Passports

Passports are issued through the Passport Services Division of the Department of State. Through your local passport acceptance agent, usually the Post Office or county courthouse, 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 passport. Information on how to apply for a passport, including how to expedite processing, is available by clicking here. Travelers can also check the status of their pending passport applications at the above address.  The status of an individual's passport application is normally available online approximately four weeks after the application is submitted.

Passport applications usually take from 4 to 6 weeks to process. For a fee ($60 plus the cost of two-way overnight mail) you can "expedite" your passport application. Applicants requesting expedited service must write "EXPEDITE" on the outside of the envelope containing their application. Expedited service takes 2 to 3 weeks for door to door service.

Those who have applied for a passport buy have not yet received it and are leaving within two weeks can click here to send an email inquiry or call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) to check the status of their application. We ask that  travelers who are not leaving within two weeks opt to send an e-mail rather than call in order to leave the phone lines open for those with immediate travel needs.

Constituents who have not received their passport two weeks prior to when they are leaving can also contact Pam Walker in Rep. Sutton's Akron office at (330) 865-8450.

Many countries require U.S. citizens to obtain a visa before entering the country. For a list of entry requirements for the country you are visiting, see the State Department Web site. Obtaining a visa usually requires you to mail your passport to the Embassy or Consulate of the country you are visiting, so be sure to allow extra time before your travel date.

American Embassies and Consulates General

Travelers are encouraged to take note of the locations of, and contacts for, the U.S. embassies and Consulates in the countries they are traveling to.  For a complete listing of American embassies and consulates abroad and their contact information click here.

Other Useful State Dept. Links for Travelers:

• Current State Department travel warnings.
• Consular information sheets provide useful information for nearly every country of the world.
• Travelers should also review the State Department's emergency assistance services for Americans traveling abroad.