Applying for a First Time Pass Port can be very daunting, especially if you’re getting a passport for the first time. There are many requirements that you need to bring about, and sometimes you just might have to do a little legwork when processing your passport. We can help make things a lot easier for you. Let’s show you some of the basic things you need to know about applying for passports.

First of all, you need to be familiar with the different forms used when applying for passports. There are forms used when you’re applying for the first time, others are used when renewing it, and there are those that one fills in when they’ve lost their passport. But for the purposes of this article, let’s just focus on what you need for now.

Since you’re a first time passport applicant, you’ll need to fill in the DS-11 form. This is the form used by people who never had passports before. The good thing is that you can already download this form at the US Department of State’s website. You have the choice of filling the form in on your computer then printing it out, or you could also print out the form first then fill it in later by hand. What’s important here is the convenience it gives you. You no longer need to go to the passport office to get this form.

You will need to submit this form along with the other documents that may be required of you once you have completed this. When processing your passport, you have two options of going about this procedure. The first one is the routine passport processing, which you can choose if you’re not in a hurry to get your passport. Currently, the processing time for routine passports is four to six weeks.

However, if you don’t have time to spare, then you’ll have to have your passport application expedited. Expedited passports are given priority over routine ones, which dramatically cut the processing times for expedited ones. So if you already need to travel in less than four weeks, have your application expedited.

In the case of an expedited New U.S. Passport, they are usually processed within two to three weeks and is thus the choice of travelers who need to have their passports quickly.  If you need to travel within that period, getting an expedited passport is an obvious choice.

Since expedited passports are a form of value-added service, it’s already a given that this service will also come with an extra price. Don’t worry though, as the extra price isn’t that steep. In fact, the price already pays for itself in terms of processing speed and convenience that it gives you.

To sum up, you have two options when it comes to applying for a First Time USA Passport. The first one is to take it through the routine processing. It’s best if you’re not in a hurry to get your passport. On the other hand, there’s the expedited passport. It’s quicker than the routine processing, and is the better option if you need to have a passport in less than four weeks.