Bureau of Consular Affairs Washington D.C. Consular Corps Briefing Passport Services Washington D.C. Consular Corps Briefing March 2014

Mission and Responsibility Verify citizenship and identity Citizenship – birth certificates, CRBAs, and naturalization certificates Identity – driver’s licenses and other government-issued IDs Freedom to travel – criminal data/child support/unpaid loans Facilitate international travel Enhance national security by issuing secure travel documents to U.S. citizens and nationals

Our Organization 2,124 Government Employees 29 Domestic Passport Facilities 23 dedicated to serving the general public 1 supports U.S. government travel 3 mega-adjudication centers (2 have public counters) 2 document print centers (1 has public counter) 8,374 Passport Application Acceptance Facilities 7,681 Domestic Acceptance Facilities (Post Offices, Clerks of Court, Libraries, etc.) 693 Military Acceptance Facilites (Worldwide) 1,342 DoD Acceptance Agents (Worldwide) 200 Federal Acceptance Facilities (approx) 2,124 Government Employees Contract Support (support processing and customer service) Call Center

Passport Agencies and Centers Seattle National Passport Vermont Minneapolis Boston Buffalo Connecticut New York Chicago Detroit Philadelphia San Francisco Washington and Special Issuance Denver Los Angeles San Diego Arkansas Atlanta Charleston Tucson Dallas KEY El Paso Agency New Orleans Houston Adjudication Center Miami Print Center Honolulu San Juan Satellite Office ( San Juan

Passport Demand FY 2013 Passports Issued: 13,529,757 Huge Passport “Surge” after WHTI Issued more than 18 million in FY 2007 More than 117 million valid U.S. passports in circulation, which is more than 1/3 of the U.S. citizen population.

WHTI and the Passport Card Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Final phase took effect on June 1, 2009 All U.S. citizens must have a valid passport book, passport card, or other accepted document to enter the U.S. Passport Card Alternative to the passport book. Used to enter the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land-border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. Not valid for air travel. Issued over 7.1 million cards, mainly in border states, since July 2008

Protecting Personal Information Applicants Report lost or stolen passports immediately. Providing SSN’s allows the Department to verify an individual’s identity. and prevent passport fraud. Information is securely stored. Mail Use traceable mailing options and utilize secure packaging. Passport Card Features laser engraving. Radio Frequency Identification Chip (no personal info on the chip). Protective sleeve helps prevent unauthorized scanning. ePassport Book Components of the “eChip” Started production in 2005. Digital signature encrypts the data. When book is closed, chip cannot be read.

Citizenship and Identity All applicants must submit evidence of citizenship and identity Primary evidence of citizenship includes: Previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state (must include full names of applicant’s parents) Consular Report of Birth Abroad of Certification of Birth Naturalization Certificate Certificate of Citizenship Evidence of identity includes:    Naturalization Certificate  Valid Driver's License  Current Government ID (city, state or federal)  Current Military ID (military and dependents)

Challenge of Public Counters Approximately 10% of workload nationwide Busiest agencies are New York, Los Angeles and Miami Centralized Appointment System 688,374 appointments in FY2013 Security issues Public convenience Organizing the workflow

Commitment to Customer Service “Quickly, Confidently, Consistently, and Correctly” Processing Times Routine Service: 4-6 weeks from time of application Expedite Service: 3 weeks door-to-door Customer Service Office Main office in Washington DC 50 Customer Service Managers and staff at agencies Oversees complaints, refunds, Congressional inquiries, and acceptance facilites New eIRL letters improve communication to customers Obstacles to Service Times Problems with citizenship and identity documents Outstanding child support payments and warrants National Passport Information Center Speak with a representative from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. (M-F, excluding holidays) Toll free: 1-877-487-2778 Status inquiries or questions about cases General information Automated Appointment System available 24/7

Communication to Customers Office of Community Relations Oversees National Outreach Plan via passport agencies and regional customer service offices. Best practices include conducting acceptance events and targeting Naturalization Ceremonies Seeks to increase public awareness of passport services through person-to-person outreach, special events, media and social media. Key Messaging Apply early Expiration dates (minors vs. adults) Expedited service available Commitment to security Not just a travel document Benefits of documenting you and your family

Travel.State.Gov 69,122,491 unique visitors in 2013 70% seek to apply/renew passports (per 2013 Foresee results)

Facebook Over 99,000 followers Outreach events photos and media interviews Engage followers through FB chats for specific passport topics

Twitter Over 377,000 followers Monthly passport Q&A for live passport questions/answers Highlight outreach events in real time Easy/efficient way to answer customer inquiries