Travel 101: Getting a Passport
I've never been out of the country. But, I've always wanted to get my passport to travel the world or at least have, in case an opportunity presented itself. It was one of those things I kept putting on my to-do list, but just hadn't gotten around to. You know how it goes.
Then, my friend and I started planning a trip for this summer, in which I will definitely need a passport. It was obviously the push I needed to just go get it taken care of. And luckily, one of my coworkers/friends had just gotten hers a few weeks before, so she was able to walk me through what I needed to do.
I made my appointment and waited for the day to arrive.
Here's what you should know when applying for your U.S. Passport:
1. Get your photo taken before you go to your appointment.
There are a few places that take the standardized passport photos outside of the post office. I got mine taken at the photo department in Walgreen's. They print out the photo right there and send you on your merry way.
If you have it taken at the post office, it just makes the process that much longer in a tiny crowded room of people. You don't want that. Make sure you aren't wearing any jewelry, tuck your hair behind your shoulders and if you're going to smile, don't use teeth. But, they will remind you of all of that when you get there.
2. Make an appointment through your United States Postal Service office online.
Thankfully, you can schedule your appointments online - pick a date, a time and you're good to go. They will also send a reminder through text, should you forget or need to cancel for any reason. It's handy. Walk-ins are not accepted at my post office, so it's good to make sure before just showing up. Read the information posted on the websites specific to your area.
3. Show up 15 minutes early to your appointment.
I made sure to be there at 4:15, since my appointment was at 4:30. However, I was surprised to find that they were just calling the 3:30 appointment when I arrived. I knew it was going to be a long wait, but better to be safe than sorry.
4. Bring something to do while you wait.
I didn't realize that I was going to be there for close to two hours and only had my phone to keep me company. I scrolled through social media and tried to write some. But, just in case you do have a long waiting time, be sure to bring a book or something else to pass the time. Because it doesn't go by quickly.
5. Appointments only last around 15-20 minutes.
The appointments themselves don't last too long. It's just the waiting that takes forever to get there. If you have everything ready to go, including photo, birth certificate and copy of your ID, it's smooth sailing. There's no questioning - they just look at your documents to make sure everything is there and accurate, then you're good to go.
6. Depending on when you submit your documents and schedule your appointment, it won't take that long to get it.
I've heard the busiest times to get your passport are Christmas and Spring Break. I did mine in February, so it was away from any major holiday. They say it takes 4-6 weeks to get the I don't think it even took four full weeks
Don't wait until the last minute to make sure that you have your passport. Apply to get it before you have travel plans. Or at least plan accordingly, so you know you have plenty of time to get it before booking.
For further details about getting your passport, visit the official US Government website: https://www.usa.gov/passport.
Happy booking and safe travels to you!
That's all for now,
Shelby