There are several people in our building planning to do some international travel in the near future. As we were all discussing the various trips we are planning we began forming a list of questions about what needed to be completed before leaving on those trips. For some of us we needed to apply for our first passport. When applying for your first passport you need to appear in person. You will need to go somewhere that takes passport photos as well to attach to your application. Be sure to allow plenty of turn-around time to receive your passport well before you plan to travel. We discovered you can go to the Recorder’s Office at many of your local County Courthouses to appear in person to apply for your first passport AND they are also able to take your photos. Some Post Offices also do that saving you time from going to more than one place.
Some countries require that your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of your trip. You will want to check the requirements of the countries you are planning to visit and you may need to renew your passport before you leave. You will still need new photos but you can renew by mail and not have to appear in person. Again, make sure to allow for plenty of turn-around time.
Once you have your passport you may want to consider enrolling in a Global Entry program which expedites your entry back into the United States. If you are planning to do quite a bit of international travel it may be worth looking into. You would start by enrolling in the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) through U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
There is also TSA Pre-Check to consider. It allows you to enter a separate security line and you do not have to remove your shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, belts, or light jackets. There is an option to add that to Global Entry.
I wish you all safe travels ahead whether you are traveling internationally or domestically!
