What are the different types of U.S.passports available?
The United States of America has five types of passports. Each type requires a different application process. The fee for the ordinary passport is $25. All other passports are free. You will need to choose one of the travel passport types depending on your reason for traveling and your current status. The information below will help you learn more about each American passport book.
U.S. passport for personal (tourist)
The personal US passport is one of the most well-known passport types. It can also be called an "ordinary passport" (or "regular passport") and is very popular. It is a blue passport book, which is issued to most citizens of the United States.
If you plan to travel, it is the US passport that you should get. It is not appropriate for government purposes.
If issued to someone over 16 years of age, this type of US passport is valid 10 years. It is valid for five years otherwise. In the event that the passport is lost, stolen, or if there are US government debts, the validity of the passport can be reduced.
Diplomatic U.S. passport
This type of passport is only available to diplomat employees and foreign service officers. The passport book cover has a black color. It is valid only for government-funded travel and not for personal travel. A diplomatic US passport has a maximum validity of 5 years.
American passport service
The service passport is one of the many types of US passports. It is issued to contractors who are traveling to the USA to provide support for the government. If their trip is not possible with a regular passport, they get the service pass. The validity period is five years.
Official United States passport
Official American passports are of maroon color. They are issued to government employees and officials who travel abroad for professional purposes. It is also available to military personnel. The official US passport, like all other types of special issuance passports, is not valid for personal travel. It expires after 5 years.
The Special Issuance Agency (SIA) in Washington issues official United States of America passports. The Charleston Passport Center, Honolulu Passport Agency assist in the issuance of military passports.
Regular passports are free of charge
These blue-colored American passports are issued to certain categories of employees of American National Red Cross, Peace Corps volunteers, or the Department of Defense. The passport can be issued without payment and has a validity period of 5 years.
Non-citizens need travel documents
The non-citizen passport documents are among the many types of passports. They include re-entry permits, refugee travel documents and advance parole travel documents.
These documents look like passport books and are issued annually by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. These documents are not official passport or visa types, but they can be used to travel and identify in certain cases. They are only issued to legal non-citizens who reside on the US territory.
Non-citizens travel documents can be used to travel and obtain visas. They are proof of the individual's right to re-enter United States territory.
We hope that you now know the types of passports available, their differences, and which type is best for your case.
Make the right choice and apply for a passport . You can prepare a professional passport photo. This will allow you to save time and money while still looking beautiful in your passport.