More or less carelessness is the number one reason for a passport application being rejected or delayed or for a passport being lost, stolen, or damaged. What steps are necessary to prevent these things from happening? How can you take care of your passport? Well, here are some practical tips you can follow to acquire your passport, keep it in your possession, and preserve it in good condition.

• Check to see if you even need a passport – countries can, and often do, change foreign entry requirements. If you arrive at the airport without the required documents, you’ll be denied boarding privileges. And, of course, this isn’t covered by travel insurance. Currently, more than 80% of the world’s countries require a valid passport for entrance. It’s important to verify the foreign entry requirements for the country you plan to visit as early as possible.
• Apply for your passport early – you should apply for a new passport at least 90 days before your departure date. For a renewal, begin the process 8 to 11 months before your passport expires. Why so early? Many countries require that your passport have six to eight months of validity remaining before they will issue a visa.
• Fill out the correct form correctly – Each type of passport service has specific criteria that must be met. Make sure you get the right application form, and then fill it in carefully. Double-check each entry. Ask a friend or relative to verify it as well. Errors made on the application form can lead to delays, or even rejection of your passport request.
• Follow the specifications for the required documents exactly – When applying for a new passport, the most frequently used documents are a certified birth certificate for proof of citizenship along with a valid driver’s license for proof of your identity.

Your birth certificate must be a certified copy with a registrar’s raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal, registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office, which must be within 1 year of your birth. No photocopies are accepted. Your driver’s license must be more than six months old.

For a passport renewal, your previous passport serves as both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. To be valid, it cannot be mutilated, altered, or damaged in any way. You must send two identical passport photos taken within the last 6 months. These passport photos must be 2″x2″ with a plain white or off-white background. They have to be a full-face view with the head being from 1 to 1 3/8 inches from the chin to the top of the head. The photos can be either color or black and white.