IF YOU HAVE NEVER HAD A PASSPORT:

You will have to apply in person at one of the more than 8,000 passport acceptance facilities in the United States. You can apply for a passport at the Finance Director’s office in the Hamilton County Courthouse in Jasper, between 8:30 a.m and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. No appointment is needed. Call the passport acceptance agent, Marsanne Petty, at 792-0868 for more information.

You will need your original birth certificate with raised seal, two passport photos (2”x2”), photo ID (driver’s license or state issued ID), Social Security card and completed passport application. You must sign the application in front of the passport acceptance agent.

If you are applying for a passport for a child age 14 or under, the child and both parents must be present. If a parent is unavailable, contact the passport acceptance agent for information about the proper documentation needed to complete the application.



IF YOUR PASSPORT IS EXPIRED, DAMAGED, LOST OR STOLEN:

You also have to apply in person if your expired passport is not in your possession, if your previous passport has expired or was issued more than 15 years ago, if your previous passport was issued when you were under age 16, or if your currently valid passport has been lost or stolen.

You can renew by mail if your most recent passport is available to be submitted and is not damaged, if you received the passport within the past 15 years, you were over age 16 when it was issued, and you still have the same name or can legally document your name change.

If your passport has been altered or damaged, you cannot apply by mail. You must apply in person.

To renew your passport by mail, complete an application for passport by mail. Attach your most recent passport, two identical passport photos and a $67 fee payable to the US Department of State to National Passport Processing, PO Box 13290, Philadelphia, PA 19101-3290.

If your name has changed since your passport was issued, enclose a certified copy of the legal document specifying your name change (marriage certificate, divorce decree, adoption decree, court order). No photocopies will be accepted.



BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION:

You should check your application against the checklist on the US Department of State Passport website, http://travel.state.gov/passport. Thirteen percent of applications are delayed by simple errors such as not signing the application, forgetting to include a check for the application fee, writing a check for the wrong amount, or submitting a photograph that does not meet Department specifications. Applications that use the secure online form will be processed more quickly.



CHECKING THE

STATUS OF YOUR

APPLICATION:

Under current privacy laws, the passport acceptance agent cannot contact Passport Services regarding your passport.

You can call the National Passport Information Center (1-877-487-2778) for customer inquiries and information. It is open Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. until midnight (Eastern Time) and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You will need your full name, date of birth, Social Security number and the date you applied for your passport to check on the status of your application.

Travelers can also check the status of their passport applications online at http://travel.state.gov/passport. Currently it is taking seven to ten days for applications to be tracked online; less if you paid Expedited Service and sent your application via overnight delivery. You will need your last name, date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number to check on the status of your application.

Those who have applied and are leaving within two weeks can visit the website to send an email inquiry to check the status or call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.



IF YOU NEED A VISA:

You must have a passport before you can apply for a Visa to any country.

Visit http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html to determine if you need a Visa for the country you are visiting.

The passport acceptance office in Hamilton County does not issue Visa. You will have to obtain a Visa from the appropriate embassy or the nearest consulate of the country you are planning to visit. Some of the embassies are located outside the state of Florida and you may have to travel to the embassy to obtain your Visa. You should allow time for travel to the embassy and for the processing of the Visa, which may take up to two weeks.