Most college students will study abroad for 1 or 2 semesters/quarters during their sophomore or junior years.  Students are required to have a passport to study abroad; parents must have passports in case they need to make an emergency trip to a foreign country because their son or daughter is injured or becomes ill.  It is very important for each parent to have their own passport.

To get a head start on the process, this summer is a good time for both you and your parents to apply for U.S. passports. Passports are good for 10 years from the date of issue.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A U.S. PASSPORT

To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of over 9,000 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.

Passport application facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 26 regional passport agencies, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.

To find the nearest facility issuing passports, go to the Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page and type in your zip code.

To view the guidelines and requirements for getting a new passport, please visit “First Time Applicants.”

Passport processing times for routine service is typically 4 weeks.   Expedited service time is 3 weeks (includes overnight delivery service for sending your application and returning your passport to you).

Passport costs for ages 16 years and older are $100 (passport application fee is $75 plus an execution fee of $25).  For expedited service, costs include those outlined above plus an additional $60 per application (plus overnight delivery costs).