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- Only the Washington Passport Agency will issue the limited edition America250 passports.
- At Washington Passport Agency the commemorative design will be the default for approved passport applicants.
- To avoid receiving one, apply online or use a passport-issuing location other than Washington Passport Agency.
- Rollout is expected around the Fourth of July; issuance will continue until the commemorative supply runs out.
- State Department says same security features apply and there is no extra charge; the 25,000 figure is disputed.
If you need a new passport sometime soon, your travel document could be part of a limited-edition series printed with a portrait of President Donald J. Trump on the inside.
News of the forthcoming “commemorative passports” broke in late April. The White House teased photo and clip mockups of the newly designed U.S. identification booklets. Inside the front cover, the passport includes a superimposed, realistic image of Trump’s face over the Declaration of Independence, which is placed over a portion of the American flag. Underneath his photo, the president’s signature is written in gold.
Additionally, below that, “United States of America” in all caps is printed in deep red ink. Another page includes the same “USA” tag in red beneath a photo of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence. The latter also has a background of the American flag.
On the back cover of the new passports will be a flag with “250” in the middle of a 13-star circle and next to 13 horizontal stripes. The American flag notably has 13 stripes reflecting the nation’s original 13 colonies that separated from British rule.
The image that the White House shared of the commemorative passport highlighted its design honoring America’s 250th birthday, which is being celebrated this year. In its caption, the account said, “Patriot passport unlocked. Limited edition. Stamped for America250.”
What Details And Implications Should Travelers Be Aware Of?
According to Fox News Digital, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the limited-edition identification booklets will feature the “same security features that make the U.S. Passport the [one of the] most secure documents in the world.” If received, travelers will be able to use them as valid government-issued identification for travel and proof of nationality.
CBS News stated that, per a State Department official, the Washington Passport Agency in the Nation’s Capital will be the only passport-issuing location through which a U.S. citizen can obtain an America250 commemorative passport. The newly designed document will be given to approved applicants at no additional charge. At that location, the limited-edition identification booklets will reportedly be the default issued after the new design’s rollout. That means all Americans who apply and are approved for a new passport through the Washington Passport Agency at that time will receive one with Trump’s face inside. While the official rollout date hasn’t been confirmed, it’s expected to be around the Fourth of July.
The issuance of the limited-edition passports will reportedly continue until the supply runs out. NPR reported that 25,000 to 30,000 commemorative passports will be available. However, a State Department official has reportedly referred to the 25,000 count as “fake news.”
Upon launching, Trump will be the first living president to be featured in U.S. passports.
How Do I Avoid Being Sent A Commemorative Passport?
To avoid getting one of the newly designed identification booklets, apply for your new passport online or through a passport-issuing source other than the Washington Passport Agency.
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