F.A.Q. s (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What does Passport Rush
do?
2. Why do I
need a passport?
3. Why do I
need a visa?
4. I have a
US passport – why do I need a visa?
5. What can
I do if an emergency situation requires me to travel to a foreign
country and I need a passport or visa?
6. How
quickly can I get a passport?
7. How long
will by passport be valid?
8. What do I
do if my passport has not expired but I have run out of blank visa pages
in my passport?
9. Why is a
full blank visa page necessary in my passport?
10. If my
passport is lost or stolen while I am traveling, what do I do?
11. Does a
minor need a passport?
12. Will it
be a problem if the name on my passport does not match the name on my
ticket?
13. Why do
I need a visa for some countries and not others and how would I find out
if a specific country requires one?
14. What is
the difference between a business visa and a tourist visa?
15. Do I
have to send Passport Rush my actual passport if a visa is required?
16. What
differentiates a single entry from a multiple-entry visa?
17. Can the
picture in my passport be used for the visa application?
18. Can I
fax my passport or visa application to you for processing?
19. Can you
describe the fees charged?
20. Why
should I get my passport through Passport Rush?
21. What
are the government's turnaround times?
22. Can I
call a Passport Office directly?
1.
What does Passport Rush do?
q
Passport Rush offers
assistance with getting all manner of travel documentation. Passport
Rush assists corporate travel departments, individuals, and travel
agents, allowing them to meet travel deadlines. Without our assistance,
it can take 6-10 weeks or more to process a passport, whereas we can
expedite a passport or visa in as little as in 24 hours from when we
receive your materials.
2.
Why do I need a passport?
q
You need a passport as
proof of citizenship and as a travel document issued by the government
of a your native or adopted country.
3.
Why do I need a visa?
q
Some nations require a
visa, usually stamped into the traveler’s passport, as permission for a
traveler to enter into that country for a specific purpose. The most
common purposes for needing a visa include conducting business,
attending a conference, trade show or symposium, tourism, establishing
temporary or permanent residency or going to. Each sovereign nation has
very distinct guidelines and procedures that a traveler must follow when
applying for the appropriate visa category.
4. I
have a US passport – why do I need a visa?
q
A US passport does not
automatically permit entry into every country without a visa. Because of
negotiated reciprocal visa waivers and long-standing diplomatic
relations, many countries allow US passport holders to enter without a
visa, however many countries that do not.
5.
What can I do if an emergency situation requires me to travel to a
foreign country and I need a passport or visa?
q
All government offices and
all consulates and embassies are closed on weekends and in the evenings.
If you lost your US passport and need a new one, or if you need an
emergency travel visa, follow our passport instructions, gather ALL the
required documents and deliver them in person or FedEx all the documents
to our nearest Passport Rush office (Contact Us) the next business day.
6.
How quickly can I get a passport?
q
Passport Rush always
expedites a passport within a very quick stated time, usually within two
days. US Passport Agencies will rush the process for an additional fee.
Please note: if departure is in less than 10 days, or if departure is in
two or three weeks and foreign visas are required, you must substantiate
the requirement with plane tickets, travel itinerary or proof of
confirmed reservations.
7.
How long will by passport be valid?
q
Most US passports issued
to adults (over 18 years at the time of issuance) are valid for 10 years
unless restricted to a specific period of validity. For individuals
under the age of 18, passports are valid for only 5 years. Nationality
determines the validity of non-US passports.
8.
What do I do if my passport has not expired but I have run out of blank
visa pages in my passport?
q
Call Passport Rush to
obtain a list of the required documents and forms. If you are a US
citizen, submit your passport to Passport Rush for the addition of extra
pages, which will be affixed by the US State Department in your current
passport.
9.
Why is a full blank visa page necessary in my passport?
q
Countries require that
visa stamps be placed on pages specifically marked for them that do not
contain any other stamps. US passports have Amendment pages at the back
that are specifically designated by the US State Department for changes
and endorsements to a passport after initial issuance, however, most
countries generally do not recognize the usability of these pages for
visas.
10.
If my passport is lost or stolen while I am traveling, what do I do?
q
Passport Rush offers a
Protection Plan. We provide you with specific instructions as well as
important numbers so you can speak directly with someone who can help
you. U.S. Embassies and Consulates are a phone call away, and with the
Plan you are assured free transmission of all the forms and applications
you need. This necessity for any international traveler lasts for the
lifetime of your passport so it is always there when you need it most.
11.
Does a minor need a passport?
q
The US Government requires
a separate passport for each traveler. Other nations have their own
rules. You can find that information by calling or writing to the
embassy or consulate of the country in question.
12.
Will it be a problem if the name on my passport does not match the name
on my ticket?
q
If your travel documents
and travel tickets have different names you may be denied boarding. One
of the major reasons is security.
13.
