Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
August 12, 2005

Passport Services Introduces Online Application Status-Checks

Effective today, August 12, 2005, customers who have recently applied for a U.S. passport and want to know the status of their application may do so by accessing http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html using a standard Internet browser. Customers can securely enter their last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security Number to receive information on the status of their application. A customer's personal information will remain in our system only long enough for he or she to complete their inquiry, thus protecting that data, as authorized by law. This information will then be deleted from our system.

This service will enhance the status-check option currently only available to customers by phone or email at the National Passport Information Center (NPIC). It will also allow Passport Services to better allocate resources at NPIC by freeing Customer Service Representatives to respond to other calls and inquiries, reducing waiting time.

Customers may still request an application status-check via email, at travel.state.gov, or by calling, toll-free, the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY 1-888-874-7793).

For more information on applying for a U.S. passport, forms, and a wealth of other international travel information, please visit our website at travel.state.gov.

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Released on August 12, 2005