How to Get a Passport in New Orleans : visasupply.com

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service. It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

A growing number of New Orleans residents are obtaining U.S. passports as international travel grows, especially among employees of large companies with a strong presence in the area. The “Big Easy” is known globally for its lavish Mardi Gras celebrations, Creole cuisine, music, and Cajun culture. Some 20 million global tourists visit the city annually, making tourism and hospitality a top economic driver.

However, the largest city in Louisiana also enjoys a diversified economy. Top industries include energy, logistics and transportation, film production, software and technology, telecommunications, and light and advanced manufacturing. Electric power utility Entergy, a Fortune 500 company, is based in New Orleans. Other energy companies with significant operations in the region include Ankor Energy, Halliburton, LM Wind Power, Oceaneering International, Shell, Solar Alternatives, Taylor Energy, and Williams, Inc. Zatarain’s Brands, the rice and spices manufacturer, is also based in the city.

The Port of New Orleans is one of the largest and busiest cargo, rail, and cruise ports in the world. Trade and transportation in refined oil, petrochemicals and natural gas help make New Orleans a top maritime and logistics player. Government agencies, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations are also some of the top employers here. Other leading regional employers include A. Schlumberger, AT&T, Harrah’s Entertainment, IBM, Lockheed Martin, McIlhenny Company (makers of Tabasco), Metal Shark Boats, Quality Construction, Stuller, Inc. (jewelry retailers). Since many of these companies have offices around the world, they also send their Louisiana-based employees overseas for sales, training, and ongoing operations—all of whom require passports to make this international journey.

The strong economy and growing population in the New Orleans area also contribute to increased demand for new passports. Of Louisiana’s almost 4.6 million residents in 2022, some 377,000 lived in the city of New Orleans while almost1.3 million resided in eight-parish Greater New Orleans. Also known as the New Orleans-Metairie Metropolitan Statistical Area, the MSA is the largest metro area in Louisiana. More than 1.5 million live in the larger New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond MSA, which covers nine Louisiana parishes (Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington) plus Pearl River County in Mississippi. In 2022 the U.S. Passport Agency issued 144,047 passports to residents of Louisiana, the most since 2018’s pre-COVID total of 148,836.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (BNA) is served by more than 20 carriers, including American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways, Delta, Southwest, and United. More than 8.9 passengers traveled boarded flights in 2022 for destinations across North America and the Caribbean, and Europe. The Port of New Orleans also provides passenger cruises to Mexico and the Caribbean. Numerous institutions of higher learning are also found in New Orleans, such as Tulane University, Loyola University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and the University of New Orleans. Many of those students are frequent global travelers. Several of the area’s public, private, and religious schools also have study-abroad programs. Overall, the New Orleans region’s strong economy and population growth means that more Louisiana residents have the means to travel internationally for business and/or pleasure.

To travel abroad, adults (ages 16 and up) need a U.S. passport. The passport is good for 10 years, after which it must be renewed. To obtain a new passport or renew an existing one, you will have to appear in person at an authorized passport acceptance facility. Employees at these government facilities will verify your identity and your documentation. You will also have to appear in person if:

You previously held a child’s passport (only good for five years);
Your passport expired more than five years ago; or
Your passport has been lost or damaged.

In New Orleans, there are three options to obtain a new passport: visit a local passport acceptance facility; visit the New Orleans Passport Agency (by appointment only); or, in certain circumstances, use a private passport service such as Visa Supply to expedite delivery.

(NOTE: If you already have an adult passport in your possession that is in good condition, and it expired less than five years ago (or has yet to expire and you wish to renew), click here to learn how to renew a passport: https://www.visasupply.com/passports-and-visas-101/post/passport-renewal-in-atlanta.

Option 1: Appear at an Acceptance Facility

The most common way to obtain a passport is visiting a passport acceptance facility. This link allows you to find the closest facility to your home or office: https://iafdb.travel.state.gov. New Orleans residents can visit one of the local parish courthouses that serve as a passport acceptance facility. One recommended location is the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court’s Marriage License Department offices in nearby Gretna or Jefferson (https://jpclerkofcourt.wpengine.com/marriage-licenses-passports/passports/). The office does not require an appointment, but you need to appear weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. The courthouse will even take your passport photo for $10 per applicant, in addition to their $35 per person processing fee.

