| A passport is required to enter and leave most | | | | leaving the USA should carry identification. They have |
| foreign countries. It is an internationally recognized | | | | been required since the passage of the act of June |
| travel document that verifies the identity and | | | | 21, 1941. Applications by women in their own names |
| nationality of the bearer. Passports are issued in your | | | | became more frequent in the latter part of the |
| birth or citizenship name unless you have formally | | | | nineteenth century, and by 1923 women constituted |
| registered another name with the registrar of births, | | | | over 40 percent of passport application. |
| deaths and marriages. All passport applicants, except | | | | You should report the theft of a passport to the |
| those that are under 18 years of age and unmarried, | | | | local police so you can get a police report. You will |
| must personally attend a passport interview. To apply | | | | need to complete an LS01 form in order for your |
| for a passport, you have to obtain an application | | | | passport to be cancelled. Passports reported lost |
| form from the passport office or the designated | | | | cannot be used even if recovered subsequently. If |
| speed post centers or any of the chosen outlets in | | | | you have a query regarding passport services which |
| your city. | | | | is not answered in the following sections you should |
| Passports were recommended, but not required, by | | | | contact the Passport Office or you can go to the |
| President Woodrow Wilson's executive order 2285 of | | | | nearest Embassy or Consulate. Do not wait until the |
| December 15, 1915, which stated that all persons | | | | last minute to apply for your passport. |