Getting Passports and Visas

Getting or renewing a U.S. passport to travel the world is as simple as visiting a nearby post office. There are dozens in Southern California designated to handle passport applications for the State Department. These post offices also have passport information and applications. To find one that’s convenient, ask at your neighborhood post office.

No regulations or fees have changed in the past year, but an important change is coming in the next six months or so: To obtain a passport for a child 13 or younger, both parents will have to sign the application, in person. If one parent can’t be present, he or she will have to provide an affidavit granting permission. The details are still being worked out, said Tom Reid, regional director of the Los Angeles passport agency. The change is required in legislation passed by Congress to deter international child abductions.

Mexico and Canada already require (though it’s not always enforced) that children under 16 who are entering those countries alone or with only one parent or guardian have notarized permission from the absent parent.

The passport agency in the Federal Building in West Los Angeles no longer handles routine applications, only emergency requests by appointment. (These are for travel within 14 days and require proof of urgency such as airline tickets.) For information, telephone (310) 575-5700.

General passport information is available 24 hours a day from the National Passport Information Center, tel. (900) 225-5674. A fee of 35 cents a minute will be charged to the caller’s phone. It takes about seven minutes to hear all of the general information. On weekdays from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., a service representative can be accessed at any point in the message by dialing 0 (zero).

If you are using a phone that can’t be billed, the same information is available at (888) 362-8668. This costs $4.95, billed to your credit card.

Forms and information also can be accessed from the State Department’s Internet site: https://travel.state.gov (click on Passport Information).

Some basics:

To obtain a passport for the first time, or to renew a lost or expired passport, the application must be made in person at a designated post office. You will need to show proof of citizenship and photo ID such as a driver’s license, and submit two new 2-by-2-inch photos.

A valid, unexpired passport can be renewed by mail. Obtain forms at a post office or the Web site.

The cost is $60 for a new adult passport (age 16 and older), $40 for renewal, $40 for a child’s.

VISAS

Most countries that are popular travel destinations for Americans do not require entry visas.

Travel agents and tour operators will have information about visa requirements for trips they are booking. They also may obtain the necessary visas, for a fee.

Travelers can get visas from embassies or consulates, or from local companies that specialize in this service. (See the telephone directory Yellow Pages under “Passport Services.”) Passport & Visa Services in Westwood, for instance, charges $50 for the typical visa, plus shipping costs and the consular fee, if any. These fees are in the $30 to $50 range.

The State Department maintains a list of country visa requirements on its Web site at https://www.travel.state.gov/foreignentryrequirements.html.