You’ll need a passport to travel on a cruise ship, either by land or air, outside the United States. If you don’t have a passport, you must get one!
There are two types of passports: book-style or card-style. To travel to Mexico or Canada by land, you only need a card-style passport. Similarly, you only need a card-style passport if you’re traveling on a cruise ship by sea. However, if you’re traveling by air: you’ll need a book-style passport!
Obtaining a passport is extremely simple. Just follow our instructions. If you’re a visual individual, here are the instructions. If, on the other hand, you’re auditive person, you can watch our video posted above.
The first thing you need to do is take a recent passport-style photo, that is, a 2×2 inch photo with a white background. Walgreens can provide one for you by requesting a passport-style photo. They know what those photos look like.
Once you have the required photo, you need to choose your scenario:
Scenario 1
You want to obtain a passport for the FIRST TIME as a natural-born U.S. citizen:
1. Download FORM DS-11, print it, and fill it out IN BLACK INK. If you make a mistake, you must start over on another form. Corrections are not allowed.
2. Staple your photograph in the space provided on page 1 of the form.
3. You must present proof of your natural-born citizenship, such as your birth certificate.
4. DO NOT SIGN THE FORM UNTIL YOU SEE AN AGENT, WHO WILL TELL YOU WHEN TO SIGN IT.
Scenario 2
You want to obtain a passport for the FIRST TIME as a naturalized U.S. citizen:
1. Download FORM DS-11, print it, and fill it out IN BLACK INK. If you make a mistake, you must start over on another form. Corrections are not allowed.
2. Staple your photograph in the space indicated on page 1 of the form.
3. You must present proof of your naturalized citizenship, such as the Certificate of Citizenship from when you became a U.S. citizen.
4. DO NOT SIGN THE FORM UNTIL YOU SEE AN AGENT, WHO WILL TELL YOU WHEN TO SIGN IT
Scenario No. 3
You want to obtain a passport for the FIRST TIME as a naturalized U.S. citizen, but you obtained citizenship as a minor through one or both parents:
1. Download FORM DS-11, print it, and fill it out IN BLACK INK. If you make a mistake, you must start over on a new form. Corrections are not allowed.
2. Staple your photograph in the space indicated on page 1 of the form.
3. You must present the Certificate of Citizenship of the parent through whom you acquired U.S. citizenship as a minor.
4. DO NOT SIGN THE FORM UNTIL YOU SEE AN AGENT, WHO WILL TELL YOU WHEN TO SIGN IT.
Scenario 4
You want to renew your expired passport. If your expired passport is in good condition, you can present it as proof. If you are a citizen by birth, you do not need to present your birth certificate, and if you are a citizen by naturalization, you do not need to present your citizenship certificate. An expired passport is sufficient.
1. Download FORM DS-82, print it, and fill it out IN BLACK INK. If you make a mistake, you must start over on another form. Corrections are not allowed.
2. Staple your photograph in the space indicated on page 1 of the form.
Scenario 5
You once had a passport but lost it or can’t find it, and now you want to get a new one.
1. Download FORM DS-11, print it, and fill it out IN BLACK INK. If you make a mistake, you must start over on another form. Corrections are not allowed.
2. Staple your photograph in the space provided on page 1 of the form.
3. If you are a U.S. citizen by birth, you must provide your birth certificate, and if you are a naturalized citizen, you must provide your Citizenship Certificate.
4. If you were a minor when one or both parents obtained U.S. citizenship, you must include the Citizenship Certificate of the parent through whom you acquired U.S. citizenship.
5. If you do not have the Citizenship Certificate of the parent through whom you acquired U.S. citizenship, you must REQUEST FOR FILE SEARCH AND VERIFICATION OF U.S. CITINZENSHIP using this form.
6. DO NOT SIGN THE FORM UNTIL YOU SEE AN AGENT, WHO WILL TELL YOU WHEN TO SIGN IT.
Once you have all the documents ready, properly filled out, and MISTAKES FREE, you must call +1 877.487.2728 to make an appointment. They will ask for your Zip Code and will tell you where and when you will have your appointment.
