FAQ
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If you are thinking about doing it yourself and gambling whether you'll get your passport in time, ask yourself: "How important is this trip?" "If you do not get your passport on time, you are not going anywhere?" If you need your passport right away, do not delay; go to our Instructions to get started.
General Questions:
What does East Site, Inc. do?
Are documents submitted to East Site, Inc. secure?
What should I do if my baby is born abroad?
What do I do if I was born abroad and there is no birth record on file?
How do I claim US Citizenship if my parents were naturalized?
I'm renewing my passport. Do I get the old one back?
My child is too young to sign his/her own passport. How do I sign my child's passport
My passport was lost or stolen. How do I report it?
My name has changed. Do I have to change the name on my passport?
Photo Questions:
How many passport photos are required to be submitted with the passport application?
What type of paper are the photographs to be printed on?
Do the photos have to be in color?
How recent must the photos be?
How big must the photos be?
How big should the head be in the photo?
Can hats or religious headgear be worn for the photo?
Can eyeglasses be worn for the photo?
Can dark ot tinted eyeglasses be worn for the photo?
Can work uniforms be worn for the photo?
Can a parent or guardian appear in the photo of a minor child?
Are snapshots, magazine photos, or photos from vending machine acceptable?
May photos be taken with a digital camera?
Miscellaneous Questions:
I do not have a valid driver's license. How do I prove my identity?
How do I get a birth certificate quickly to apply for my passport?
I was born in the US but there is no birth certificate on file for me.
I was born abroad. How do I prove I am a US Citizen?
I am a naturalized US Citizen. What do I do if lost my naturalization papers?
How do I get a marriage certificate quickly?
Where are the Passport Agency's Offices located?
Is East Site Inc.' service guaranteed?
Q: What does East Site, Inc. do?
A: East Site assists individuals, travel agents, and corporate travel departments, allowing them to meet travel deadlines without worry. We understand the passport process can be confusing, time-consuming, and extremely stressful when your trip is on the line.
East Site, Inc. is not a government agency, but we work face-to-face with the US Passport Agency, the Department of State, and foreign Consulates, to get passports and visas processed and back to our customers in time for their trips. We can expedite a passport as fast as in 24 hours from when we receive your materials!
The bottom line is we get your passport or visa in your hands in time for your trip. If you need a US Passport in a hurry we can help.
If you need a passport right away, do not delay; go to our Instructions to get started.
Back To Top Q: Are documents submitted to East Site, Inc. secure?
A: East Site, Inc. is a passport-expediting service registered with offices of the US Passport Agency to act as an agent on behalf of US Citizens in need of a passport quickly. Back To Top
Q: What should I do if my baby is born abroad?
A: The birth of a child abroad to parent(s) who are U.S. Citizen(s) should be reported as soon as possible to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to establish an official record of the child's claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The official record is a Consular Report of Birth of a Citizen of the United States of America, or Form FS-240. This document, know as the Consular Report of Birth Abroad, is a basic United States citizenship document. An original FS-240 is furnished to the parents at the time the registration is approved. A Consular Report of Birth can be prepared only at a U.S. embassy or consulate. It cannot be prepared if the child has been brought back into the United States, or, if the person is 16 years of age or older at the time the application is made. Back To Top
Q: What do I do if I was born abroad and there is no birth record on file?
A: If you applied to the Department of State for a Record of Birth Abroad and received a Letter of No Record, see our Birth Abroad page for more information. If you were born in a foreign country to a U.S. citizen parent or parents and your parent did NOT register your birth in the form of a Consular Report of Birth FS-240, you can apply to your local office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service for a Certificate of Citizenship to document your U.S. citizenship. If you submit satisfactory documentary proof that you acquired citizenship at birth, a Certificate of Citizenship will be issued in your name. For more information, you can contact your local office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. You may consult your local phone book for the telephone number listed under the U.S. Department of Justice. Note: a U.S. passport, even if expired, also serves as proof of U.S. citizenship. Back To Top
Q: How do I claim US Citizenship if my parents were naturalized?
