Passports and Visas Information
Will my old passport be returned to me?
Many people like to have their old passports as a keepsake. Although your current passport does need to be turned in with your application, that passport will be returned to you. The canceled passport will have two small holes punched in the bottom of your identification page to mark it as canceled.
Can I turn in a handwritten application?
When utilizing a passport expediting company, handwritten applications are not accepted. The U. S. Department of State offers an online version. This version prints with a bar code and eliminates many mistakes made when deciphering handwriting. Texas Passport Center will help you with this process.
What happens if there’s a problem with my application?
When you submit an application with Texas Passport Center, we are going to do everything we can to trouble shoot any potential issues before we turn them into the U.S Department of State. When we turn in the application you have the option of allowing us to know about issues or not. If there is an issue after submission and you have given us permission to receive these notifications, then the U.S. Department of State will notified both you and us of the issue and we will help you to remedy the situation.
Does my child have to be present at the passport acceptance agent’s office?
When applying for a passport for a minor, the minor (under age 16) and both parents/guardians must be present at the passport acceptance agent’s office. This is to protect the identity of your child. If both parents/guardians are not able to be present at the office, then one parent/guardian must attend with a notarized document from the other parent or guardian.
Why Do I Need a Visa to Travel?
Visas are necessary if you’d like to travel to a country that does not have a visa policy in place with your home country.
Many countries have visa policies and agreements that allow their citizens to travel freely between them without the need for a visa. For example, Canadians and Americans do not need visas in order to travel to each other’s countries, only valid travel documents. However, Canadians do need visas to travel to Bhutan, for example, since no visa agreement exists between the two nations.
Check on Passport Index to see if you need a visa to travel to your next destination.
When Do I Need a Visa?
When you need a visa depends on where you’d like to go. If your home country has a visa agreement with the country to which you intend to travel, then you likely will not need to apply for a visa beforehand. However, if your home country does not have a visa agreement with your intended destination, then you must apply for a visa before travelling.
See our Passport Index to find out where you can travel visa-free with your passport.
What Is a Visa?
A visa is an official document that allows the bearer to legally enter a foreign country. The visa is usually stamped or glued into the bearer’s passport. There are several different types of visas, each of which afford the bearer different rights in the host country.
Check out How Do I Apply for a Visa? for more information.
What Is a Student Visa?
A student visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa that allows the bearer to enrol at a postsecondary educational institution in the host country. High school foreign exchange students must typically obtain a visa for temporary residence.
What Is a Travel/Tourist Visa?
Travel visas allow the bearer to enter a foreign country for touristic and leisure purposes only and stay for a predetermined amount of time. These visas do not entitle the holder to work or engage in any business activities in the host country.
What Is a Business Visa?
A business visa allows the bearer to enter the host country and engage in business activities without joining that country’s labour market. For example, an individual may require a business visa if they are travelling to a country to do business with another company or if they are attending a business conference. The visitor typically must show that they are not receiving income from the country.
What Is a Working Holiday Visa?
Working holiday visas allow the bearer to undertake temporary employment in a country through which they are travelling. Not every country offers a working holiday program. Australia has the most popular such program.
What Is an eVisa?
An eVisa, or electronic visa, is a digital visa that is stored in a database rather than stamped or glued into the bearer’s passport. The eVisa is linked to the individual’s passport number. Applications for eVisas are typically done over the Internet and the applicant will receive a paper document to present while travelling.