This card is valid for land and sea crossings between the US and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean only. Citizens traveling by sea are urged to confirm with their cruise line to determine if any other ID is required for travel. If traveling by air, citizens must apply for a Passport Book.

Yes. The Middlesex County Clerk’s Passport Office has on-site photo processing for a $10 fee.

If the applicant is 16 years of age or older when applying for a U.S. passport, the passport will be valid for 10 years. If the applicant is under the age of 16, the U.S. passport will be valid for 5 years.

No. The birth certificate must be an original, certified document with a raised seal and include both parents’ names. Certified copies of birth certificates are available from local registrars for the municipality in which the individual was born.

No. Your passport application must be paid in check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of State however, you may pay for the execution fee with cash, credit, or check.

Yes. Your old passport and any documents sent to prove citizenship (birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papers) will be returned to you in a separate envelope five to seven days after you receive your new passport.

Yes. Regardless of age, anyone who is applying for a passport must be present.

U.S. passport applicants under the age of 16 are required to have consent from both parents/legal guardians. If both parents/guardians are unable to be present, a consent form (DS-3053) will be needed for the applicant. Please contact the office or the U.S. Department of State for more information.

Yes! You may access the Online Passport Status System to check your application status. You may not be able to get a status update for 2 weeks after you apply or renew. During these weeks, your application and supporting documents are safely on their way to the U.S. State Department. You may also call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.

Parents may enroll their U.S. citizen children under the age of 18 in the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program (CPIAP), one of the most important tools for preventing international parental child abduction.  If a passport application is submitted for a child who is enrolled in CPIAP, the State Department attempts to alert the parent or parents to verify whether the parents approve passport issuance.