Congratulations on planning your vacation with True Vacation Travel. It is our pleasure to assist you with all of your planning needs. For vacations including an international stopover, including all cruises, we strongly recommend a current US Passport, and in some cases, it is a required travel document. Below is the summary of information you need to complete this process. This information is accurate for over 90% of clients, however in some cases your documentation requires may be different:

1. You will need a certified copy of your birth certificate on hand to complete the application.
2. Logon to http://travel.state.gov and select “Apply for a new passport”.
   1. When asked for a type we strongly recommend you purchase a “passport book”
   2. If you will be doing more than just a cruise, we recommend “passport book and card”
   3. Complete the rest of the steps online.
3. You will need a “passport photo”. While you can do these yourself, often they do not come out to the proper standards and will delay your application. We recommend you get an official passport photo such as from a drugstore or camera store. Additionally some passport acceptance locations also have photo services.
4. You will need any “bridging documents” which are documents which legally show how your birth name and driver’s license match, such as a marriage, divorce certificate, or adoption paperwork.
5. In the case of minors, BOTH parents shown on the birth certificate must be physically present when applying, unless there is sole custody, at which appropriate court paperwork is required.
6. Choose where to apply: Check http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/ for other locations near you

 

In 2013-2015, processing times have been around 4-6 weeks. However, in 2016 there is projected to be over 20 million passports renewed or purchased, which might result in significantly longer delays. Therefore, we strongly recommend you apply immediately in the even there is any problem with your paperwork. About 1 in 20 have problems which delay their passport. We need this information at least 1 month prior to your departure. Also remember than some international destinations require that your passport is valid at least 6-months beyond you intended return date.

 

If you are traveling with children, be sure to check-out our special page at:

http://truevacay.info/resources/Children