3 REASONS to apply for your PASSPORT (before you submit your LDS mission papers!)

Preparing for your mission can be a little stressful, to say the least. If you're waiting to submit your mission papers or already waiting for your mission call, here are 3 big reasons why you should consider applying for your US Passport NOW! 

(Then, keep reading for information on how to apply, how to get a passport photo, how much it all costs, and FAQ about passports!)

#1- Applying for a passport is something that you can check off your to-do list NOW

When it comes to making preparations for your mission, there are only so many things you can do while you're waiting for your call to arrive... So maybe you won't know whether to buy wool sweaters or sandals until you actually receive your mission call, but one thing you CAN do is get your passport. The process of applying for a passport is a hassle and it isn't exactly CHEAP, but you will *probably* need a passport. I don't know what percentage of LDS Missionaries serve outside of the US, but most of the membership of the church is outside of the US now, so it's a HIGH percentage. Think about the last 10 people you know who got their mission calls and where they were called to (for me that would be Latvia, Nicaragua, California Spanish-speaking (but reporting to the Mexico MTC), South Korea, Florida, Dominican Republic, New Mexico, Brazil, Czech Republic, and Ohio... so a few "stateside," but mostly outside of the US).

True, not everyone will need a passport for air travel at this point, but it's not going to hurt you to have one even if you are only going one state over and don't technically need it for travel within the US... But keep in mind that a US Passport is also a valid form of ID (for things like domestic air travel) and there has been some issue with the State-issued ID cards and Drivers licenses from some states not being "R.E.A.L." compliant (meaning, not complying to the federal laws for identification to be used for domestic air travel). You can read more about this on the travel.state.gov website (in the "Can I use a passport to fly domestically?" Section). Basically they are saying that a passport is valid ID for flying within the US, while specific state ID cards might not "work" for air travel within the US. Yikes. Just another reason to get a passport - it doesn't hurt to have MORE identification.

When you receive your mission call, you will receive information on what exactly you will need (passport, visa, etc). You will not be able to apply for a visa (if you even need one) until after you have your mission call, but you can apply for a US passport at any time. If you don't know the difference between a passport and a visa yet, don't worry! The missionary travel department will make sure that you know what to do. For basic info about visas, see the FAQ section at the end of this blog post.

#2- If you get your passport now, you will avoid paying EXTRA to have your passport expedited if you have a sooner than expected report-date
You could put off getting a passport until you find out if you are required to have one, but you might be rushed for time and maybe even have to pay more for expediting your passport if you need it right away. You will have specified your availability date in your mission application "papers," but you might kinda think that you will have several extra months after that until you actually report to the MTC. In reality, it might be sooner than you expect and you could report to the MTC on your availability date. There is no way to know how much time you will have until you get your call letter with your MTC report date. How much extra does expediting a passport cost? Don't worry, I cover that in the "What Does It Cost?" section below!

#3- Your passport will be valid for 10 years, so it won't hurt anything to get it early
If you are 16 or over when you get your passport, it is valid for 10 years. So if you apply when you are 17 or 18, you will still have many years left to use it for travel (vacations, work-related travel, etc) after your mission is over and you don't have to worry about it expiring very soon. PS- there are rules about how much time can be left on your passport when you leave for your mission...ie, if your current passport will expire during your mission or even soon after you get back, you will need to renew before you leave the US. If you already have your passport, but are not sure if you will need to renew before your mission, see the FAQ from the LDS Missionary Travel site at the bottom of this post).

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A PASSPORT?
According to usa.gov, you can apply for a passport at post offices, libraries, and county courthouses that are official "passport acceptance facilities". I don't know if every library, post office, etc offer these services, so you will want to check ahead. A friend just told me that her daughter's high school in Alaska offers passport services now, so find out what is available to you locally and do what works for you. Personally, I recommend going to your county courthouse because that was easy for us.

I made the mistake of trying to go through the local post office, which was a complete disaster. The website said that appointments were not necessary at the local office and listed specific walk-in hours for passports. Being suspicious that the story might be different when I got there, I tried to call ahead. I called twice (during business hours) and nobody ever answered the phone. So we waited in line (all kids in tow) on my daughter's only morning off, only to be told that we did indeed need an appointment and they didn't have any openings until the next week.

