This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.
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As a United States citizen, you will need a valid U.S. passport in order to travel internationally. The Certificate of Naturalization that you received is insufficient personal identification to allow you to re-enter the country. Accordingly, you will want to get a U.S. passport as soon as possible after you are naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
Steps
Preparing to Apply
Understand the types of passports. There are two types of passports: a passport book and a passport card. The book is valid for all international travel. The passport card is valid only for returning to the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean.[1]- Unless you only travel regularly to and from the countries listed on the passport card, you should probably get a passport book.
Get the application. You will receive an application at your naturalization ceremony. It should be in the U.S. Citizenship Welcome Packet.[2]- You may also use the passport wizard at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/apply.html. You will be asked a series of questions and the computer program will tell you how much it will cost and what forms to fill out.
- You can also download the form and accompanying instructions at https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF.
Photocopy your Certificate of Naturalization. As part of your application, you will need to submit your original Certificate of Naturalization (as well as a photocopy of the front and back) to the U.S. State Department. The Certificate will serve as your Proof of U.S. Citizenship and Proof of Identity.[3] As a result, you will be without your proof of citizenship. Be sure to make an additional photocopy and retain it.- Your original Certificate of Naturalization will be returned to you 1-2 weeks after you receive your passport.
Have photographs taken. You will need recent color photographs for the passport (just as you did for your Certificate of Naturalization). They must be recent (at least within the past six months) and 2” x 2” in size. The bottom of your chin to the top of your hair should measure between 1 and 1 3/8 inches.[4]- The photograph must afford a full frontal view of your face and be printed on quality paper with a white or off-white background. Do not wear hats, dark glasses, or head coverings unless you submit a signed statement that the attire is worn for religious reasons (or a doctor submits that the item is worn for medical purposes).[5]
- Do not retouch the photograph in any way.
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Applying for the Passport
Find a passport acceptance facility. As a first-time applicant for a passport, you need to apply in person at a passport acceptance facility. Many post offices, public libraries, clerk of court offices, and other state or local government offices have been designated as acceptance facilities.[6] You can use the State Department’s locator at https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/ to find a facility nearest to you.- The search results will also list the hours in which the facility accepts passport applications.
- You can refine your search to find facilities that take photos on site.
Complete the application. Use black ink and print neatly. You can fill in the application before going to an acceptance facility. Nevertheless, do not sign the application until you appear at the facility and are told to sign by an authorized agent.[7]- If you have questions, you should call 1-877-487-2778 or email [email protected]. Someone will be available to assist you Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 10:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.[8]
- Once you have completed the application, you should make a copy for your records.
Decide if you need expedited processing. Your passport will generally be processed in 4-6 weeks. However, if you need it sooner, then you can pay $60 for expedited processing.- You will receive your expedited passport in 2-3 weeks typically. If you choose expedited processing at selected government agencies, then you can get the passport in five business days.[9]
Pay fees. The total fee will depend on passport type. You can get a passport book or a passport card (or both together). The passport book costs $110, whereas the passport card costs $30. Getting both together costs $140.- There is a separate “execution fee” of $25 charged by the acceptance facility you use. You must pay this fee separately.[10] If you pay by check, you will have to write two checks.
- You may pay using a check, money order, major credit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express, or Discover), bank draft or cashier’s check. You can make your check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State.”[11]
- Most, but not all, facilities accept credit cards. Call ahead to find out.
Receive the passport. Once you receive the passport, you must sign it. You should sign in ink using a felt-tip pen.- You should fill out the emergency information page in pencil. By using pencil, you can change the information at a later date.
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Expert Q&A
Tips
- If for some reason your Certificate of Naturalization is not returned to you, then you should immediately contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to complain.Thanks
References
- ↑ http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/apply.html
- ↑ http://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/naturalization-ceremonies
- ↑ https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
- ↑ https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
- ↑ https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
- ↑ https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/
- ↑ https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
- ↑ https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
- ↑ http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/apply.html
About this article
Once you’ve been naturalized, you’ll still need a U.S. passport to leave and re-enter the country while traveling. Applying for one usually takes between 4-6 weeks and costs 110 dollars. To start, download the U.S. passport application from the government travel website. You’ll also need to get photocopies of your original Certificate of Naturalization as proof of your citizenship. Additionally, you’ll need recent 2 by 2-inch photographs of yourself, which can be taken at a local photo center, like CVS. Once you have your materials, bring them to a passport acceptance facility. To find a facility near you, use the locator on the government travel website. To learn how to get a new passport faster, read on!
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