Expiration of passport when can you travel

You are not allowed to represent other members of the family inside your passport. Visit Child's Passport to learn about passport requirements for children. How old must my children be to apply for a Child Passport? Your children must be 15 years old or younger to apply for a child passport.

What is a passport submission appointment and why is it necessary? A passport submission appointment is required for all passport services. If you need a service in less than 3 weeks, you must call the VisaCentral Customer Care Center at to schedule your appointment with a VisaCentral Visa and Passport Specialist.

For passport services with a processing time of 3 weeks or longer, a passport submission appointment is made once your completed application is received by the VisaCentral office location designated in your Passport Application Kit. What is a passport authorization letter? A passport authorization letter is a letter that authorizes VisaCentral to act as your representative when submitting your passport application. The United States Passport Agency requires that you sign this letter before they will release your new or updated passport to us once your order is complete.

You can only submit original copies of these forms. Can I fax my completed forms to VisaCentral? No, you must submit original copies of all documents and order forms to VisaCentral for processing. How long will it take VisaCentral take to process my passport? VisaCentral can process your passport in as little as one day.

Each passport service supports a variety of processing times to meet your specific travel needs. Visit the Passports section, select your service and determine the best processing time for your order. When does VisaCentral apply 'rush' and 'emergency' fee surcharges for passport processing?

VisaCentral applies the 'rush' surcharge when provided business days for processing after we receive your completed application. The 'emergency' surcharge applies when VisaCentral is given 3 business days or less for processing after we receive your completed application. Standard processing applies to all orders that are given 11 days or longer to be processed. What forms of payment does VisaCentral accept? VisaCentral accepts payment by most major credit cards including:. Have an urgent visa application that carries a tight deadline?

VisaCentral can help you to save valuable time and avoid expensive delays. A VisaCentral expert will review all of your documents to confirm your application is accurate, complete and ready for submission.

We will contact you personally to quickly handle any mistakes ensuring your application is submitted correctly. Learn More. We do not send cards using a day delivery service. Contact the Vital Statistics office in the state where you were born. If you were born in the U. You will need:. To learn more, visit Citizenship Evidence.

If you were born outside the U. Request a Certification of Report of Birth or learn more about birth records for U. All previously issued DSs are still valid as proof of identity, citizenship and for other legal purposes. The new design has state-of-the-art security features to help prevent fraud and identity theft. The FS is an official record confirming that a child born abroad to a U. All previously issued FS or DS documents are still valid as proof of identity, citizenship and for other legal purposes.

Request one or more copies of your Certificate of Witness to Marriage Abroad. Request one or more copies of a Consular Report of Death of a U. Citizen Abroad. For information on how to obtain copies of your passport records see Obtain Copies of Passport Records.

Technological advances have changed the way passport photos may be taken and the way that the U. Department of State processes the photos. See Passport Photos for more information. To ensure your customers have the most up-to-date information regarding passports, direct them to travel. There they will find information about passport requirements, where to apply, how to download an application, and more. You should also add a link to travel. See our Travel Agents Homepage for more information.

Your photo must have been taken within 6 months of submitting your application and reflect your current appearance. You must directly face the camera. Profile shots will not be accepted. Your expression should be neutral with both eyes open and directly facing the camera.

Photos with exaggerated expressions and squinting will not be accepted. If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, you'll need to obtain and submit a signed statement from your doctor with your passport application. You may wear a hat or head covering, but you must submit a signed statement that verifies that the hat or head covering is part of recognized, traditional religious attire that is customarily or required to be worn continuously in public or a signed doctor's statement verifying the item is used daily for medical purposes.

Your full face must be visible and your hat or head covering cannot obscure your hairline or cast shadows on your face. No, the child must be the only person in the photo. Nothing used to support the child should be in the camera's frame, including the arms or hands of a parent holding the child. Uniforms, clothing that looks like a uniform, and camouflage attire cannot be worn in the photo except in the case of religious attire that is worn daily.

It is acceptable if an infant's eyes, particularly a newborn's, are not, or are not entirely, open. All other children must have their eyes open and looking straight ahead towards the camera. When taking a photo of your baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open. Lay your baby on his or her back on a plain white or off-white sheet. This will ensure your baby's head is supported and provide a plain background for the photo.

Make certain there are no shadows on your baby's face, especially if you take a picture from above with the baby lying down. Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white sheet and take a picture of your child in the car seat. Yes, you can use a digital camera.

However, most webcams and mobile phones cannot provide images of sufficient quality. No, you can not digitally alter a photo to remove red eye. You will have to submit a new photo without red eye.

Copied or digitally scanned photos of official documents will not be accepted. In addition, photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way. Snapshots, magazine photos, low-resolution vending machine photos, mobile device photos, or full-length photographs are not acceptable.

New photos are only required if your appearance has significantly changed from what is in your photo. Growing a beard or coloring your hair would not constitute a significant change. If you can still be identified from the photo in your current passport, you do not need to apply for a new passport.

