Soldiers who choose to do this, however, must ensure they have taken care of planning the trip in advance.This includes getting the proper documentation to travel.
Travel to some foreign countries can be achieved with only a military identification card and a copy of the Soldier’s orders, said Spc. Jennifer Aga, Multi-National Division-South legal assistance non-commissioned officer in charge. Other countries require the traveler to have a valid U.S. passport.
Many countries require different documentation in addition to a passport, the Woodbury, Minn., native added. More information on this can be found at www.fcg.pentagon.mil/fcg.cfm.
The only place Soldiers can apply for a passport in Iraq at this time is the United States Embassy located in the International Zone in Baghdad, according to Capt. Catherine Laroque, MND-S chief of legal assistance. There is currently an effort underway to have a passport agency located in Basra.
When applying for a passport in person, Soldiers will need to provide primary evidence of United States citizenship, according to the U.S. State Department website, www.state.gov. This can include a previously issued, undamaged passport, a certified birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth, a U.S. Naturalization Certificate or a Certificate of Citizenship.
A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar’s signature and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within one year of birth, according to the website.
Soldiers will also need to have some form of acceptable identification. This can include a previously issued, undamaged passport, Naturalization Certificate, valid driver’s license, current government ID card or a current military ID card.
In addition to supplying proof of citizenship and identification, applicants must provide two identical color photographs that are two inches by two inches in size, said Laroque, a Maplewood, Minn., native.
The photos should be no older than six months, showing the current appearance of the applicant, according to the State Department website. The photo should be taken in normal street attire and include the full face of the subject with a white or off-white background.
For Soldiers who are attempting to renew an expired passport, said Aga, they have the option of doing so by mail if their current passport meets a few requirements set forth by the State Department.
For the expired passport to be eligible for renewal, it must be undamaged and submitted with the application. It must have been issued after the age of 16 years, issued within the last 15 years, and issued in the applicant’s current name unless a name change can be legally documented, Aga added.
To renew a passport by mail, applicants will need to fill out Form DS-82, which can be found on the State Department website, she continued. In addition to mailing the form, applicants will need to include the proper documentation and photos along with the $100 fee.
Obtaining a passport cannot be done through a power of attorney since the applicant must be there to sign the documentation, Aga said. Also, if an applicant is behind on child support, the application may be rejected.
Laroque said if Soldiers need assistance with the process of applying for a passport, the legal section is willing to help.
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Not all deployed Soldiers prefer to go home when taking leave during a deployment. Some opt to take advantage of their free round-trip flight by visiting other countries.
