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Passport Information for Travel Agents

Passport Information

Passport requirements - proof of US citizenship

You can prove your US citizenship with one of the following:

  • Original Birth Certificate (if born in the United States);
  • or Old (undamaged) passport;
  • or Original Certificate of Citizenship or FS-240, DS-1350 (if born outside the US;
  • or Original Certificate of Naturalization issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Office.

Note: A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar's signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth.

A Delayed Birth Certificate filed more than one year after your birth may be acceptable if it:
  • Listed the documentation used to create it and
  • Signed by the attending physician or midwife, or, lists an affidavit signed by the parents, or shows early public records. If you changed your legal name by way of marriage or otherwise you will need to provide evidence of the name change: a certified copy of either
    • A marriage certificate, or
    • A name change court decree.
If you do not have a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate, you will need:
  • Letter of "No Record" issued by the State with your name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate on file for you and
  • As many of the following as possible:
    • baptismal certificate
    • hospital birth certificate
    • census record
    • early school record
    • family bible record
    • doctor's record of post-natal care

Note: These documents must be early public records showing the date and place of birth, preferably created within the first five years of your life. You may also submit an Affidavit of Birth, form DS-10, from an older blood relative (i.e. parent, aunt, uncle, sibling) who has personal knowledge of your birth. It must be notarized or have the seal and signature of the acceptance agent.

If you were born abroad and do not have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Birth on file, you will need:
  • If you claim citizenship through birth abroad to one U.S. citizen parent:
    • Issued by the State with your name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate on file for you.
    • Foreign birth certificate;
    • Proof of citizenship of your U.S. citizen parent;
    • An affidavit of your U.S. citizen parent showing all periods and places of residence or physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.
  • If you claim citizenship through birth abroad to both U.S. citizen parents:
    • Your foreign birth certificate;
    • Parent's marriage certificate;
    • Proof of citizenship of your U.S. parents and an affidavit of your U.S. citizen parents showing all periods and places of residence of physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.
Requirements for a proof of US citizenship for adopted children:
  • At least one parent of the child is a U.S. citizen, either by birth or naturalization.
  • The child is under the age of 18.
  • The child must be residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent after having been lawfully admitted into this country as an immigrant for lawful permanent residence.
  • If the child has been adopted, the adoption must be final.

For more information please visit:
U.S. Passports & International Travel
U.S. Passport Requirements

Emergency 24-Hour Passport Requests

Life or Death Emergencies involve serious illness, injury, or death in your immediate family that require you to travel within 24 to 48 hours to a country that requires a passport. Customers must appear in person at a passport agency for emergency service and documentation of the emergency may be requested.

Travelers may call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (TTY/TDD 1-888-874-7793) to schedule an appointment at the nearest Passport Agency.

An automated appointment system is accessible every day, 24 hours a day. If calling from 7:00 a.m. to 12 midnight, ET, Monday-Friday, except federal holidays, callers may also follow instructions to speak to a Customer Service Representative (CSR) for guidance. If calling on a weekend, federal holiday, or during hours the CSRs are not available, and there is no appointment offered that will meet your emergency needs, call 202-647-4000 and explain your situation to the operator.

TSA Guidance

for Passengers on New Security Measures for International Flights to the U.S.
What changes can the traveling public expect? What can passengers traveling on flights to the U.S. from international destinations expect?
On any given day, passengers traveling on flights to the U.S. from international destinations may notice enhanced, random security measures throughout the passenger check-in and boarding process. Aviation security is a shared responsibility and countries around the world are working together to increase the safety of air travel. Passengers traveling on flights to the U.S. from international last point of departure destinations are likely to notice enhanced measures including the increased use of the technology and processes such as explosives trace detection, canine teams, advanced imaging technology, and behavior detection among other measures. For security reasons, the specific details of the directives are not public.
Which countries are affected by the new directives?
The security measures apply to all passengers on international flights flying directly to the U.S. worldwide.
Do passengers need to do anything differently to prepare for checkpoint security procedures? Has anything changed in terms of what passengers can bring in their carry-on or checked bags?
At this time, security checkpoint requirements for passengers departing U.S. airports remain the same. Passengers do not need to do anything differently but they may notice enhanced security measures at international airports.
Should passengers plan to arrive at airports earlier than normal?
Passengers may want to allow additional time to get through security on U.S. bound international flights. These times may vary by airport - check in with your airport or carrier.
How long will the measures remain in place?
These measures are designed to be sustainable. TSA will continuously review these measures to ensure the highest levels of security.
Is the list of 14 countries of concern still in use?
These measures supersede the list of countries of concern put in place as an emergency measure on January 3. The enhanced security measures that are going into effect are tailored to intelligence about potential threats and are focused on all passengers from all countries. They are part of a dynamic, threat based process covering all passengers traveling to the United States while focusing security measures in a more effective and efficient manner to ensure the safety and security of all those traveling by air to the U.S.
How does this change the posture of the current system?
It’s a strengthening of the system. These new, more flexible security protocols are tailored to reflect the most current information available to U.S. authorities and are based on real-time, threat-based intelligence that will now be applied to all passengers traveling to the United States.
What can passengers expect to see at airports?
Passengers traveling to the U.S. from international destinations may notice enhanced security and screening measures throughout the passenger check-in and boarding process which could include explosives trace detection, use of advanced imaging technology, canine teams or pat downs, among other security measures to keep air travel safe.
Are you working with the international community to encourage the use of enhanced screening technology?
The terrorist threat to global aviation is a shared challenge and ensuring aviation security is a shared responsibility. TSA works closely with international partners to share best practices for security checkpoints, air cargo screening, employee security procedures, checked baggage screening, behavior detection and explosive detection technology. A number of nations, including Australia, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom, have followed the U.S. lead to enhance aviation security by accelerating testing and deployment of advanced imaging technologies at their largest airports, and are strengthening behavior detection, explosive detection and information sharing capabilities.
If a passenger does not wish to be screened using advanced imaging technology, do they have options?
This technology is optional to passengers in the U.S. Passengers who opt out of imaging technology screening will go through alternative screening, including same-gender pat downs. Passengers flying to the U.S. from international destinations should check with the country from which they are flying regarding that nation’s policies. For more information on use of advanced imaging technology in the U.S., visit www.tsa.gov.
What if a country does not have the latest technology such as explosives trace detection or advanced imaging technology?
Passengers traveling internationally to the U.S. on last point of departure flights will be screened using other enhanced measures that could include a pat down and bag search among other measures.
Will the majority of passengers still receive enhanced screening?
To more effectively mitigate evolving terrorist threats, the new security directive utilizes multiple, random layers of security, both seen and unseen, and all passengers may be subject to enhanced screening.