Semester Abroad Programs
Office of International Education
PLANNING TO STUDY ABROAD?
APPLY EARLY FOR YOUR PASSPORT!
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PASSPORT, you should apply
for one soon.
IF YOUR PASSPORT WILL EXPIRE BEFORE THE END OF YOUR PERIOD OF
TRAVEL, you should renew it soon.
IF YOUR PASSPORT WILL EXPIRE LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AFTER YOUR
EXPECTED RETURN DATE, see the Valid Passports
section below.
FOR A LIST OF COMPANIES THAT EXPEDITE PASSPORT APPLICATIONS,
see the Passport &
Visa Services section of our Planning
To Go web page.
THIS WEB PAGE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT:
YOU CAN ALSO GO DIRECTLY TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S PASSPORT
WEB PAGES:
How to apply for your U.S. Passport
NEW PASSPORTS - You must apply in person for a new passport.
You can do so at numerous locations throughout the U.S.; see the
Where to Apply section below.
A good place to begin your passport application process is on the
State Department's Applying
for Your U.S. Passport the Easy Way web page. More detailed
information is on the State Department's How
to apply in person for a U.S. passport web page.
RENEWING A PASSPORT - If you . . .
- Already have a U.S. passport that is not damaged; and
- Received it within the past 15 years; and
- Were over age 16 when it was issued; and
- Still have the same name as in passport (or you can legally
document your name change).
then you may be able to renew your passport by mail or, if you
need it renewed quickly, in person at a Regional Passport Agency.
See the State Department's How
to Apply for a Passport Renewal web page for details.
Notes about passport renewals:
- Residents abroad should renew their passports at nearest U.S.
Embassy or U.S. Consulate.
- Passports renewed by mail in the U.S. can only be forwarded
to U.S. addresses.
- If you mutilate or alter your U.S. passport, you may invalidate
it and risk possible prosecution under the law (Section 1543 of
Title 22 of the U.S. Code).
- If your passport has been mutilated, altered or damaged, you
cannot apply by mail. You must apply in person.
LOST OR STOLEN PASSPORT - If your passport has been lost
or stolen, see Lost or Stolen Passports,
below, or the State Department's
Lost or Stolen Passports web page.
Materials required for application
You must apply in person for a new U.S. Passport. When you
apply you must:
- provide a completed application form
- present proof of U.S. citizenship (a driver's license or student
id is NOT acceptable, see below for information about acceptable
birth certificates)
- present proof of identity (a driver's license MAY be used as
proof of identity)
- provide two passport photos
- pay the applicable fee
- provide a Social Security Number
How
to apply in person for a U.S. Passport - Carefully read
the information on this State Department web site. It provides detailed
information about the materials required for application.
PROOF OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP - Acceptable forms of proof include:
- Previous U.S. Passport (mutilated, altered, or damaged passports
are NOT acceptable as evidence of U.S. citizenship.)
- Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state
(must be an original document—see "BIRTH CERTIFICATES"
section below—photocopies and scanned/printed images are
NOT acceptable)
- Consular
Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
- Naturalization Certificate
- Certificate of Citizenship
BIRTH CERTIFICATES - Hospital birth certificates alone
are generally not accepted. According to the State Department's
web site: "NOTE: A certified birth certificate has 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." Such a document
has been certified by a state or local government, or sometimes
by the federal government, not just the hospital or other place
of birth. According to personnel at the Richmond Main Post Office,
a "Notification of birth registration" form is also not
acceptable. That notification is sometimes sent to parents informing
them that a birth has been registered but is not itself a certified
birth certificate. Make sure you have an original birth certificate
(not a copy) that was certified by a government agency.
NEED TO GET A BIRTH CERTIFICATE? If you cannot locate a
certified birth certificate, see the CDC's Where
to Write for Vital Records web page.
NO PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP? - If you do NOT have a previous
U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate, you may still be
able to apply for a passport. For more details see section 2, "Present
Proof of U.S. Citizenship," in the How
to Apply in Person for a U.S. Passport web page.
HAS YOUR NAME CHANGED?
- You may submit an expired U.S. passport as proof of citizenship,
even if the name on it is different than your current name. For
instance, if you are married and your expired passport was issued
in your maiden name, you may submit your old passport as proof
of citizenship. However, you must also submit original
documentation to account for your name change, for instance, a
marriage certificate. Photocopies are not acceptable.
- If your name has changed and you have a U.S. Passport
that is still valid, you can apply to amend your passport.
See Amending Your U.S. Passport below.
