Demystifying the passport process Published May 3, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Samuel Taylor 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Dover Air Force Base, Del., is part of Air Mobility Command for a reason: its servicemembers are always on the move. Temporary duties, permanent changes of station and deployments send Team Dover to the four corners of the world. For that reason, it's important for everyone to have the proper documentation to complete their missions across the globe. One such document is a government passport. Though Team Dover can apply for passports on base, the process to receive one has been difficult for some. Therefore, servicemembers going through the steps may use this guide to get their passport as quickly as possible. The first step in receiving a passport is to take the passport photos at the base photo lab at Building 639. Photos are taken on a walk-in basis 8 - 10 a.m. Wednesday and Friday, and 2 - 4 p.m. Thursday. Servicemembers on short-notice deployments, with a commander or first sergeant's letter, may be accommodated with priority service. Servicemembers must bring their military identification card, and must be travelling on official government orders to be eligible for free photos. The necessary work-order forms are available at the photo lab. Customers may bring a collared shirt, excluding solid black or white color, or may use one of the shirts provided by the photo lab. Military members must conform to dress and appearance standards as described in Air Force Instruction 36-2903. "The whole process takes approximately 15 minutes; it's a simple operation." said Roland Balik, 436th Airlift Wing photographer. After receiving an envelope with photos enclosed, servicemembers should call Stephanie Scott, 436th Force Support Squadron passport agent, to make an appointment to apply for their passport. Ms. Scott will provide applicants with a web-link to the necessary forms so they may print them. The forms must feature a barcode to be valid for use. Applicants must bring the printed forms, passport photos taken within the last six months, their original birth certificate with a raised seal and their military ID. Dependents are required to bring their social security card as well. "Delays in the process are usually due to photos being more than six months old, or applicants bringing forms without the barcode," said Connie Andres, 436th Force Support Squadron human resources assistant. Servicemembers will receive different passports based on the nature and requirements of their mission. Some people may require a special four-year passport in addition to the standard five-year government passport. The staff at Building 520 will assist servicemembers in determining which passports are necessary. Once the application is signed and sent, servicemembers can expect to wait approximately eight weeks until the passports are ready for pickup at Building 520. Servicemembers on short-notice deployments may expedite the process with a letter from their commander. Expedited requests are generally completed in about six weeks. "If everything is in order when the servicemember arrives, getting a passport should be an easy procedure," said Ms. Andres.