How to Get a Passport

Apply in person, at any one of the following locations. The average time to get a passport is six to eight weeks , with the wait frequently much longer in the summer months.

There are a few things you will need to bring:

Passport forms - available from passport agencies, post offices, clerks of court, travel agencies and here
Proof of US Citizenship (either a certified copy of your birth certificate or a previous passport)
A set of identical, recent photographs (2x2 inches/must show full face, front view)
Proof of Identity (a valid driver's license, military ID, government ID, corporate ID, Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship.)
Your Social Security Card (a Social Security number is not required to get a passport)
Money! - If you are over 16 years old, it is $97 for a 10 year passport. If you are under 15 it is $82. (For an adult passport that is $45 plus the $15 notary fee.) You will need a check or money order made payable to Passport Services (post offices and passport agencies accept cash in the exact amount of the fee). If you passport is needed within two weeks or less, bring proof as to why you need it expedited, and an extra $35 to cover the fee!

Have an Emergency? Leaving in five days?

You will need to have all of the above items, as well as your plane tickets or itinerary from an airline and proof of the emergency. Bring it all to one of the following locations and have the application sent to the New Orleans passport agency through an overnight mail service (USPS, Fedex or UPS). An additional $35 fee will be charged and you must include a self-addressed, pre-paid overnight mail envelope for the return of your passport.

Have a Passport? Need a new one?

You may apply for a passport by mail if you already have a passport. There are a few restrictions: the passport must have been issued to you within the past 12 years, and when you were over age 18. It must not be mutilated, altered or destroyed. Obtain form DSP-82 "Application for Passport by Mail" from the post office and attach it to your most recent passport, along with two identical passport photographs, and a check or money order for $60 (remember to make it payable to "Passport Services" ). If applicable, also include the self- addressed stamped envelope and the $35 fee for expediting your passport.