Passport and Visa

Normal processing time can take up to 6 weeks -- and possibly longer during the peak travel time from March to August.  Although there is a significant additional cost, you may need to expedite your application (i.e., pay an additional fee and two-way express mailing costs to ensure that you receive your passport within 2 weeks).

You can apply for a passport or apply to renew your current passport at selected Post Offices or at any state, county, or federal courthouse.  You must apply in person unless you are renewing a passport obtained after you turned 18.  Additional information on both the application and renewel processes can be found in the U.S. State Department Web site (www.travel.state.gov). 

Below is a list of what you must present along with your passport application form:

• Proof of U.S. citizenship (an official birth certificate, a naturalization certificate, or a previous U.S. passport)
• Two recent, identical passport-sized (2” x 2”) color photographs.* The photos should be show your head, face-forward, and must have a white background; you should not show your teeth (no big smiles!).
• A form of current identification with your signature and photograph (i.e., a driver's license)
• $97.00 application fee for a passport if you are 18 years or older ($82.00 if you are younger); $67 renewal fee for an existing passport; and an optional $60, plus two-way express postage, to expedite the processing of your application.

* NOTE: You will likely need to submit additional photos with your study abroad application and for a visa application (if an entry visa is required for study abroad in your host country), so you may want to have additional photos taken at the same time.

Visa

Some countries require that U.S. citizens apply for and receive an entrance visa, depending on the length and purpose of their stay.  A visa is an official document giving permission to enter a country and is granted by the government of the country you wish to enter.  The visa may be in the form of a stamp imprinted on a page in your passport or may be an official document that includes a photograph.

If you are planning to study abroad in a country for an extended period of time, you may need a student visa or residency permit.  (Note: Some students participating in programs that travel through a number of countries may need to apply for multiple visas.)  In most instances, you will need to receive the visa before you depart.

Note: If your host country requires that you obtain a visa in order to study abroad there, you must do so -- this is non-negotiable.

Visa requirements vary from country to country. Information relating to all visas may be obtained from the nearest embassy or consulate of the country or countries in which you will study and/or travel.  (Many countries have consulates in Chicago, which is convenient for IWU students.)  You can learn about visa requirements for your destination(s) by visiting the “Foreign Entry Requirements” section of the U.S. State Department Web site (www.travel.state.gov).

When you receive notification of acceptance to your study abroad program, the program provider should inform you of visa requirements and the application process.  In addition, your program may need to provide you with certain documents that you are required to submit with the visa application.

Some countries require that you submit your visa application in person at the appropriate consulate, and that you make an appointment to do so; if this is the case for the country in which you plan to study, you should contact the consulate sooner rather than later (remember that every student who wishes to study abroad in that country will also be seeking an appointment and that the consulate will be flooded with requests).