Corey Metcalfs incredibly useful digest of passport info: Hello everyone, I thought I would send this informational message to give you some information regarding passports so we do not take time out of class. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. My email is [email protected] General Passport Information: As Dr. Smith mentioned today, sometimes the processing time of getting a passport can be delayed to to high volumes of applications, mail speed, or many other reasons. The US Passport agency recommends allowing up to 12 weeks from the time you submit your application to the time it arrives in the mail. One of my agent colleagues in Houston has a sibling that works in the Houston Passport Agency (which is where all Texas applications go) and the average processing time right now is 6 weeks. That can change, but thats what it is at this moment. It usually does not take that long, but it can happen. Here are some helpful tips and what you need: Filling out the Application: This can be handwritten or filled in online, whichever you are more comfortable with. However, DO NOT sign it after completing it. It must be signed in person in front of the issuing agency (courthouse, post office, etc.) Required Documentation: There are two forms of ID required at the time of application. One is a government issued ID (driver’s license, older passport, etc) and the other is something the proves your citizenship. The best thing to use is a birth certificate. It MUST be issued by you birth state’s Department of Vital Statistics. If you need help or information on how to obtain a BC, let me know. Passport Photo: There are specific requirements for passport photos. Solid background, 2” x 2”, and more. The easiest thing to do is to go to Staples or Office Depot, go to the Print and Copy desk and tell them you would like to have a passport photo taken. It is around $10 in price and they give you a sheet of them. That is the easiest thing to do. Date of Travel: There is a section of the application that ask when you are traveling abroad. This sounds strange, but lie. The reason I say this is passports applications are processed by the date of travel. For example, if we are leaving May 18th, I would list something several weeks earlier such as April 1st. They don’t check into it, so do not worry about that. As a side note, the TTU Office of International Affairs has a Passport Office that is open Monday thru Thursday from 1:00PM-6:00PM. They can do photos, have applications on hand, and help make the process really simple. I would personally recommend this route. Here are some other locations where you can take care of this: Other locations in Lubbock: Monterrey Station Post Office 5014 Gary Avenue Lubbock Phone: (806) 795-5415 Hours: 8:30-12:30 and 1:30-4:30 M-F Downtown Post Office 411 Ave L. Lubbock: Phone: (806) 763-7122 Hours: 9:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00 M-F Lubbock County District Clerk 904 Broadway Suite105 Lubbock Phone: (806) 775-1378 Hours: 8:00-5:00 M-F For those of you that have a passport: The Passport Agency recommends traveling with a passport that has at least 6 months of validity. Please check the expiration date, sometimes depending on the customs agent or the security officer, they will not accept a passport that has less than 6 months of validity left. I know people that have gotten away with it, but I also know people that were not permitted to board flights. Save the headache and go ahead and renew it if this applies to you, you will have to renew it eventually anyways! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or text. (432)934-4663 Corey T. Metcalf
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 17:54:40 +0000
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