Why can't Naturalized Americans get a US Passport?

[doubtingstef 1]

I will be a US Citizen soon. In a matter of a few months. God willing. I went to the post office to ask about applying. They said I need US Birth Certificate and permission to drive.

I explained I will be Naturalizing soon. They said a requirement is a birth certificate. Foreign ones are not accepted. Even with translation. Also, they said I cannot get a US passport, without forst having motor vehicle operation authorization. But I am not going to DRIVE overseas.

Why can't a Naturalized US Citizen get a passport? Thank you for your time!

[aaron2020 11,651]

Of course a naturalized US citizen can get a US passport.

There seems to be a communication problem.

[Ontarkie 14,305]

~~Moved to Passports, etc. - What to do now that you are a US citizen, from US Citizenship General Discussion -- As the OP is looking ahead to the passport process. ~~

Moderator Hat off

Once you get your naturalization certificate you can get a US Passport. I would not return to that post office they don't seem to know what they are talking about. Depending on where you live you may be able to get into an actual passport agency. (can't think of the proper term atm sorry).

Edited February 11, 2014 by Ontarkie

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Um, what?

The post office doesn't issue passports. They accept the applications, but I wouldn't count on a worker to know the rules.

You will use your naturalization cert.

Driving also has nothing to do with it.

[Terry J 50]

Whoever told you this at the post office is completely wrong!

I would skip that post office and file for your passport at your local passport office or submit the application directly via mail once you become eligible.

Go see this link: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/new.html#step4

.

[doubtingstef 1]

Whoever told you this at the post office is completely wrong!

I would skip that post office and file for your passport at your local passport office or submit the application directly via mail once you become eligible.

Go see this link: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/new.html#step4

.

Is ther a such thing as a "passport office"? I have never heard of such a thing. I have always been told in America the post office IS the passport office?

You are not allowed to apply by mail.

[Beata1501 14]

You will get your passport application form in the package at the Oath (everybody gets one) with voting registration and ssn info update form and they will tell you all about it.

When I had my Oath, I could apply for passport right there (after the ceremony) - I didn't do it, cause I wanted to update my Driver's License first, before sending my Naturalization Certificate with passport form....

There are Passport Services in the major court houses (at least here in AZ) as well as in most Post Offices

Edited February 11, 2014 by Beata1501

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Is ther a such thing as a "passport office"? I have never heard of such a thing. I have always been told in America the post office IS the passport office?

You are not allowed to apply by mail.

Why don't you just use google? Many answers can be had that way.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/new.html

The post office is not the agency that issues passports. No.

[doubtingstef 1]

~~Moved to Passports, etc. - What to do now that you are a US citizen, from US Citizenship General Discussion -- As the OP is looking ahead to the passport process. ~~

Moderator Hat off

Once you get your naturalization certificate you can get a US Passport. I would not return to that post office they don't seem to know what they are talking about. Depending on where you live you may be able to get into an actual passport agency. (can't think of the proper term atm sorry).

OK. If I get them to accept the Naturalization Certificate, what about Driving Lisense? Here in Idaho, it is illegal for me to have one! Same issue. No US birth certificate. A foreign live birth is not accepted. Also, green card is not accepted. Or passport. Also, my name is not legal here! I have it registered with Social Security Administration, but the SSA name is not allowed in Idaho! The "not for driving driver lisense" is the sae rules also.

I am afraid there is no other post offive to go to. Maybe many hours from here I am not sure if I can pay the $1,500 in transportation to get naturalized. But I was excited to be an American and have my "blue passport".

I thought the post office IS the passport agency of America?

[Terry J 50]

Is ther a such thing as a "passport office"? I have never heard of such a thing. I have always been told in America the post office IS the passport office?

You are not allowed to apply by mail.

Yes there is such a thing as a passport office a.k.a. the passport agency.

My husband went to one in NYC and submitted his passport application. You first call for an appointment and then go to the office with all the required documentation and completed form. He received his in 24 hours due to an expedite request.

Secondly you can mail the passport application form/apply by mail if you are renewing a passport. First time applicants need to appear in person.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Terry J

[Terry J 50]

OK. If I get them to accept the Naturalization Certificate, what about Driving Lisense? Here in Idaho, it is illegal for me to have one! Same issue. No US birth certificate. A foreign live birth is not accepted. Also, green card is not accepted. Or passport. Also, my name is not legal here! I have it registered with Social Security Administration, but the SSA name is not allowed in Idaho! The "not for driving driver lisense" is the sae rules also.

I am afraid there is no other post offive to go to. Maybe many hours from here I am not sure if I can pay the $1,500 in transportation to get naturalized. But I was excited to be an American and have my "blue passport".

I thought the post office IS the passport agency of America?

Okay, both Harpa and I have provided you accurate state website links. Please take the time to read through it.

