There are various reasons for getting your U.S. passport. One is because you need a new one. Another reason is you need an old one replaced. A new passport requires steps to be done and copies of required documents while the additional steps mentioned are not required when all you need is a replacement. This guide is a short reading for those who are intending to get a copy of this important document.

The first step in getting this document or additional American passport pages, no matter what your reason, requires that you apply for one. There is a form that you have to download from the Internet. Downloading this form does not require any registration or any form of membership. Most of all, this document is freely available. Fill up all applicable fields to the best of your knowledge.

There are only two kinds of application forms for passports. One is for getting new copies while the other is to request for replacement. A good reason for replacing passports is when the expiry date on the document is nearing nine months. Those who want to replace lost passports or damaged ones will be asked to apply for a new one. However, replacing lost passports needs a third form to be completed. In this form, the circumstances behind the loss are explained.

All applicants who need a new set of papers, including those who have lost or damaged their copy, will need a certified copy of their birth certificate before they can make a personal appearance at the nearest acceptance center. New rules regarding the validity of birth certificates required that the names of both parents be present. Other important information that cannot be absent in the certificate is the applicant’s full name and the date and place of birth. Certified copies will have the seal of the office where this copy came from. Make sure this seal is present or it won’t be accepted.

If you have all the forms and required documents in hand, make a personal appearance at the acceptance center if you are considered a new applicant. If you are replacing an old passport, get an envelope that fits all the documents, including the old passport,without folding them. Mail this envelope to the National Passport Processing Center.

All passports mailed for replacement will be returned to their owners. This old copy, although marked cancelled, is still important. It serves as proof of identity and U. S. Citizenship.

All applications regarding your passport can be processed faster if you are willing to pay for an expedited application. This makes waiting for a new document shorter and it can arrive in less than three weeks. Normal applications make you wait for four to six weeks. You can also pay for the express door-to-door delivery of the papers. You do, however, have to pay for this extra service.

This short guide will end with advice that the best time for getting your American passport is when there are no travel plans. When you apply before the document is needed, you will not be waiting impatiently. Because anyone is free to apply for a passport at anytime, no time is better than right now, even when applying for additional US passport pages.