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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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)

12. 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

13. Commitment to Customer Service
“Quickly, Confidently, Consistently, and Correctly”
Processing Times
Routine Service: 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:
Status inquiries or questions about cases
General information
Automated Appointment System available 24/7

14. 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

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

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

17. 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