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United States passports are passports issued to citizens and non-citizen nationals of the United States of America.They are issued exclusively by the U.S. Department of State. Besides issuing passports (in booklet form), also limited use passport cards are issued by the same organization subject to the same requirements. A United States passport certifies an individual’s identity and U.S. citizenship. A valid United States passport has many uses. A United States Passport may be used to enter most foreign countries, as it is an internationally recognized travel document that allows the passport holder to travel abroad and to return to the United States. In 2006, the Department of State began to issue biometric passports to diplomats and other officials. Later in 2006, biometric passports were issued to the public. Since August 2007, the department has issued only biometric passports. An issued non-biometric will remain valid until its stated date of expiration, with the final non-biometric passports expiring on August 1, 2017.
In these days of heightened security checks, it is imperative to have the proper documentation to allow you to pass across international borders. A properly issued and valid passport is essential in order to accomplish this. But, things happen. Passports might be used infrequently and expire without being noticed. It might be misplaced or lost in a move. Don't let problems such as this destroy your travel arrangements. Get US passport fast! You can apply for a passport at many post offices around the country. For an additional $15 fee, your passport photo may be taken at some of these offices as well. If you are age 16 or over and eligible to use Form DS-82, you do not need to pay the $25 acceptance fee when renewing your passport; the cost to renew a U.S. Passport Book is $110. If you are eligible to use form DS-82, the cost to apply for a U.S. Passport Card is $30. The general waiting period for getting a US passport, whether it is a new issue or a renewal is 4-6 weeks. Depending on the workload, it is possible that you can receive it faster, but it is unsafe to take your chances in this regard. Instead, plan on it taking the full 6 weeks for delivery, as most people report the average wait time to be between 5 1/2 to 6 weeks.
There exist several types of passports. Regular passport (blue cover) is issued to all citizens and non-citizen nationals. Official passport (maroon cover) is issued to citizen-employees of the United States assigned overseas, either permanently or temporarily, and their eligible dependents, and to members of Congress who travel abroad on official business. Diplomatic passport (black cover) is given to American diplomats accredited overseas and their eligible dependents, and to citizens who reside in the United States and travel abroad for diplomatic work. All the rest of known documents are not really passports, they are called “not full passports”. They are usually issued to aliens who have been classified as refugees or asylees, a permanent resident alien in lieu of a passport, and to citizens overseas in urgent circumstances