How do I go about applying for a passport?

Question

I am planning to go to Asia in August, and I have never been out of the country.

Answer 1

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

New Application for a U.S. Passport
To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of 7,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.

Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, and 1 Gateway City Agency, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.

Age 16 and older: The passport application fee is $55. The security surcharge is $12. The execution fee is $30. The total is $97.

For Passport Application Fee:

Personal checks, money orders, and bank drafts at all locations
Exact cash at some locations (verify with the Acceptance Facility)
For Execution Fee:

Money orders and bank drafts at all locations
Personal checks and exact cash at some locations (verify with the Acceptance Facility)
Credit cards at U.S. Postal Facilities and some other locations (verify with the Acceptance Facility)

Expedited Service (receive with in 14 days)- Add $60 for each application

At a Passport Acceptance Facility* or By Mail (for renewal, additional pages, and amendment): Routine Service 6 weeks

Expedited Service*
*Plus Overnight delivery service for: Sending your application and Returning your passport to you
2 Weeks


In short....you can go to your local post office, but that is all of the iinformation. You will need your original birth certificate with raised seal as your form of US citizenship.

Answer 2

Passports are issued by the US Department of State. But you can get the application at your local post office. If not, just go online to the passport office web site below. You will need two small photos to go with your application and you can usually get those at a AAA office, some travel agencies do them and other places advertize passport photos.

You can take your application to the post office or mail it to the passport office. If you need the passport in a hurry, you can request expedited service and pay extra for the express mailings. The normal processing time for expedited service is at least two weeks; OTHERWISE IT CAN TAKE A MONTH OR MORE.

You may not need a passport if you are going cruising, or traveling outside the US and complete it before the end of this year. But it will save you a lot of hassle and MOST IMPORTANTLY, a passport is required of all US citizens to reenter the USA starting January 1, 2007. So just get the passport for now and you will be set for 10 years. The web site below will answer all of your questions about passports.

Answer 3

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_832.html