Why do I need a visa for some countries and not others and how would I
find out if a specific country requires one?
q
Contact any Passport Rush office or check our Visas link at
http://www.PassportRush.com/Visas.com for specific
information about the country in question. Most visa requirements are
based on diplomatic or historical relations and/or treaties of trade and
commerce between nations. For example, citizens of former colonies or
dependent territories are frequently exempted from visa requirements.
14.
What is the difference between a business visa and a tourist visa?
q
TRAVEL FOR BUSINESS:
A
business visa generally permits a traveler to engage in normal
business-related activities in the destination country. Each country
defines what activities are allowed under their business visa category.
For the specifics for the country you will be visiting, call Passport
Rush or visit our Web site. Business activities might include the
following examples: attending a business seminar or meetings and
discussions, participating in a conference or symposium, providing
non-technical sales support, gathering market information or conducting
short-term research, visiting customers, negotiating and signing
contracts, or meeting with government officials.
TRAVEL FOR TOURISM:
US
citizens traveling as a tourist for short periods of time often do not
require a visa to some countries. It may be sufficient in these cases
for the traveler to present a valid US passport upon arrival in a
non-visa destination as well as a round-trip ticket. Tourist visas are
issued specifically for the purpose of travel for pleasure. Many
countries that do not require a tourist visa for US citizens do require
the completion of an arrival/departure card or tourist card upon arrival
in that country. These arrival/departure cards are available through
airlines and must be presented to the admitting customs officer. For
tourism, a limited period of stay is usually authorized upon arrival.
15.
Do I have to send Passport Rush my actual passport if a visa is
required?
q
Yes, a passport needs to
be submitted because the visa must be stamped on one of the blank visa
pages. However, if traveling to Vietnam, Vietnamese visas are currently
issued on a loose piece of paper and sometimes only a photocopy of the
identification pages of your passport, along with other supporting
documents, are required. We will advise you on this issue at the time of
your application for a visa.
16.
What differentiates a single entry from a multiple-entry visa?
q
This depends on the
reciprocal treaties governing visa issuance for each nationality. A visa
may allow the traveler to enter at various times or it may permit only
one entry before its expiration. Restrictions of time (expiration date
of the visa), the nationality of the traveler, or restrictions placed on
the total number of days permitted in country during any year govern the
number of times that a multiple-entry visa may be used. A single-entry
visa may only be used for one entry for the specific purpose for which
it was granted.
17.
Can the picture in my passport be used for the visa application?
q
No. The photograph in a
passport cannot be used for visa applications. If they are required to
obtain a visa, photographs must be attached to the visa application
forms and submitted to the issuing country. Most countries will accept
passport-type photos taken within the past 3 months in either black and
white or color. Digital photos are not usually accepted.
18.
Can I fax my passport or visa application to you for processing?
q
Most countries require the
submission of not only the actual passport, but also original
photographs and completed application forms with the applicant's
original signature, as well as the required supporting documents. These
requirements are imposed by sovereign nations in consideration of
granting a visa to a particular individual for a specific purpose and
requirements vary by country. The signature of the applicant
acknowledges that all the information appearing on the application is
true and correct. It is also a formal petition to a sovereign nation for
the right to enter that country. Therefore faxed documents are not
usually accepted.
19.
Can you describe the fees charged?
q
There are three types of
fees that may apply, depending on your needs: a. Consulate or embassy
fees – to fulfill visa and passport issuance requirements or document
authentication /legalization charges. b. State Department fees c. Passport Rush service fee – separate
from the fees charged by the State Department or consular offices, they
are for facilitating the issuance of visas, passports, or other
documents and services to successfully fulfill each order.
20.
Why should I get my passport through Passport Rush?
q
The government's internal
expediting service can take from 4 to 6 weeks or more to get you a
passport and this amount of time is NOT guaranteed. It can take can take
as long as 8-10 weeks to process your passport. We can expedite the
process and get you your travel documents within days, if not quicker.
21.
What are the government's turnaround times?
q
The Department of State,
which issues US passports, declares on their web site that regular
passport applications are processed and sent out in 25 days and that
expedited orders are turned around in less than a week. This,
unfortunately, is misinformation. The Department of State's website
designers may have been using outdated information when building their
passport Information website. The facts are that each year the US
Passport Agency issues around 3 million to 6.5 million passports. It is
not possible to guarantee personalized attention to applications under
those circumstances.
22.
Can I call a Passport Office directly?
q
You now must call a 900
number to contact the government about a passport application and can
end up spending more on calls to this number than it would cost to use
Passport Rush. While the government cannot guarantee when you'll receive
your passport, we guarantee that you will get your passport in time for
your trip. This number connects you with the National Passport
Information Center this is not where passports are processed the phone
rep you speak with can only review the information that has been entered
into the Passport Agency's computer system but cannot in effect help
you.
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