You may have to apply for a new passport if you have:. If the appearance of your child under the age of 16 has changed due to the normal aging process, you do not need to apply for a new passport for him or her. Yes, you can wear jewelry and piercings and show your tattoos. Jewelry and piercings should not block large portions of your face.

Permanent tattoos are fine for your photo as well and don't need to be covered. Learn more about this change to make it easier for you to make an appointment.

Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad.

You are about to leave travel. Department of State. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.

Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel. Cancel GO. Skip to main content. Gov Travel. Passports International Travel U. Stay Connected. Law Enforcement. Y Z All. We have 8 categories of FAQs below for your use. What is the current status of passport operations? Our processing times begin the day we receive your application at a passport agency or center , not the day you mail your application or apply for a passport at a local acceptance facility.

We are no longer using door-to-door timeframes to describe routine and expedited service. Mail times vary across the country. Plan ahead and apply early. These services provide the fastest turnaround and protect your important documents Use Self-Service Tools Online : Get your questions answered immediately by using one of the self-service tools available on our site. What services are available online? What should I expect when applying at an acceptance facility?

What should I expect when applying by mail? There is no need to be physically present at an acceptance facility, passport agency, or passport center for any of the following services: Renew your U. What should I expect if I need to apply at a passport agency or center?

Why did you temporarily disable the online appointment system? Why are you making this change? Calling us will improve your ability to make an appointment in the following ways : Our call center representatives will provide you unique confirmation information that our staff will verify on the day of your appointment.

If you are not the true appointment holder, you will be turned away on the day of your appointment. The unique confirmation information will allow us to verify your appointment is legitimate, and ensure you are not being scammed. The new process will ensure third-party services cannot book appointments. If you need to cancel or change your appointment, please call us. Your appointment will be assigned to a new customer calling to make an appointment. While you will need to wait to speak with a customer service representative to book an appointment, we have added staff to handle the increased call volume, and updated our phone menus to help streamline the experience and reduce wait times.

How do I cancel my appointment? We appreciate your patience as we ensure appointments go to the applicants who truly need them. Are you making progress on pending U. I have a pending application. Can I upgrade it for expedited service? Are passport agencies and centers still reopening? When will you return to your normal service times? Can I request a refund? Is it safe to travel internationally? What about customers overseas who need a passport? General Questions.

How do I get the status of my application? I need my passport sooner than I thought. What can I do? I got a letter in the mail or an email about my application. What should I do? I have a life or death emergency in a foreign country and need a passport. My passport has already been issued and mailed to me, but I have not received it. What do I do? How will you send my passport and supporting documents? I'm renewing my passport. Do I get the old one back? Will I get a new passport number?

My address has changed. Do I need to update my passport? My passport has been damaged. Can I continue to use this passport? I am traveling very soon. How do I get a passport quickly? How long does it take to get a passport? How much does a U. How do I make an appointment at a passport agency or center?

Is there a fee to make an appointment at a Passport Agency or Center? Where are the instructions for filling out the passport forms? How long is a passport valid and is it true that it needs to have at least 6 months of validity remaining?

Who should have a valid U. Those with family living or traveling abroad Those thinking about a vacation abroad, or Those with a job that could require international travel. How many blank visa pages do I need to travel? I live in Canada. Are there special procedures for applying for and renewing my U.

I am recently married or divorced. How do I change my name on my passport? Why is there an execution fee for the passport and passport card? How do I order applications in bulk?

Bulk quantities of passport forms are now available from the U. Government Publishing Office. Form DS : Application for a U. Passport for all first-time applicants, children under 16, and applicants not eligible to use the DS form Stock Number: Form DS : U. I found someone's lost passport.

What should I do with it? My gender marker has changed since my last passport. Can I pay online? Should I turn it in to be canceled? Please submit the valid passport, a certified copy of the death certificate, and a letter requesting the cancelation and return or destruction of the passport to: U. Can I get a second passport book? Can I get extra visa pages for my passport? Can I use a passport to fly domestically? Can I list Jerusalem as my place of birth?

What is International Megan's Law and how does it affect U. I am preparing for official travel. How do I get a special issuance passport? Can I return to the United States on an expired passport? So, if your passport is within weeks of its expiration date, be sure to apply for a new one right away. As a rule, every country requires a passport from foreign visitors.

For instance, some countries need you to carry a valid passport for as long as three months after your date of entry. This means that even if your trip will only last for a few weeks, the country will deny access if your passport expires in three months. This applies to either your date of entry or your date of departure.

Passport validity dates vary on a country-by-country basis. For details about your date of entry or departure, you can always check the Department of State website. You can also check the embassy or consulate for the countries you visit. When it comes to passport requirements, each country has its own set of rules.

Along with many other travel rules, these are a must-read before your trip. According to the U.