Applying for a passport – June 3, 2020 and August 10, 2020
Due to coronavirus restrictions, the Seattle Passport Agency is processing expedited passport applications for international travel within 72 hours for life/death circumstances. Appointments are required (1-877-487-2778) at the Seattle Passport Agency, 300 5th Avenue, Suite 600, Seattle.
Routine passport applications (through acceptance facilities) and passport renewals (mailed by passport holders) are being accepted, but may take up to 14-15 weeks to process. Expedited service is still not available as of August 10, 2020.
As of June 3, 2020, Seattle had 30,000 pending applications out of 1.6 million nationwide. As of August 10, they reported they expect to complete the backlog by September.
Please schedule an appointment at City Hall (895-4656) to apply for passports, preferably between 11:00 and 3:00, Monday through Friday. Do not come if you are experiencing any signs of illness, been exposed to anyone that was ill or who traveled out of Alaska in the past two weeks. Six feet distancing is practiced at City Hall. One or two people or one family are permitted at the counter at one time. Masks are required.
The October 1, 2020 mandate to carry a federally-approved ID (Real ID, passport, or other form) to access military installations, federal buildings, and airport checkpoints was postponed to October 1, 2021.
Do I need a Real ID or another federally-approved ID? Yes. As of October 1, 2021, standard driver’s licenses or State-issued ID cards will no longer be acceptable identification to access federal buildings, military installations, or TSA checkpoints for domestic travel.
Alaska residents, 18 and older, will need a Real ID driver’s license, Real-ID compliant identification
card, or an approved federal ID:
• U.S. passport book or U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card, aka “green card”
• Border crossing card
• DHS-designated Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced non-driver photo ID card (ENDID)
• Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation worker identification credential
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
NOTE: Drivers and passengers, ages 16-18, may not need ID at airports, but they must carry a federally-approved ID to get through military gates.
What is the difference between a passport and a Real ID card?
Passport books meet federal mandates, plus international travel via land, sea, or air.
Passport cards meet federal mandates, plus border crossings, but not international air travel.
Real ID cards meet federal mandates, but not any international travel.
Many people purchase both the passport book and the passport card at the same time. Passport cards are more convenient to carry. It costs time and money to apply for a book or card at a later date, which requires attachment of the valid passport (book or card) plus repeated expenses.
People need driver’s licenses, but not a Real ID driver’s license, unless it is a commercial driver’s license. Contact DMV (895-4424) for more information.
Updated 8-10-20