NAPVS | National Association of Passport and Visa Services

U.S. citizens throughout the country may apply on Saturday, March 10th, 2012, for a passport book or passport card at all 26 U. S. regional passport agencies and participating passport application acceptance facilities, including post offices and clerks of court.

U.S. citizens may apply directly at passport agencies and participating acceptance facilities without making an appointment. Both routine and expedited processing service may be requested.

First time applicants and applicants who lost their passport or whose passport was damaged, issued more than 15 years ago or issued prior to a 16th birthday need to first go to one of the thousands of the acceptance facilities that will be open on Saturday, the 10th.

Go to the State Department web site to search for an acceptance office, often a post office, that will be open on March 10th.

After an acceptance agent reviews and approves applicants documents and payments, travelers who need an expedited passport and not conveniently located to one of the 26 open Passport Services locations can consider using one of NAPVS expeditor member companies listed at this web site at Get a Passport and Visa.

Only NAPVS members abide by a Code of Conduct with strict guidelines on protecting customers Personal Identifiable Information (PII).

Acceptance agents place applicant’s documents and payment in a sealed envelope and given back to the applicant to deliver these documents directly to their expeditor service who in turn will hand deliver the envelope to a Passport office and then pick up the completed passport for their customer.

Effective January 24th, 2012, the State Department will conduct a 90 day trial that allows U.S. citizens with a valid passport book the ability to order online a passport card. The U.S. government made the passport card available for citizens crossing the U.S. border by land into Canada or Mexico. The card is less expensive than the passport book and can be conveniently carried in a person’s wallet.

The U.S. has issued more than 4.5 million passport cards to date.

U.S. citizens when using the services of NAPVS member to renew or obtain a new passport book can also at that same time order a passport card through the member. Separate fees and forms will apply, so check with the passport service before hand.

As of April 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of State requires the full names of the applicant’s parent(s) to be listed on all certified birth certificates to be considered as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship for all passport applicants, regardless of age. Certified birth certificates missing this information are no longer acceptable as evidence of citizenship.

So what if both parents are not known such as a single mom who did not name the father on a birth certificate or an adopted child whose birth parents wish to remain anonymous?

A USA Today Travel Article posted April 6th provides an official answer from a State Department spokeswoman who e-mailed:

“The Department recognizes that some passport applicants will not have two parents registered on their birth certificates due to circumstances such as an unknown father or a single-parent adoption case. In these cases, a passport applicant may submit a certified copy of a birth certificate listing the complete name of the registering parent. Regarding two parents adopting a child, the parents may amend the birth certificate of their child to reflect both of their complete names. Though requirements differ slightly across the country, states generally make it easy to amend a birth certificate to list adoptive parents. In adoption cases, the Department will also accept the certified copy of the child’s original birth certificate as long as it is submitted with the certified copy of the adoption decree indicating the name of the child and his or her adoptive parents.”

A birth certificate is required for a first time passport applicant, for anyone who has lost their passport and anyone under 16 years old. Full application procedures can be found on the U.S. State Department web site.

NAPVS member companies provide the latest information on U.S. passport and foreign visa rules. As a result, vacation travelers and employees of Fortune 1000 companies, federal and state government agencies, and international nonprofit organizations use NAPVS members’ services to obtain their passports and visas as quickly as 24 hours or within a few days.

The National Association of Passport and Visa Services (NAPVS) commends the U.S. Passport Service for opening to the public all 24 regional passport offices and participating passport acceptance facilities on Saturday, April 9th. “Passport Day in the USA” provides any U.S. citizen in need of a passport book or card with the Saturday convenience of walking into any of these 24 offices without an appointment. A list of these office locations and hours can be found at the State Department web site http://travel.state.gov/passportday.

With summer only a few months away, now is a good time for American citizens planning to travel abroad to make sure they have a valid passport by taking advantage of this once a year opportunity to submit a passport application on a Saturday.

Only NAPVS members abide by a Code of Conduct that lays out strict procedures for protecting a customer’s personal identifiable information. The Code requires member companies to conduct annual background checks on all employees. For more on the NAPVS Code go to http://napvs.org/code.