Applying for a passport can be a confusing tangle of forms. Completing them correctly and providing the documentation requested can speed up your pass port application. It can also save you several hours of repeat visits, and eliminate frustration.

First of all, consider whether you can renew your passport by mail. If your current passport is less than 15 years old and is undamaged, you may qualify. However, you must be at least 16 years old now and when the original passport was issued. If your current name differs from your passport, you can still renew by mail but you must provide legal proof, such as a marriage license, that documents your new name.

If it is during the busiest time of year, such as the summer, it can take up to 3 months to receive your passport. During off-peak periods, it may only take 4 or 6 weeks. These times can be halved if you wish to pay an extra $60 for expedited service. When mailing in an application, place the U.S. passport forms and your documentation in an envelope that will protect it from the weather. It is also best to use a carrier that allows you to track your mailing and verify proof of delivery.

If you are applying for your first passport, or if your previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago, you must apply in person. This condition also applies if you are under the age of 16 or if you were under 16 when your previous passport was issued. You must also make a personal application if your passport is damaged or was lost or stolen. Those with name changes that cannot be legally documented must also apply in person.

There are several regional passport offices across the country, but they may be hundreds of miles away. Therefore, most people choose to apply at a post office or with their county clerk. Hours of operation vary by office, but the documents you must provide are the same. You must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship, such as an embossed birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship, or a notice of naturalization. An undamaged passport also serves this purpose. If you are a U.S. Citizen who was born in another country, a report from the consul or a birth certificate may be used.

You must also prove your identity. A passport can do double duty and fulfill this requirement as well as proving your citizenship. A state issued ID card or driver’s license will also suffice. However, if your license is from a different state than the one in which you are applying for a passport, you must provide secondary identification. The agency will accept a social security card, a credit card in your name, or an identification card from your employer. Whatever forms of identification you plan to use, take along a photocopy of both sides of the document. Do not make two sided copies.

You must submit two identical photographs of yourself. These must be in color, 2 inches by 2 inches in size, and taken within the last 6 months. They should reflect your current appearance and be frontal views of your full face. The background should be white or off-white. There should be between 1 and 1-3/8 inches from the bottom of your chin to the top of your head. Pictures should be taken in your normal attire and any eyeglasses or wigs that are worn daily should be worn for the photographs. Hats should not be worn, nor any type of hair accessories that conceal the hairline.

For the typical adult traveling abroad, you should now have a good idea of what will be involved in obtaining your passport. Many applications are initially rejected because of a failure to provide the information at the time of application. Taking the necessary passport form with you will help your pasport application be approved with a minimum of effort and frustration. Special situations, such as children traveling abroad, have different requirements and are beyond the scope of this article on general passport information.

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