How Can I Help? – Frequently Asked Questions:
Passports
This page provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions on Passport issues to help you resolve concerns with federal agencies on your own.
However if you still need help after reviewing this information, contact my Camarillo or Solvang office and my staff will open a case and we will act as your liaison with the appropriate federal agency.
• I am a U.S. citizen, do I need a passport to travel outside of the United States?
• What is a passport card?
• Can I use a passport card to fly to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda?
• How can I get a passport card?
• What is a Trusted Traveler Card?
• How can I get a Trusted Traveler Card?
• What is an enhanced driver’s license?
• How do I apply for my first passport?
• How do I renew my passport?
• Can I expedite my application for a new or renewed passport?
• How do I report and replace a lost or stolen passport?
• I am a Legal Permanent Resident. What documents do I need when I return to the United States from abroad?
Question: I am a U.S. citizen, do I need a passport to travel outside of the United States?
Answer: All U.S. citizens, including children, must present a passport or other approved travel document when entering the United States by air. U.S. citizens can present a passport, NEXUS card at airports with NEXUS kiosks, U.S. military ID with travel orders, or a U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when on official business.
Generally, U.S. citizens, including children, must have a passport to return home by land or sea. However, to return home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda, by land or sea, U.S. citizens may present a passport, passport card, a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST, or an enhanced driver’s license.
See the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative for more information on travel documents requirements.
Question: What is a passport card?
Answer: The passport card is the wallet-size travel document that can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border-crossings or sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. The card provides a less expensive, smaller, and more convenient alternative to the passport book for those who travel frequently to these destinations by land or by sea.
Question: Can I use a passport card to fly to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda?
Answer: No. The passport card is designed for the specific needs of the northern and southern border resident communities and is not a globally interoperable travel document as is the traditional passport book. While the passport card has limited use, the passport book will remain the premier internationally accepted travel document.
Question: How can I get a passport card?
Answer: Please go to the U.S. Department of State’s U.S. Passport Card page.
Question: What is a Trusted Traveler Card?
Answer: There are three Trusted Traveler Cards: NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST. These cards, allow expedited travel for pre-approved frequent border crossers through dedicated lanes. While NEXUS is designed for northern border crossing and SENTRI for southern border crossing, any of the cards can be used at all U.S. land and sea ports of entry.
Question: How can I get a Trusted Traveler Card?
Answer: Please go to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Trusted Traveler Program page.
Question: What is an enhanced driver’s license?
Answer: Several U.S. states and Canadian provinces are issuing this driver’s license or identification document that denotes identity and citizenship. It is specifically designed for cross-border travel into the U.S. by land or sea. Currently, only four U.S. states issue enhanced driver’s licenses: Michigan, New York, Vermont, and Washington. At this time, California does not issue enhanced driver’s licenses.
Question: How do I apply for my first passport?
Answer: Through your local passport acceptance agent, usually at the Post Office, you can apply for a new passport, renew your old one, replace a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, or add new pages to your existing book. If you are leaving on a trip, include your departure date on your application. For more information, please go to the U.S. Department of State’s Passports page.
Question: How do I renew my passport?
Answer: You can renew by mail if you meet these conditions:
• your most recent passport is available to submit and it is not damaged;
• you received the passport within the past 15 years;
• you were at least age 16 when it was issued;
• you still have the same name or can legally document your name change.
For more information on forms and fees, please go to the Passport Services Division of the Department of State.
Question: Can I expedite my application for a new or renewed passport?
Answer: For information on how to expedite your application, please go to How to Get Your Passport in a Hurry.
If you have a life or death emergency and need a passport within 24 to 48 hours, please call National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (TTY/TDD 1-888-874-7793) to schedule an appointment at the nearest Passport Agency and go to the Department of State’s Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
Question: How do I report and replace a lost or stolen passport?
Answer: If you are overseas and have need to report and replace a lost or stolen passport, please contact the nearest U.S. embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission.
If you are within the United States and need to report a lost or stolen passport, please call 1-888-877-2778 (TDD 1-888-874-7793). Operators are available between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday (not on Federal holidays). You may also go to the Department of State’s Lost or Stolen Passports page.
Question: I am a Legal Permanent Resident. What documents do I need when I return to the United States from abroad?
Answer: All travelers including children must present a passport or secure travel document when entering the United States by air. When returning to the United States by land or sea, Legal Permanent Residents should present their Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card.
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