When you apply for a fast passport, it’s important that you have all of your paperwork in order before you send in the application. After all, if you don’t have the right documents, your application will be delayed, and that’s the last thing you want to happen if you’re about to leave the country.
One of the most common mistakes people make when applying for a fast passport is using the wrong birth certificate, like a hospital or other unofficial birth certificate instead of a certified birth certificate from your city, county or state. However, if you were born in Puerto Rico, even a certified birth certificate with a raised seal is no longer good enough if it was issued prior to July 1st, 2010.
According to the Department of State’s website:
Beginning October 30, 2010 the United States Department of State will not accept Puerto Rican birth certificates issued prior to July 1, 2010 as primary proof of citizenship for a U.S. passport.
The reason for the new procedure is that Puerto Rican birth certificates were commonly used for identification, and were therefore prone to theft and fraud. The new, more secure birth certificates should solve this issue. However, if you were born in Puerto Rico and are applying for a fast passport, you’ll need to get one of the new birth certificates first, unless you have an old, undamaged passport that you can submit for proof of citizenship. See this article from the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration for details.
Fortunately, once you have your new birth certificate, RushMyPassport.com can help you apply for fast passport processing to ensure you get your new passport in time.
We’ll walk you through the application process, helping to prevent common mistakes that could delay your application. Then, we’ll personally deliver your paperwork to the Department of State for processing times as low as 24 hours.
Apply for fast passport processing with us today!