Obtaining a U.S. Passport
In order for U.S. citizen to travel abroad for a medical tourism procedure, it is necessary to obtain a valid U.S. passport. This is because the passport is an internationally recognized travel document which verifies the identity and nationality of its bearer. A valid U.S. passport is required by U.S. citizens to enter and exit nearly all foreign countries. The Passport Services Office provides information and services to U.S. citizens about how to obtain, replace or modify a passport.
New Application for a U.S. Passport
To obtain a passport for the first time, the applicant must appear in person to one of 7,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States. They must have two passport-sized photographs of themselves, proof of U.S. citizenship (usually a birth certificate), and a valid form of photo identification (such as a driver’s license). Passport photos are available, for instance, at any CVS or WalGreen pharmacies, though there are many other locations providing passport photo service.
Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices (sometimes only by appointment or during scheduled hours), some public libraries, and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel (though it is not necessary to acquire a Turkish Visa through this process as they are readily available for $30 once arriving at one of the two Istanbul airports). Appointments are required in such cases and can be made online at the web address below. It is possible in some instances to receive a passport the same day as the appointment (extra fees apply for any expediting of the process).
Application for a passport must be made in person if applying for the first time. If not in possession of an expired U.S. passport, or if the previous passport has expired or was issued more than 15 years go, or was last issued when the applicant was under the age of 16, or if the passport was lost or stolen – application, again, must be made in person.
The Next Step
For more information on getting a new passport, please click the following link: