign citizens to come to the U.S.", then under Non-Immigrant Visas, click on "Visitor Visas", then "Visa Denials" and "Visitor Visa - Information You Need to Know." Most denials are because of Section 214 (b). Section 214(b), part of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), states:

Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status...

To qualify for a visitor or student visa, an applicant must meet the requirements of sections 101(a)(15)(B) or (F) of the INA respectively. Failure to do so will result in a refusal of a visa under INA 214(b). The most frequent basis for such a refusal concerns the requirement that the prospective visitor or student possess a residence abroad he/she has no intention of abandoning. Applicants prove the existence of such residence by demonstrating that they have ties abroad that would compel them to leave the U.S. at the end of the temporary stay. The law places this burden of proof on the applicant.

Consular officers must decide in a very short time if someone is qualified to receive a temporary visa. Most cases are decided after a brief interview and review of whatever evidence of ties an applicant presents.

Can I work if I'm here on a student visa (F1)?

The designated school official (DSO) where you study can advise you. Under limited circumstances, some on and off campus work authorization is allowed (8 CFR 214.2). Family members, however, may not work.

Constituent Services

Passports, Travel and Immigration FAQ

Passports and Travel for US Citizens and Residents

USCIS petitions, applications and benefits

Nonimmigrant (visitor and student) visa info

Passports and Travel for US Citizens and Residents

USCIS petitions, applications and benefits

Nonimmigrant (visitor and student) visa Info