Here's one more - Where to apply. You can find the nearest passport agency or acceptance facility.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/where-to-apply.html

[nightingalejules 678]

OK. If I get them to accept the Naturalization Certificate, what about Driving Lisense? Here in Idaho, it is illegal for me to have one! Same issue. No US birth certificate. A foreign live birth is not accepted. Also, green card is not accepted. Or passport. Also, my name is not legal here! I have it registered with Social Security Administration, but the SSA name is not allowed in Idaho! The "not for driving driver lisense" is the sae rules also.

I am afraid there is no other post offive to go to. Maybe many hours from here I am not sure if I can pay the $1,500 in transportation to get naturalized. But I was excited to be an American and have my "blue passport".

I thought the post office IS the passport agency of America?

Either there is a miscommunication somewhere, or there is a serious outbreak of xenophobia in your town, or people are f***ing with you.

You will get a passport application when you naturalize. You certainly can't apply for a passport before that, so don't sweat it.

- once you get the passport application at your oath ceremony, go online and look up the rules. There's bound to be an instruction sheet online somewhere that says how to apply with your Naturalization certificate. Then you fill everything out, go to the post office and send it in, with all your supporting documentation.

You can get a driver's licence.

-but not just by asking for it. You may have to take tests to get it, but there's no reason that, providing you pass the tests, you should not be able to get a driver's license as long as you have your SSN and Greencard to prove that you're there legally. You may need to go to the DMV in the next town if the ones in your town are being a**holes.

I don't mean to judge - I don't know you and your written English is excellent... but is it at all possible that your accent makes it hard for the people you're getting information from to understand you?

I would suggest doing a web search for the rules for applying for your d.l. You should be able to get that right away. (again, no blue passport until you're naturalized.) Look up the rules, including what documentation you need to show and what tests you may need to take for your state. Print them out and take them to the DMV. Then if you start getting this garbage from the people there, show them the information. It could be that they've never processed such an application before. You may have to "teach them how."

Good luck!

[girimurthy 5]

I will be a US Citizen soon. In a matter of a few months. God willing. I went to the post office to ask about applying. They said I need US Birth Certificate and permission to drive.

I explained I will be Naturalizing soon. They said a requirement is a birth certificate. Foreign ones are not accepted. Even with translation. Also, they said I cannot get a US passport, without forst having motor vehicle operation authorization. But I am not going to DRIVE overseas.

Why can't a Naturalized US Citizen get a passport? Thank you for your time!

I do not understand. How can you be naturalized if going to be soon?

After you become a citizen you take the naturalization certificate and apply for the passport. You can't apply till you get the certificate.

[Shub 78]

The people at the post office clearly had no clue what they were talking about. I would guess, though, that your particular post office is not used to talking with foreigners and REALLY has no clue what they're talking about. They're used to dealing with natural-born American citizens and can't fathom someone not having a birth certificate.

The requirements for having a passport are extremely clear. You have to be a US citizen, and there are various ways to prove that you are a US citizen. Certainly a US birth certificate is one way to prove it, but if you were born outside of the US and your parents were not US citizens, then your birth certificate is useless. That's where the certificate of naturalization comes in. You will get that certificate when you swear the oath of allegiance and become a US citizen. You may then use that document to apply for a US passport.

I became a US citizen yesterday and will be applying for a US passport shortly.

As for the driver's license -- you don't actually need a driver's license. You need a government-issued photo ID. Whether you can or cannot drive is completely irrelevant. People are born in the United States (and therefore are US citizens) with disabilities that prevent them from driving, yet they apply for passports... well, I need to stop here because I'm getting angry at your post office people for giving you misinformation. I wonder if they took you, as a foreigner, for an easy target and decided to have a bit of fun at your expense, or if they really, really were that ignorant.

Anyway... you mentioned they told you a green card is not OK -- of course a green card is not an acceptable piece of evidence to apply for a US passport... The fact that you have a green card is proof that you are not a US citizen, and you need to be a US citizen to apply for a US passport. When you become a US citizen, you must give your green card back to the government.

The post office is one of many places that are licensed by the Department of State to accept passport applications. There are many other such places. You can look up the one(s) near you by using the tool at http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/. It may be that the only places near you that do it are post offices. Seeing as how you're in Idaho, I looked up the places that accept passport applications in Boise, ID. There's one at Boise State University, and one at the Boise main post office. Near me, there are various courthouses, a bunch of post offices, the municipal library, etc.

Go to http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/new.html and read everything. It will all make sense. If it doesn't make sense, let me know, I can try to explain. I see you're from Algeria, so if you speak French, so do I (sorry, no Darja or Arabic), perhaps it'll make more sense for you in French than in English!

Edited February 11, 2014 by Shub

[doubtingstef 1]

Okay, both Harpa and I have provided you accurate state website links. Please take the time to read through it.

Here's one more - Where to apply. You can find the nearest passport agency or acceptance facility.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/where-to-apply.html

OK. The "passport agency" is 1,000 miles away. How do you propose I get there? As for the "acceptance facility"? I already told you that I have already BEEN to the post office.

I asked nothing about where to go. I have ALREADY BEEN TO THE POST OFFICE!

Did you read the original post? It is YOU who needs to learn to read!