Passport FAQs

Passports & U.S. Citizenship

In a life or death emergency. What should I do?

During business hours telephone the U.S. Consulate on +64 9 303 2724 ext. 2900. After hours, and on U.S. or NZ public holidays, phone the Duty Officer on +64 4 462 6000 and leave a message. The Duty Officer will return your call immediately.

If I have Dual Nationality which passport should I use to enter the US?

Section 215 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1185) requires U.S. citizens to use U.S. passports when entering or leaving the United States unless one of the exceptions listed in Section 53.2 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations applies. Dual nationals may be required by the other country of which they are citizens to enter and leave that country using its passport, but do not endanger their U.S. citizenship by complying with such a requirement.

For more information on Dual Nationality please visit travel.state.gov.

Can you please tell me about the new U.S. electronic passport?

The U.S. e-passport will also have a new look, incorporating additional anti-fraud and security features

My passport has been lost/stolen.  What should I do?

Where do I get a passport application?

You may download forms from the Department of State travel web site. Passport forms list

Forms are also available from the U.S. Consulate, Private Bag 92022, Auckland, Attention: ACS Section, or by email to Auckland ACS

Which application form do I use?

If you can submit an undamaged, 10-year validity passport that was issued no more than 15 years ago use Form DS-82.  All other applicants must use Form DS-11  For additional details, please see Passports.

How long does it take for a passport to be processed?

It generally takes 7 days to process a passport application.

If I renew my passport, do I get the old one back?

Yes, we return the old, cancelled passport to you. It is a good idea to keep it in a safe place as it is considered proof of your U.S. citizenship. 

How soon should I renew my passport before it expires?

You may renew your passport any time before or after it expires. Because your passport is required to be valid for at least six (6) months beyond your stay when you travel to certain foreign countries, you may need to renew your passport before it expires. If your passport was issued 15 years or more prior to your application for a new passport, additional forms, supporting documents and fees may be required.

I have a N.Z. Residency Permit or NZ visa in my passport. How do I get this transferred to my new passport?

You will need to contact the New Zealand Immigration Service to transfer your visa and/or permit of residence into your new passport.

I was recently married/divorced. How do I change my name on my passport?

If the change is within one year after your passport was issued, submit a U.S. Passport Re-Application Form (DS 5504), together with the passport that needs the change, the documentation required, and new passport pictures. There will be no charge for routine processing.

If the change is more than one year after passport issuance, submit an Application for Passport By Mail (DS 82), together with the passport that needs the change, the documentation required, and new pictures.

Submit either of the forms above along with the following: Original documentation of your name change (e.g., marriage certificate, divorce decree with your new name); and your current, valid passport. Further Passport information is available.

How can I get extra visa pages added to my passport?

Complete an Application for Additional Visa Pages (DS-4085). There is a fee to add Visa Pages.

If my child is too young to sign his/her own passport, what happens?

In the space provided for the signature, the mother or father must print the name of the child and sign their own name. Then, in parenthesis by the name of the child, write the word (mother) or (father) so we know who signed for the child. The child can sign his/her own passport when he/ she is old enough to write a legible signature.

How do I get information about my child's passport, or, prevent passport issuance to my child?

a:Parents involved in international custody disputes may receive information about the United States passport of a minor from the Department of State, Passport Services. View FAQs section here.

How do I find out about the status of my passport?

How do I get a certified copy of my birth certificate?

Contact the Vital Records Office in the state where you were born.

Who should maintain a valid U.S. passport?

It is recommended that the following U.S. citizens maintain valid U.S. passports:

• Those with family living or traveling abroad
• Those thinking about a vacation abroad
• Those with a job that could require international travel

What if there is an error in the passport I just received?

Passport Services apologizes for the error in your passport. You will need to have a new passport issued.

If this is due to a printing error by Passport Services, no charge will be made.

http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/correcting/correcting_2654.html

My child is 15 or under and needs a first passport. How do I get it?

See Passports.

Is it true that passport applications for minors under 16 require the consent of both parents or legal guardians?

Public Law 106-113, Section 236 requires that U.S. passport applications for children under the age of 16 require both parents' or legal guardians' consent.

If only one parent/guardian can appear and sign the child's passport application, what do I do?

If one parent appears and signs he/she must submit the second parent's notarized Statement of Consent Form DS-3053, authorizing passport issuance for the child or submit a notarized, written statement of consent from the non-appearing parent together with parental identification for the non-appearing parent.

