Applying for a Passport

After making the decision to take the plunge to visit England what do you need to do before traveling? The very first thing is to get a passport. In the United States, you get that from the Department of State. Applications can be found at any US Post Office which is where one goes to be interviewed after filling out the form and securing a photograph. The required picture can be taken almost anywhere—pharmacies like CVS or AAA offices, as well as other places where print pictures are taken can take an acceptable picture. As for the cost to apply for a passport, there is usually a fee associated with your application. In the US at this time (2018), the fee for a 10-year passport is $110 for the application and $35 for the Execution fee, which is only paid once at the first issuance of a passport. Thereafter, you can apply for renewal for $110 without additional fees. Renewals can—and currently must—be done by mail. There is an “expedited” fee in the US of $60 that can speed the normal processing time from 6-8 weeks to 2-3 weeks.

If you are a citizen of another country travelling to England, you must check with your own government for how and where to apply for a passport.

Now that you have your passport, do you need a visa? At this time (2018) for US citizens the answer is, “no.” No visa is required in advance. Your passport will be stamped at the Border Crossing in the airport or port where you arrive in the UK. (UPDATE: The border crossing now has machines that read your passport, scan your face with a camera, and if they match, allow you to enter. No stamp in the passport at all. You would only see a Crossing Official if the scan is not successful.) For citizens of other countries, you will have to check with the UK government about visa requirements. Here is the link to the UK Government website where you can check: http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration