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General Travel Questions

Tips for Traveling abroad - https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/go/checklist.html

How important is the presence of a Travel Director on a group travel program?

  • They enhance your appreciation of the countries you are visiting, add a dimension of personality and knowledge that you would not encounter on your own and provide a constant source of information and comfort so that you can fully enjoy your journey without worry or care.
  • A Travel Director can assist when unexpected problems arise, from a misplaced passport, to lost luggage, to a sudden illness.
  • The Travel Director, being a professional, knows the "ropes" and often the language in the country visited. He or she can, therefore, intervene with hotel or airport personnel, find medical assistance and, best of all, solve unforeseen problems before they arise.

State Department Passport Information

A valid U.S.passport is required to enter and leave most foreign countries. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue or verify United States passports.

The Passport Services Office provides information and services to American citizens about how to obtain, replace or change a passport.

New Application for a U.S. Passport

To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of over 9,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.

Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, and 1 Gateway City Agency, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.

For more information on getting a new passport, please visit How to get a passport page.

Renewal of a U.S. Passport

You can renew by mail if: your most recent passport is available to submit and it is not damaged, you received the passport within the past 15 years, you were over age 16 when it was issued, and you still have the same name, or can legally document your name change.