Passport Assistance

Passports are obtained through the Passport Services Division of the Department of State.  Through your local passport acceptance agent, usually at the Post Office, you can apply for a new passport, renew your old one, or do any of a number of things, including replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, or adding new pages to your existing book.  You may download a Form DS-11, Application For a U.S. Passport at www.travel.state.gov.

Traveling Overseas

You've got your passport and you're ready to go on your trip, right?  Not quite.  You still have to check with the country or countries you'll be visiting to determine whether or not you'll need a visa. A visa is permission from a country to cross their borders and comes in the form of a stamp in your U.S. Passport.  You usually have to mail your passport to the Embassy or Consulate of the country you'll be visiting, so allow plenty of time to accomplish this.  

Also, check the State Department website for travel warning and consular information sheets that provide very helpful information about the country you plan on visiting.  The State Department services website also contains very comprehensive information on all the services it provides both stateside and abroad. This includes crisis assistance for U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad, and various travel publications available on-line.

American Embassies and Consulates General

Many U.S. Diplomatic Missions abroad have information on-line. For those that don't, check the State Department's Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts for addresses, and phone and fax numbers for U.S. Embassies and Consulates throughout the world.

Passports in a hurry

Routine passport applications take 4-6 weeks to process. If you wish to receive your passport sooner, you may request expedited service to receive your passport in 2-3 weeks.  If you are leaving the country within 14 business days you may schedule an appointment at the Los Angeles Passport Agency by calling 1-877-487-2778. You will be charged an expediting fee of $60.00 and should receive your passport within 2-3 business days of your appointment. In addition to your completed passport application and supporting documents you will also need to provide proof that you are traveling within 14 business days.