How To Get A Passport In Ky

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All states have their special claims to fame. So it is with Kentucky. It's the horse capital of the world, the site of the fabulous Kentucky Derby and the home of Kentucky Fried Chicken. But when it comes to getting a passport, those in the Bluegrass State have to march along to the same federal rules that apply to every state in the union. Initial passports require a personal appearance and a DS-11 form. Renewals are usually by mail with a DS-82 form.

Getting a First Passport

Getting a first passport is an exciting undertaking in your life, marking the very beginning of your foreign travels. It's not as easy as it seems it should be, but it's not so hard you'll lose heart. Start by making an appointment at a passport acceptance facility in your neighborhood. There are 104 of them in the state. Go to the State Department Passport Acceptance Facilities search engine and enter your ZIP code or city to find one. Make an appointment in advance.

Fill out a form DS-11 before you go to your appointment. Gather evidence of your citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate, and identification, which can be a driver's license. Take the originals and a photocopy with you to the passport acceptance facility. You'll also need to get a passport photo taken with the strict State Department rules in mind. It's often easier to get it taken at the acceptance facility.

When you go in, the agent will look over your papers, take your photo (for an extra fee), give you the oath and have you sign the application. You have to pay the fee and then wait four to six weeks for your passport to arrive by mail. For an extra fee, you can get the process expedited. It will get to you in two to three weeks. The passport is valid for 10 years if you are 16 years of age or older, and for five years for children.

Renewing a Passport

Most people can renew a passport without a visit to a passport acceptance facility. Using form DS-82, you can renew by mail. All you need is your prior passport, a passport photo and a check for the fees. If you want to expedite, add the hefty fee to speed up the procedure. Mail it to the address you find on the application form.

Who can't renew by mail? If your old passport was lost, stolen or damaged, you have to use the DS-11 application and procedure. Likewise, if you were under 16 years of age when your prior passport was issued, or if it was issued more than 15 years before, you must use the DS-11 procedure.

Getting an Emergency Passport

If you have an emergency and require a passport rapidly, the State Department will try to work with you. You'll need to make an application at a passport agency, but unfortunately, there are none in Kentucky. Call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 to find the one closest to you.

If your emergency is that you have a ticket to travel overseas within two weeks, or within four weeks if you are traveling to a country which requires that you get a visa, you can usually get a passport in less than two weeks. For a death in the family or something similar, you may even be able to get a passport within 48 hours.

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Writer Bio

Teo Spengler was born in central Alaska and has been traveling ever since. A freelance writer with an MA in English and MFA in Creative writing, she's written travel pieces for S.F.Gate, Fairmont Hotels, IHS Hotels, Jet Blue, Choice Hotels, Women of Green, eHow, Arizona Central and USA Today, among others. She has lived one the East Coast and the West, as well as Mexico, Switzerland, Italy and France. She and currently splits her time between San Francisco and France's Basque Country.