A: If you claim US Citizenship through the Naturalization of your parent(s), submit the Certificate(s) of Naturalization of your parent(s), your foreign birth certificate, and proof of your admission to the United States for permanent residence. For information if you've lost you're naturalization papers, click here. Back To Top
Q: I'm renewing my passport. Do I get the old one back?
A: 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. Click here for complete renewal instructions. Back To Top
Q: My child is too young to sign his/her own passport. How do I sign my child's passport?
A: In the space provided for the signature, the mother or father must print the child's name and sign their own name. Then, in parenthesis by the parent's name, write the word (mother) or (father)so the Passport Agency knows who signed for the child. Back To Top
Q: My passport was lost/stolen. How do I report it?
A: You report a lost or stolen passport when you apply for the new one provided the lost passport is still valid (i.e. not expired). At that time, you will submit a DS-64 Form, "Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport." If the lost passport is not valid, it is not required that you submit the DS-64 Form. Click here for instructions to replace a lost or stolen passport. Back To Top
Q: My name has changed. Do I have to change the name on my passport?
A: In order to travel internationally, your passport MUST be in your current name. You will need to complete Form DS-19, Passport Amendment/Validation Application and send it along with certified documentation of your name change and your current, valid passport. Click here for instructions to change the name on your passport. Back To Top
Q: How many passport photos are required to be submitted with the passport application?
A:Two (2) identical photos must be submitted with the passport application. Back To Top
Q: What type of paper are the photographs to be printed on?
A:The photos should be printed on thin photo-quality paper. Back To Top
Q: Do the photos have to be in color?
A:Yes, the photos to must be in color. Back To Top
Q: How recent must the photos be?
A:The photos must be no older than 6 months. Back To Top
Q: How big must the photos be?
A:The photos must measure exactly 2 inches by 2 inches. The photo should show a clear, front view, full face of the customer. The customer should be in normal street attire, without hat or dark glasses against a plain white or off-white background. The customer should have a natural expression, mouth closed, and eyes open and looking directly ahead. Photos in which the face of the person being photographed is not in focus will not be accepted. Back To Top
Q: How big should the head be in the photo?
A:The customer''s head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair, should be between 1 inch and 1-3/8 inches. The head should be centered in the photo. The head of the person being photographed should not be tilted up, down or to the side. It should cover about 50% of the area of the photo. Back To Top
Q: Can hats or religious headgear be worn for the photo?
A:Unless worn daily for religious reasons, all hats or headgear should be removed for the photo. In all cases, no item or attire should cover or otherwise obscure any part of the face. Back To Top
Q: Can eyeglasses be worn for the photo?
A:Eyeglasses worn on a daily basis can be worn for the photo. However, there should be no reflections from the eyeglasses that obscures the eyes. Back To Top
Q: Can dark ot tinted eyeglasses be worn for the photo?
A:Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required. Back To Top
Q: Can work uniforms be worn for the photo?
A:Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except in the case of religious attire that is worn daily. Otherwise, normal street attire should be worn. Back To Top
Q: Can a parent or guardian appear in the photo of a minor child?
A:No, the minor child must be the only subject in the photo. Nothing used to support the minor child, whether by mechanical or human means, should be in the camera''s frame. Back To Top
Q: Can a parent or guardian appear in the photo of a minor child?
A:No, only original photographs are acceptable. Copied or digitally scanned photos of photos will not be accepted. In addition, photos must not be retouched to alter the customer''s appearance in any way. Back To Top
Q: Are snapshots, magazine photos, or photos from vending machine acceptable?
A:No, snapshots, magazine photos, most vending machine prints, or full-length photographs are not acceptable. Back To Top
Q: May photos be taken with a digital camera?
A:If the digital camera has sufficient resolution — capable of capturing and storing images with 1 million pixels (megapixels) or more — it can be used to take the photos. However, printing of digital images is best done by professional photography processing labs because many off-the-shelf digital printers cannot achieve the image-quality required for passport and visa photographs. In any case, the image-quality criteria, described on this website, must be met in the submitted conventional film photo and/or the digital image printed photo. Back To Top
