How To Get A “Patriot Passport” With Trump’s Image
The only way to get a special passport featuring Trump’s image is to apply in person. Call 1-877-487-2778 to schedule an appointment at any of the more than two dozen passport centers listed on the State Department’s website. “Routine processing will be available at all application events,” a department spokesperson told Forbes in an email, while “expedited service may be available at select events and should be confirmed in advance.” Routine processing takes four to six weeks and costs $130 plus a $35 acceptance fee for first-time adult applicants. Expedited passport service takes two to three weeks and costs an extra $60. The State Department will update its website as additional appointment times are confirmed, a spokesperson told Forbes.
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What To Do If You Don’t Want A “Patriot Passport”
No American will get a Trump-emblazoned passport unless they specifically apply for one and schedule an in-person appointment at one of the designated passport centers. Those who apply as most Americans do—either online, by mail or at a post office—will get a regular passport. Trump’s image will not appear on passport cards, a wallet-sized identification document with stricter travel limitations compared to a traditional passport.
Big Number
183 million. That’s how many valid U.S. passports are in circulation, according to State Department data. That’s roughly half the population, up from 41% a decade ago.
Key Background
Trump first announced the limited-edition “Patriot Passport”—which features an image of himself alongside the Declaration of Independence—in April, followed by an official design unveiling in late June. The limited-edition blue books are being offered “to commemorate the historic occasion of America’s 250th anniversary,” according to the State Department, which cited “overwhelming demand” as the reason for making a quarter-million commemorative passports available to the public in late July, just as the president’s approval rating hit a record low. Americans have shown “incredible enthusiasm since we opened appointments for special application events across the country,” a department spokesperson told Forbes. Between July 4 and the end of July, roughly 30,000 Americans phoned a passport call center seeking to apply for the special passport, a department spokesperson told the New York Times.
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Tangent
The power of the U.S. passport has steadily slipped over the past two decades, according to the Henley Passport Index—going from tied for No. 1 in 2006 to tied for No. 10 today—as three dozen other nations now offer greater global mobility for its citizens.
Further Reading
Trump Passport Slated For Nationwide Release—What To Know About The ‘Patriot Passport’ (Forbes)