Expedited Passport Applications & Tips

(March 25, 2008 - DTN) -- Does your client need a passport in a jiffy? With the busiest travel season coming up, millions will be trying to get passports. Though the State Department has improved their performance, last spring travelers who applied for passports through the U.S. Passport Agency waited two to three months to receive passports.

In addition, new passports may be required before the old ones expire as many countries insist the passport must be valid for six months beyond the end of the trip. Some countries, like South Africa, insist on as many as three empty “Visa” pages in the passport. Even newborn babies need a passport if flying abroad, or a passport card if traveling by land or sea to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean.

ItsEasy.com, a passport and visa expediting company, has introduced a list of tips for acquiring passports. The agency strongly suggests your clients apply at an authorized post office well in advance but for travelers who urgently need a passport they can try the expedited services at itseasy.com.

Some Important Notes For Children: A child’s passport (under 16 years of age) is only valid for five years, though an adult’s is valid for 10 years. Both parents (mother and father if named on the birth certificate, even if divorced) must sign the application forms for a child’s passport, unless one parent can prove sole custody.

Don’t forget to tell your clients to always carry a copy of the picture page of their passport. If the client loses a passport in a foreign country, they can show this copy to the U.S. Embassy to speed up the replacement. Call 866-ITS-EASY (487-3279).

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