The basic form for a new passport (DS-11) is available online at https://pptform.state.gov/. You can complete the form online and then print it out, and take with you to the acceptance facility. (Do NOT sign the passport form in advance, as the government agent must witness your signature.) You may also fill out the DS-11 form by hand at the passport acceptance facility.

You will submit supporting documentation along with form DS-11. The required documents include:

Your long-form birth certificate or a government-certified copy of that certificate. {If you need to order a new copy of your birth certificate, we recommend using VitalChek (https://www.vitalchek.com), a private company with an easy-to-use process and less expensive rates.}
For naturalized citizens, their original certificate of naturalization.
State-issued driver’s license.
One photo that meets all passport image criteria, and properly attached to the application. (See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html.)
A check or money payable to the U.S. Department of State. The basic passport fee is $130. Additional charges apply for expedited service and other options. For a full list of fees, please visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/fees.html.
Another $35 payable via check, money order, cash or debit card to be paid to the passport acceptance facility for the identity verification process. (Check with the specific facility for the exact forms of payment they accept.)

Passport acceptance facilities are government offices but they do not actually issue the passport. These facilities will verify your documents and forward them to the State Department’s Passport Agency. The normal turnaround time for renewals by mail is eight to eleven weeks. Expedited service within seven weeks is available for an added fee. You can also pay extra for return delivery in two days (rather than the typical first-class mailing).

Option2: Apply in Person at a U.S. Passport Agency

If you are traveling within the next month, you will need to apply in person at a federal passport office. There is a Passport Agency office in New Orleans on 335 Canal Street (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies/new-orleans.html). You can ONLY apply in person at a U.S. passport agency if you can prove the need to travel within the next two weeks – or four weeks if you are traveling to a country that requires a visa. You will need to fill out Form DS-11 and make an appointment directly with either office by calling 877-487-2778. Note that the agencies are busy during the summer travel season and around the holidays, so give yourself plenty of lead time.

For your appointment, bring the identification listed above, as well as:

Your appointment confirmation number
Proof of travel plans, such as your flight itinerary, hotel reservation or cruise tickets
One passport photo
Methods of payment. The agency takes major credit cards, debit cards, cash, checks and money orders. In addition to normal costs, there is an additional $60 expediting fee.

If you are unable to visit the New Orleans office in time for your trip, other options include the Houston Passport Agency (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies/houston.html) at the federal building on Smith Street, or the Atlanta Passport Agency (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies/atlanta.html) on Peachtree Street. Houston is a five-hour drive from New Orleans, while Atlanta is seven hours.

Visiting the Passport Agency is more expensive and may be less convenient than using an acceptance facility when you factor in the added costs for transportation and your time. However, if you need a passport quickly, it is worth the extra effort. Unlike a passport acceptance facility, the Passport Agency can issue your new passport – often on the same day or the following day.

Option 3: Use a Private Passport Service

The third option is to use a private passport expediter such as Visa Supply to speed up the turnaround time. For this option, you still need to visit a passport acceptance facility so a government official can verify your identity and documents. Normally the facility can only forward your documents to the State Department for processing. However, if you are using a courier service such as Visa Supply, the acceptance facility will seal your documents in an envelope and return them to you. You will then take that envelope back to our office so we can ship it to one of our couriers in San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, or Washington, D.C., so we can expedite your passport application.

Our office is located in the suburbs of Atlanta, which is about a seven-hour drive or one-hour flight from New Orleans. If you want Visa Supply to help you, it is usually better to visit our office in-person so we can take your passport photo; help you prepare your DS-11 application; plus review your documentation. You can take these documents to the DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court in Decatur (about a 30-minute drive from our office), and then return the sealed envelope to Visa Supply so we can expedite your application with the Passport Agency.

Since Visa Supply is a private company, we charge a fee for our services (in addition to the government’s $190 expedite fee for a passport book). Beyond the convenience of using our office, we make sure your application form is filled out correctly. We also take your passport photo and will ensure that it meets the government’s specifications. Our basic service starts at $100. Customers receive their new passport (along with the old one) within seven weeks; for additional fees we can also get passports renewed in as fast as one week. Please call us for the latest details.

New Orleans residents with questions about obtaining a new U.S. passport can schedule a telephone call through our website. Our free consultation will explain the process of getting a passport and help you understand the different options for getting a passport based on your international travel plans.