What is the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program (CPIAP)?

Separate from the Two-Parent Consent requirement for U.S. passport issuance for minors under the age of 16, parents may also request that their children's names be entered in the U.S. passport name-check system.

The Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program provides notification to parents of passport applications made on behalf of minor children, and denial of passport issuance if appropriate court orders are on file with CPIAP.

For more information, please contact the Office of Children's Issues by fphone at +1 202 736 7000, or by fax at +1 202 312 9743.

I was born outside the United States. How do I get a birth certificate proving my U.S. citizenship?

If one or both of your parents was a U.S. citizen when you were born abroad, your parent(s) should have registered your birth at a U.S. embassy or consulate, and, received a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Form FS-240. This form is acceptable legal proof of birth and U.S. citizenship.

What do I do if there is no birth record on file for me?

If you were born in the U.S. and there is no birth record on file, you will need several different documents to substantiate your citizenship. You will need:

• A letter from the Vital Statistics office of the state of your birth with your name and the years that were searched for your birth record with no record found.
• You will need early public records to prove your birth in the U.S.

If you were born outside the U.S. and your U.S. parent(s) did not register your birth at the U.S. embassy or consulate, call the American Citizen Services (ACS) office on +64 9 303 2724 ext. 2842/2848 or 2856, or email American Citizen Services. 

What should I do if my baby is born abroad?

As U.S. citizen parent(s), you should report your child's birth abroad as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate to establish an official record of the child's claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The official record will be the Form FS-240. An original of this document will be given to you at the time registration is approved.

A Consular Report of Birth can only be prepared at the U.S. Consulate. It cannot be prepared if the child has been taken back into the United States, or, if the person is 18 years of age or older at the time the application is made.

My mother and I were born in New Zealand and my maternal grandfather is a U.S. citizen. Can I obtain U.S. citizenship through him?

No, only U.S. citizen parent(s) may transmit citizenship to children, not grandparent(s). You should first check whether your mother has derivative claim to U.S. citizenship through her father, then your possible claim to citizenship through your mother. Contact American Citizen Services  to discuss the matter.

What is the U.S. policy on dual nationality?

Consult the U.S. policy on dual nationality.

If you still have U.S. passport or citizenship questions, please contact the American Citizens Service  section at the Consulate General.

Applying for a U.S. Passport from Outside the United States

Applying for a U.S. passport while outside the United States is a different process from applying for a U.S. passport while inside the United States. Although the application forms, supporting documentation, costs and finished products are the same everywhere, each U.S. Embassy and Consulate has different procedures for submitting and processing your final documents. Listed below is information you should know when applying for a U.S. passport while outside the United States.

FAQs on completing and submitting U.S. passport forms from outside the United States:

Q:  Can I call the toll-free number for passport information (National Passport Information Center) from outside the United States?

A:  No, that number is meant to answer questions for passport customers applying in the United States.  If you have questions while you are outside the U.S., your local Embassy or Consulate is the best source of information.  Check their website for their best contact information, and contact them via phone or email.

Q: Can I apply for a passport card while outside the United States?

A:  You can apply for a passport card while outside of the United States at the same time you apply for a book, or separately, but the passport card is only valid for travel by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean region.  The passport card cannot be used for air travel. 

Q: Where can I find an Acceptance Agent or Acceptance Facility outside the United States?

A: If you are outside of the U.S., your Acceptance Facility is your local Embassy or Consulate, (the agent will be listed as "a U.S. consulate official" on the form) unless you are active duty military.  If you are active duty military, check with your chain of command to find a military Acceptance Agent.

Q:  Are all the "evidence of citizenship" and "evidence of identity" sections applicable to me?

A:  Yes, these requirements are the same no matter where you apply.  You still need to provide acceptable evidence of U.S. citizenship and identity.

Q:  Can I pay with a personal check or money order outside the United States?

A:  Outside of the U.S. the acceptable methods of payment are different.  Embassies and Consulates are not set up to process personal checks.  NOTE: U.S. Consulate Auckland only accepts payment in New Zealand currency, unless you appear in person and pay by credit card, in which case the fee is charged in U.S. dollars.

Q:  Can I pay extra for Expedited Service or overnight delivery outside of the U.S.?

A:  No.  Outside of the U.S., the passport is actually printed in the U.S. and sent abroad to your Embassy or Consulate, and we are unable to change the production process.  However, Embassies and Consulates can always issue a limited validity emergency passport if you have urgent travel needs.