Sunday, 17 July 2011

Arrange Your Passport Renewal Competently

By Ben Pate


Although it is a fairly simple exercise in form filling, online passport renewal can turn into a source of panic for some otherwise perfectly intelligent individuals. Passports, remember, are valuable documents and the rules are not for fun. Pay close attention and the process will be incredibly quick and easy.

The first thing to get right at the top left of your form is your picture. This has to be the right size and within the lines, especially when working on United States passports online. Although the machines in most government buildings issue the correct size pictures, it is best to be absolutely sure. Also remember that you can only choose between the two curtains in the booths rather than your own backgrounds.

Handwriting of course must also be printed clearly in capitals. Your writing does not have to be completely perfect but it must be legible without any errors as a misspelled passport is worthless. Although it may be a hassle for you, just imagine the person who spends all day going through these forms and typing them into a computer. Don't make it even worse for that poor soul.

The names and details of contacts is also something that trips up a surprising amount of applicants. Remember that the numbers must be up to date, as the agency will always contact them. Again, remember that passports are very important documents with serious implications should they fall into the wrong hands so these forms are very important, also. It is not some bureaucratic game; it is crucial to national security that these documents are issued carefully.

Usually, people will renew their passports by post or by visiting a government building such as a post office with all the correct forms and fees. It is more common to see people going into the building to do this since it does not involve posting personal identification documents. As well as safety, it also reduces the chance of a problem with the form as someone can check it for you there.

Usually, assuming there are no problems, the processing of an application should take around a month although this varies depending on the time of year. In emergencies, the process can be sped up for an extra fee or a shorter-term passport can sometimes be issued. The form will naturally take longer should there be any mistakes or problems.

Because they are very important personal documents and can be put to all kinds of uses in the wrong hands, the process can take a long time if a problem occurs. For the vast majority of people, there are no problems and the process goes down without a hitch. Do remember that it is not something to be taken lightly, you should never lose or damage your identification.




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