RICHMOND AREA -
After you complete the passport application form and collect all
the required supporting materials, you can apply for a new passport
at the four Richmond area post offices
listed below. Other local post offices do not process or accept
passport applications.
OUTSIDE THE RICHMOND AREA -
ALL LOCATIONS: You can search the State Department's web
site for places
where you can apply for a passport nationwide.
POST OFFICES: Some, but not all, U.S. Post Offices accept
passport applications. If you plan to apply for a passport at a
post office, county clerk's office, or any location other than one
of the Richmond area post offices listed
below, you should first verify that it accepts passport applications
by checking the web page listed in the previous paragraph.
PASSPORT AGENCIES: You can also apply for a passport in
person at one of the State Department's Passport
Agencies. The passport agency closest to Randolph-Macon College
is the Washington
Passport Agency (see "IN A HURRY?"
below).
How long does it take?
| DON'T
GET LEFT BEHIND! |
APPLY
EARLY! |
According to the State Department's web site, you should apply
for your passport "several months in advance of your planned
departure. If you will need visas from foreign embassies, allow
more time.
If you apply for a passport using the routine service, normally
your passport should be sent to you within six weeks. If you need
to obtain a passport quickly, see How
Can You Get Your Passport in a Hurry?
IN A HURRY? - If you need a
passport within 2 weeks, one option is to apply for it at the Washington
Passport Agency:
- WASHINGTON Passport Agency 1111 19th Street, N.W. Washington,
DC 20524
- Telephone: (202) 647-0518
- Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., local time, M-F, excluding Federal
holidays
- Automated Appointment Number: (202) 647-0518
- NOTE: Washington Passport Agency serves customers who are traveling
within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel.
- Directions are available on the Washington Passport Agency's
web
site.
IMPORTANT: The Washington Passport Agency serves residents
of the following regions only:
- Washington, DC
- Maryland
- Virginia, but only these counties:
- Arlington
- Alexandria
- Fairfax
- Loudon
- Stafford
- Prince William
If you plan to apply at a Passport Agency, you are strongly
advised to call the Agency and set up an appointment before going
there.
If you have a "life or death emergency" and need
a passport as soon as possible, the State Department suggests that
you call the
National Passport Information Center.
PRIVATE PASSPORT SERVICES COMPANIES: Some private companies,
such as Travel
Document Systems, provide assistance with passport and visa
applications for a fee. TDS claims "Same-day issue for very
urgent applications is available." For details, consult their
web site.
| DON'T
GET LEFT BEHIND! |
APPLY
EARLY! |
Application forms
The Office of International Education, located on the first floor
of Peele Hall, has:
- Passport application forms
- Application for Passport by Mail (for Passport renewal only,
restrictions apply)
- Passport Amendment application (e.g., change of name)
Passport application forms are also available online:
If you print a passport application form online, take both pages
with you—the application form and the instruction sheet—when
you go to apply for your passport in person.
SIGNATURE - If you apply for your passport in person, you
must sign the application form when you apply for your passport,
not before.
Passport photographs
Where to get passport photos - In the Ashland/Richmond area,
passport photos are available at several locations including (prices
and availability subject to change without notice):
- Richmond Main Post Office (see below) $12.
- CVS Pharmacy, 133 Junction Drive, Ashland (in the same
shopping center as Food Lion and Roses), $7.99 per sheet of 16
photographs, phone 752-2092.
- Costco, about $5 for two photos, located on West Broad
St., membership card required for entry, phone 273-0425.
- Richmond Camera, about $9, located about 1 or 2 miles
west of Virginia Center Commons Mall on Kings Charter Drive, phone
550-3475.
- Ritz Camera, Virginia Center Commons Mall, about $15
for two 2x2 passport photos and some other copies, call for details,
262-4897.
- Wal-Mart, Ashland, $5.00 for two photographs, 798-2511.
Travel with extra photos - The State Department's "Tips
for Students" web site states; "Students are encouraged
to travel with extra photos, in case they need to get a new passport
quickly."
Vending Machine Photos - According to the State Department's
web site, "Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable."
Digitized Photos - For questions about the use of digitized
photographs, see the State Department's Digitized
Photos web site.
