All the citizens, including children, newborns and infants, must present a Passport or other approved Travel Document for travel to outside country by air, land or sea. In the past, a drivers’ license was capable enough to get you across a border, but not anymore. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 was passed in 2004. Along with it came the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.  The goal of that initiative is to facilitate entry for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors, while strengthening U.S. border security. To achieve the goal, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires all travelers to have a passport or other accepted travel document to enter or depart the United States. Standard travel documents allow the Department of Homeland Security to quickly and reliably determine a traveler’s identity and citizenship.

Required Documents

1.   Proof of citizenship. This can be a previous passport or a certified (with a raised seal stamped into the paper) copy of your Birth Certificate.
2.   Two identical two-inch square photos, color or black and white, with a white background, and a facial image size between one and one and 3/8 inches.
3.   Proof of identification, with a photo and signature, such as a driver’s license or student ID.
4.   Fee of $60 for sixteen years old and over, $40 for fewer than sixteen.
5.   A completed but unsigned form DSP-11. The appropriate authority must witness your signature when you present it. This form is available from post offices, or by calling Passport Services.

When Your Passport Expires
Be watchful of the expiration date of your passport. USA passports must be valid for at least six months after entry into a foreign country. While some countries are more relaxed about this regulation, all countries can and do implement the six month policy if the immigration official wants to. So if you are planning to travel, get your documents ready to go.

For Fast USA Passports

If you need to get documents issued fast, there are a number of expediting services out there that offer very fast turnaround times for obtaining Passports. Some agencies recommend same-day service for certain geographic areas! But, be prepared to pay for the convenience of having your crisis solved for you.

The expediting agency’s fee varies on how fast you need your document, such as, same-day service would be more or less $250, 2-4 day service just about $180, and so on down to around $65 for 11+ day processing. Then incorporate the overnight shipping fee and an additional government fee of $135 for jumping the queue.

For the USA passports of minor

For the USA passports of minor, documentation that will be accepted for proof of relationship that includes a US birth certificate that shows the parents’ names, a certified foreign birth certificate if you were not born in the US, adoption decree, or any kind of court order establishing custody or guardianship. Parents or legal guardians will also be required to bring proof of their identification, which must be picture ID. If you don’t have picture ID, take signature documents with a USA citizen who has known you for at least two years who can vouch for you and the child.

For more details please visit:

http://www.expresspassport.com/