Posted: January 7, 2022

State Department updates requirements, increases cost for expedited passports for U.S. mariners


The following is excerpted from a bulletin released January 4 by the U.S. Department of State. The PDF bulletin can be downloaded from the AMO Currents website. Members and applicants of American Maritime Officers who will need a new or renewed U.S. Passport (if their current U.S. Passport will expire within the next seven months) can contact AMO Member Services by email to obtain a letter from American Maritime Officers, which will be needed as part of the U.S. Passport application under the new State Department procedure. Please note: email is not a secure form of communication and Social Security Numbers and other personal identifying information should NOT be transmitted by email to Member Services. AMO Members and applicants will be provided with the means to transmit this information in a secure manner after contacting .

UPDATED NOTICE TO MARINERS WITH INTERNATIONAL VOYAGES

Effective January 10, 2022

To better serve mariners during this time we are updating our temporary provisions. These provisions are subject to change once operations are on a more normal footing.

Instructions for Urgent Assistance with Applying for a Passport:

Qualifications

  • Be a credentialed merchant mariner;
  • Be eligible to apply on a DS-82 application for passport renewal. Check eligibility online; and
  • Have a current passport that is expired or expiring in seven months or less.

Application and Mailing Instructions:

  1. Applicants must submit the following:
    • DS-82 application completed, signed, and dated;
    • Passport photograph taken within the past six months;
    • Current passport;
    • Copy of Merchant Mariner Credential (MCC), front and back.
    • A check or money order in the amount of $208.32 made payable to U.S. Department of State if applying for a passport book only. If applying for both the passport book and card, the total fee is $238.32. This amount includes the passport fee, expedite fee, and 1-2 day delivery fee (for information regarding passport fees, please visit https://travel.state.gov).
    • Letter from supervisor on company letterhead or your U.S. mariner's union.
  2. The supervisor letter should include the following details:
    • Applicant's full name;
    • Printed name and title of applicant's supervisor or mariners' union representative;
    • Supervisor's or union representative's signature; and
    • Date the letter was issued.
  3. Applications must be sent by traceable overnight delivery service to:

    El Paso Passport Agency
    303 N. Oregon St., Suite 700
    El Paso, TX 79901
    Attention: Mariner Program

Service Expectations

Completed passports will be mailed using a 1-2 day delivery service. Please be sure the application includes a physical U.S. mailing address and not a P.O. Box.

Every effort will be made to process the passport application in about one week of receipt. For instance, applications received on Monday may be completed and sent out by Friday of the same week.

Requesting a Second Passport

Mariners may wish to apply for a second limited validity passport (4 years). Second passports provide greater flexibility, particularly if mariners need to apply for visas when traveling domestically and overseas. For more information, please see: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/second-passport-book.html.

Below are the two options for applying for a second passport.

Option 1: Requesting a Second Passport when Renewing a Passport

To apply for a second passport, applicants must also include:

  • A second DS-82 application (with photograph) completed, signed, and dated;
  • Signed statement describing the need for a second passport. (This is required in addition to the company letter authorizing use of these special procedures); and
  • Include payment for both applications in a single check totaling $416.64 ($208.32 per application).

Option 2: Requesting a Second Passport without Submitting a Current Valid Passport

If mariners need to use their current (10-year) passport while applying for their second passport, they can apply at a passport acceptance facility using a DS-11 form. They can expect to receive the second passport within the expedited timeframe posted at https://travel.state.gov. To apply at a passport acceptance facility, applicants need:

  • Completed (not signed) DS-11 application;
  • Passport photograph;
  • Photocopy of their 10-year passport data page;
  • Signed statement of need for a second passport as outlined on our website;
  • Payment of $208.32 to the U.S. Department of State, which includes $60 for expedite service and the additional $18.32 for 1-2-day return delivery; and
  • Additional payment of $35 to the passport acceptance facility to execute the application.

To locate the nearest passport acceptance facility, see https://iafdb.travel.state.gov. Please note that many passport acceptance facilities require customers to schedule an appointment ahead of their visit.