Fees
New passports:
| Passport fee |
$ 55 |
| Execution fee |
$ 30 |
| Security surcharge |
$ 12 |
| TOTAL |
$ 97 |
Passport renewals:
| Passport fee |
$ 55 |
| Security surcharge |
$ 12 |
| TOTAL |
$ 67 |
There is a new passport security surcharge of $12. For first
time applicants, this surcharge is added to the regular passport
fees of $55 (age 16 and older) and $40 (under age 16) and the
$30 execution fee, making total cost for routine service $97 for
a ten-year passport for those age 16 and older and $82 for a 5-year
passport for those under age 16.
For applicants renewing their passports, the surcharge will be
added to the regular passport fee of $55 making total cost for
routine service $67. These fees and the surcharge are non-refundable.
The State Department's Passport
Fees web page provides the following information about execution
fees:
"Note: When applying at one of the thousands of designated
application acceptance facilities in the U.S., you pay the passport
fee and the security surcharge to the ''U.S. Department of State''
and the execution fee to the facility where you are applying. Acceptable
forms of payment vary. When applying at a Regional Passport Agency,
both fees and the surcharge are combined into one payment to the
''U.S. Department of State'' and may be paid by check (personal,
certified, travelers''), major credit card (V, MC, AE, Discover),
bank draft or cashier''s check, money order (U.S. Postal, international,
currency exchange), or if abroad, the foreign currency equivalent,
or a check drawn on a U.S. bank."
EXPEDITED SERVICE - There is an additional $60 fee
per application to obtain expedited service for passport applications,
renewals, name change, or additional pages.
This expedited service fee DOES NOT include:
- the $55 passport fee
- overnight delivery fees for submitting your passport application
- overnight delivery fees for returning your passport to you
For fastest service, you are encouraged to make overnight delivery
arrangements for both submitting your application and having it
returned to you, in addition to requesting and paying for expedited
service.
You are encouraged to verify the fees listed above on the Passport
Fees web site.
COMMENTS ABOUT METHODS OF PAYMENT:
CHECK - If paying by check, take two blank checks with you
when apply for your passport or passport renewal: one check for
the passport fee and one for the execution fee.
CASH - If paying by cash, take at least a couple of extra
dollars with you. Instead of accepting cash, the Post Office or
other application facility may require you to purchase a
money order. A money order currently costs about a dollar at a U.S.
Post Office.
Apply at any of these Richmond Area Post Offices:
NOTE: Hours are subject to change without notice. Call before
going to verify times.
Glen Allen Main Post Office, 4990 Sadler Place, Glen Allen,
VA 23060-9998
- Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only, 12:00 noon
- 4:00 p.m.
- Telephone: (804) 270-5573 (local call from Ashland)
- Directions:
- From Randolph-Macon, travel south on Interstate 95 toward
RICHMOND.
- Take the I-295 exit, exit number 84B, toward CHARLOTTESVILLE.
The exit will be on your right.
- Once on the exit ramp, bear left and pass the exits for
Route 1, in order to fully merge onto I-295.
- Continue on I-295 for 6 or 7 miles.
- Take the NUCKOLS ROAD SOUTH exit, exit number 51B, and merge
onto Nuckols Road.
- Turn RIGHT at the first traffic light onto SADLER ROAD.
- Turn LEFT onto SADLER PLACE. The Post Office will be on
your left.
- Photo available on site? - No
Richmond Main Post Office, 1801 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23232
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Saturdays
by appointment only, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Telephone: (804) 775-6304 (local call from Ashland)
- Directions: The main post office is directly across the
street from Virginia Union University in downtown Richmond, about
a 20-30 minute drive from Randolph-Macon.
- From Randolph-Macon, travel south on ROUTE 1 toward Richmond.
- At the intersection of Route 1 and Azalea Road, continue
straight on BROOK ROAD (at this intersection, Rt. 1 turns
to the left, but you should go straight on Brook).
- Continuing south for a few miles on Brook Road you will
see the Virginia Union University (VUU) football stadium on
your right, just before the Post Office on your left.
- Turn left at the traffic light and left again into the Post
Office parking lot.
- Photo available on site? - Yes (however, it usually costs
less to get Passport photos elsewhere, such as CVS or Walgreens
Drug Stores)
Westhampton Station - 805 Glenburnie Road, Richmond, VA 23226
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Saturdays
by appointment only.
- Telephone: (804) 285-1969
- Location: In the Glenside area, two blocks down from
the corner of Libbie Street and Patterson Avenue (Route 6). Richmond
Community High School will be on the left, turn left on Glenburnie
Road. The Post office is one block on the right.
- Photo available on site? - No
Towne Center - 1121 Mall Drive, Richmond, VA 23235
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Saturdays
by appointment only.
- Telephone: (804) 897-5606 (local call from Ashland)
- Location: South of the James River, next to Chesterfield
Town Center and across from J.C. Penney's
- Photo available on site? - No
You can also apply at some other locations in the central Virginia
area, including:
| Chesterfield Circuit Court Clerk's Office |
9500 Courthouse Rd. |
Chesterfield, VA |
(804) 748-1241 |
| Powhatan County Clerk of Circuit Court |
3880 Old Buckingham Road |
Powhatan, VA |
(804) 598-5663 |
| Goochland Circuit Court |
2938 River Road West |
Goochland, VA |
(804) 556-5353 |
| Circuit Court of Essex County |
305 Prince Street |
Tappahannock, VA |
(804) 443-3541 |
| Louisa County Clerk of Circuit Court |
314 West Main St. |
Louisa, VA |
(540) 967-5312 |
| USPS Passport Agent |
29 Franklin Street |
Petersburg, VA |
(804) 732-4631 |
| Amelia Circuit Court |
Courthouse |
Amelia, VA |
(804) 561-2128 |
What to do after you get your passport
When you receive your passport, make sure you:
- sign your passport, as indicated on the inside cover
- pencil in personal data and emergency contact information on
page 7 of new passports (p. 5 in older passports)
- make several photocopies
It is important to make photocopies of your passport. Leave a copy
at home and carry one with you while you are overseas. During your
time abroad, keep your passport photocopy separate from your passport.
Should your passport be lost or stolen while overseas, you can usually
obtain a replacement from the U.S. Embassy easier and quicker if
you can provide Embassy personnel with a photocopy.
Amending Your U.S. Passport
You can use Passport
Amendment/Validation Application (form DS-19; pdf file format,
requires Adobe Reader) to amend a previously issued U.S. passport
by mail at anytime or in person at a Regional Passport Agency if
you are traveling internationally, or need your passport for foreign
visas, with 14 days.
Form DS-19 should be used:
- Whenever there is a change in the printed information (e.g.,
name-change) after your passport was printed
- To extend the validity of certain previously limited passports
- To add visa pages
Follow the instructions on page 2 of the form carefully. Print
and complete page 1 and print and read page 2 carefully. When amending
by mail, submit pages 1 and 2 to:
Charleston Passport Center
ATTN: Amendments
1269 Holland Street
Charleston, SC 29405
For more information see the State Department's Print
passport application page.
Lost or Stolen Passports
REPLACE A PASSPORT - For information about replacing a lost
or stolen passport (not an expired passport), see the State Department's
Lost
or Stolen Passports web page.
REPORT A LOST OR STOLEN PASSPORT - To report a lost or
stolen passport, see the State Department's Lost
or Stolen Passports web page.
FORMS - Forms are available online from the State Department's
Print
Passport Application Forms web page.
Valid Passports and Passport Expiration Dates
According to the U.S. State Department's Foreign
Entry Requirements web page,
Some countries require that your U.S. passport be valid
at least six months or longer beyond the dates of your trip. If
your passport expires before the required validity, you will have
to apply for a new one. Please check with the embassy or nearest
consulate of the country that you plan to visit for their requirements.
Therefore, if you have a passport that will expire less than six
months after you expect to complete your period of overseas travel,
check now with the embassies of the countries to which you will
travel, to determine if your passport will be accepted. Each country
has its own policies with regard to passport expiration dates. You
should determine if your passport will be accepted in the countries
to which you will travel, well in advance of your departure from
the U.S.
The U.S. State Department maintains a list of Foreign
Embassies in the U.S.
Visas
Participants in our semester abroad programs in France, Korea,
and Spain are also required to obtain a visa after receiving their
passports and before they depart the United States. More information
is on these web pages:
Participants in our J-Term Travel/Study courses in Australia ,China,
and Brazil are also required to obtain a visa. For more inofrmation
on visa requirements for each country, visit the U.S. State Department's
Foreign
Entry Requirements web page.
How to get more information
- Complete passport information is available on the U.S. Department
of State's Passports
web page.
- To check on the status of a passport application you have already
submitted, scroll to the bottom of the National
Passport Information Center web page, click the link there,
and follow the instructions on subsequent web pages.
- Passport information can also be obtained by calling the National
Passport Information Center at 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778).
- Customer Service Representatives are available Monday-Friday,
8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
- E-mail may be accessed at npic@state.gov.
- If you have a travel emergency, call the National Passport
Information Center, do not use e-mail.
- More information is on the National
Passport Information Center web page.
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