Passports

[ALawicki]

I am going soon to get my passport, and I didn't know that you had to apply in person. Has anyone here applied for theirs? I know it normally takes about a month or so to get it, but I am not really worried about that. I just need it so I can start planning better vacations and scuba trips. I know I have to go get pictures and such, but I thought you could apply online or something. It is pretty easy and fast to apply in person? Also if you have it, let me know some good places you went on vacation!! We went to Turks & Caicos and it was SO pretty!

[bvanpeltsw]

I am going soon to get my passport, and I didn't know that you had to apply in person. Has anyone here applied for theirs? I know it normally takes about a month or so to get it, but I am not really worried about that. I just need it so I can start planning better vacations and scuba trips. I know I have to go get pictures and such, but I thought you could apply online or something. It is pretty easy and fast to apply in person? Also if you have it, let me know some good places you went on vacation!! We went to Turks & Caicos and it was SO pretty!

The easiest thing for me is going to the post office...they take your picture AND they have the applications. You can do everything at once.

[ALawicki]

The easiest thing for me is going to the post office...they take your picture AND they have the applications. You can do everything at once.

Do they do it at all post offices? Cause on the internet you can search where you can go and the only post office by me that does it is downtown. I can go to the county clerks office in our county and do it.

[utkd29]

Do they do it at all post offices? Cause on the internet you can search where you can go and the only post office by me that does it is downtown. I can go to the county clerks office in our county and do it.

You can only do it where the internet says you can. SO the answer is no, not all post offices do it.

[ALawicki]

You can only do it where the internet says you can. SO the answer is no, not all post offices do it.

You don't have to be rude about it. I was simply asking a question.

[utkd29]

You don't have to be rude about it. I was simply asking a question.

Wasn't trying to be rude hun. When we went to get ours there are only a few locations in the area that will do it. So the best thing to do is rely on the info that is posted on the internet.:)
Here is a website you can go by http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

[imalittletoenail]

Getting a passport is really easy...even though you have to go in person...just make sure you go somewhere that does the photos and the passport applications as this eliminates a ton of frustration...it only took about 20-30 min when i went (had it done at the post office)...and took right at a month to get it...i tend to stress over things like this i haven't done before, but this was one thing that was a breeze to take care of!!! :) With my passport I have been to Mexico and Jamaica. I highly recommend Jamaica.

[notyard]

Getting a passport is really easy...even though you have to go in person...just make sure you go somewhere that does the photos and the passport applications as this eliminates a ton of frustration...it only took about 20-30 min when i went (had it done at the post office)...and took right at a month to get it...i tend to stress over things like this i haven't done before, but this was one thing that was a breeze to take care of!!! :) With my passport I have been to Mexico and Jamaica. I highly recommend Jamaica.

Once you get your passport, too, it's good for ten years. It is best to renew while you still have your passport in effect--cheaper and easier than to start all over fresh!

I heart Madeira :)

[ALawicki]

Getting a passport is really easy...even though you have to go in person...just make sure you go somewhere that does the photos and the passport applications as this eliminates a ton of frustration...it only took about 20-30 min when i went (had it done at the post office)...and took right at a month to get it...i tend to stress over things like this i haven't done before, but this was one thing that was a breeze to take care of!!! :) With my passport I have been to Mexico and Jamaica. I highly recommend Jamaica.

Ya I think Jamaica is one of the places we will go first! My brother is going to Medical School in Ausi starting in December so I want it so that I can go visit him (we are really close). But also when I was younger we went to an all inclusive resort and I LOVED it so I want to take my boyfriend to one soon (I am thinking of taking him as a Congrats for him graduating from EMT school next summer!) I do the same as you, I stress over things I have not done yet, that is why I wanted to know how easy it was. Thanks for the advice. I will probably go to the post office and do it since it is one of the closest places that does both the application and the photo!

[ALawicki]

Once you get your passport, too, it's good for ten years. It is best to renew while you still have your passport in effect--cheaper and easier than to start all over fresh!

I heart Madeira :)

Thanks for the advice. My parents I think didn't do this and now it is taking longer to get it back. I will have to remember this!

[czech7985]

You can apply for your passport at the Post Office and at your local County Courthouse. I believe the department to go to, at the Court House, is the Register of Deeds or the Auditor's Office. You can call and make inquiry!

You can get your picture taken at Walgreens. I believe they charge about $8 for it. My daughter had hers taken at the Post Office and they charged $15, so save yourself a few $$ and go to Walgreens, if you have one close to you.

My daughter and I got our passports within a couple weeks of applying for them.
But I'd strongly recommend applying well in advance, if you are taking a trip and will need a passport. I've heard too many "horror stories" about people who ended up having to cancel because their passport did not come in time. If you are "just thinking" or in the planning stages of going on a trip where a passport will be required, go ahead and apply now.

There is an application for a passport on the Internet. Fill it out, print it off and get your picture taken, at Walgreens, and take it to the Post Office.
Other than paying the fees, its quite painless and doesn't take but a few minutes!

[ALawicki]

You can apply for your passport at the Post Office and at your local County Courthouse. I believe the department to go to, at the Court House, is the Register of Deeds or the Auditor's Office. You can call and make inquiry!

You can get your picture taken at Walgreens. I believe they charge about $8 for it. My daughter had hers taken at the Post Office and they charged $15, so save yourself a few $$ and go to Walgreens, if you have one close to you.

My daughter and I got our passports within a couple weeks of applying for them.
But I'd strongly recommend applying well in advance, if you are taking a trip and will need a passport. I've heard too many "horror stories" about people who ended up having to cancel because their passport did not come in time. If you are "just thinking" or in the planning stages of going on a trip where a passport will be required, go ahead and apply now.

There is an application for a passport on the Internet. Fill it out, print it off and get your picture taken, at Walgreens, and take it to the Post Office.
Other than paying the fees, its quite painless and doesn't take but a few minutes!

Thanks for all the info. I will definately go to Walgreens and get my pictures, knowing that it is that much cheaper! Thanks!! Ya I don't have a trip planned yet, but we are looking at some so I figured I should get it now so I can actually pick a place to go and start to book the dates we want!!

[othermo]

You must be careful with pic's from anywhere other than post office. I had ours done at Rite Aide they rejected them due to color and a shadow.
Luckly Rite Aide did over but had to make another trip to P.O. .

[ALawicki]

You must be careful with pic's from anywhere other than post office. I had ours done at Rite Aide they rejected them due to color and a shadow.
Luckly Rite Aide did over but had to make another trip to P.O. .

Oh that's not good. I think my brother did his at Walgreens too, so hopefully if I go to the same one I won't have any problems. Thanks for the heads up though!

[notyard]

Lots of places take passport photos--CVS, quick photo developing shops, JCPenney photo studios, Sears photo studios. Mine came from a quick photo express store, and I had no problem. Mom and Dad's came from Sears, and they had no problem. That was really an inconvenience that the Rite-Aid photos didn't meet requirements the first time around and Othermo had to go back :eek: . There is an entire photo guide with separate webpage sections, with example photos of what's acceptable and what's not on the U.S. Department of State's website.

Here's the main link for the photo guide: http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html


Here's the main webpage link for all of the U.S. Department of State's passport information--they really do spell it out clearly about what you need, where you can apply, provide links to all of the forms, and just everything else you could think of to ask about or need for passports. Since passports are the State Department's sandbox, I'll follow their advice on passports every time! :)

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html