Meanwhile, a relative suggested that we try going to the county courthouse instead. I had no idea that this was an option. So we went down to the courthouse, where there was no line and we were treated courteously and since we had all of the required documents in order, the whole passport application process took less than 5 minutes, but the regular (non-expedited) time frame for actually receiving your passport will be as little as 4-6 weeks or as much as 6-8 weeks. Apparently the processing time varies by season (I'd imagine that it takes longer especially when people are preparing for summer vacation travel). We applied in February and were told that the wait time for us should be 4-6 weeks, but we still have a lot longer than that before my daughter can submit her papers, so I don't have to worry. I cannot imagine how much more stressful this process would have been if we were in a greater time-crunch and worried about whether it would arrive in time.

This infographic from the usa.gov website shows some of the basics of what you will need. Make sure that you have the SPECIFIC type of items they are asking for (like they are very picky that the birth certificate has to be a certified copy with a seal and has to have been issued within a certain time frame. If you don't have all of the documents that they require, get them ASAP! (complete info on the usa.gov website https://www.usa.gov/passport)

PASSPORT PHOTOS:

You will need a certain type of photo for your passport. It needs to have been taken within 6 months of the passport application. They are very specific about the photo size, background, and what the photo looks like- what you are wearing (rules about glasses, makeup, hats, jewelry, etc), how big your face is in the photo, your face can't be covered at all, the expression on your face, you have to be facing directly forward, etc). There are a lot of rules and they are all listed on travel.state.gov ("Photo Requirements" section of the FAQ). Basically you are supposed to look recognizable and natural. You can wear makeup, but you shouldn't wear so much that you wouldn't be recognizable if you weren't wearing it or if you were wearing less. Styles and trends change, so its best to look "classic". Same with hairstyle and clothing.

You can take & print your own passport photos, but they recommend (and I recommend!) going to a place that does passport photos, because they know the rules and can help you avoid a problem. Some "passport acceptance facilities" We had our daughter's passport photo done at a drugstore chain that offers photo printing. We got 2 identical photos (in the exact size and with the appropriate background) and it was about $4.00 I think. Even if your chosen passport acceptance facility offers photo-taking services on-site, I feel like it is easier to get photos done ahead (on a different day) so you don't have to add worrying about hairstyle/clothes on the day you are doing the application. PS- According to the Missionary Travel Department, you do not need to be wearing missionary clothing in your passport photo, but you should be wearing something sort of classic and neutral (like if you wear a t-shirt, wear a plain solid-colored t-shirt instead of a wild multi-colored concert t-shirt). If you are getting your passport specifically for your mission, you may want to wear something more missionary appropriate. My daughter wore a missionary-appropriate sweater and jeans (the passport photo only shows the shoulders up). If you already have your passport and are worried about whether the old photo will be appropriate, see the FAQ at the bottom of this blog post! 

WHAT DOES IT COST TO GET A PASSPORT?

The cost for a regular US passport is currently $110.00 for the actual passport, PLUS $25.00 for the fees (these have to be paid separately and they will only take a personal check or a money order for the exact amount of the passport cost - the fees can be paid for with a separate check, or by another payment method that they accept). Since my daughter doesn't have a checking account and we didn't want to bother with a money order, I went with my daughter to apply. But since she is 18 she could have done it by herself if she had purchased a money order. PS - The cost for the fees will go up to $35.00 in April, 2018.

Keep in mind that you will pay extra (a LOT extra - current price is an additional $60, PLUS delivery fees - who knows how much that is!) if you need your passport faster than the normal (4-8 weeks) processing and that you may also need additional documentation for expediting (i.e., proof that you have a reason for the expediting, such as proof of tickets requiring you to travel within a certain qualifying time frame).

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT PASSPORTS? 

HERE ARE SOME FAQ (AND ANSWERS) FROM THE 

LDS MISSIONARY TRAVEL WEBSITE:

"What is the difference between a passport and visa?"

'A passport is an official document issued by a government, certifying the holder’s identity and citizenship. A visa authorizes a person to be in the country that he or she is traveling to. A visa is usually a stamp or sticker placed in the passport'

"What if missionary already has a passport but are not wearing missionary attire in the photo?"

'Missionaries in this situation need not be concerned. The passport is still acceptable' 

WHAT IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A CURRENT PASSPORT? "Missionaries need to make sure the expiration date is beyond 6 months from the release date of their mission. If their passport will expire while they are on their mission, they should apply for a new passport as soon as possible."

YOU CAN FIND THE COMPLETE LDS MISSIONARY TRAVEL WEBSITE (PART OF LDS.ORG) HERE