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Obtaining Two Passports: When You Need Them and How To Get Them

Obtaining Two Passports: When You Need Them and How To Get Them

Last updated: October 26, 2026. This update corrects passport application guidance while keeping the family’s application experience in its historical context. Date information added October 28, 2026.

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First published July 19, 2021. The account below describes what our family did or understood then; the old checklist is not current application advice. For current U.S. second-passport eligibility, the State Department describes mailing Forms DS-82 or DS-5504 and applying in person with Form DS-11. Its instructions say that if you can submit your valid 10-year passport, follow the renewal steps; if you cannot submit it, follow the in-person application steps. Check its current second-passport guide for exact eligibility and instructions before applying.

Just one week ago, our worst nightmare (non-injury or death-related) happened.  We had ALL of our most important documents in one place after our visa application appointment in San Francisco, CA and you guessed it, it was all stolen.

Our lives fell out from under us, suddenly.  We had gone into a park and left this crucial box in the car (our fault).  During the 30 or so minutes that we were playing, someone broke into the car and took it all: Our 14 passports, luggage, wallet, Visa application papers, tech, etc.  All gone.  (Their fault)

I quickly posted the event to my IG stories, pleading for prayers.  I’m a huge believer in the power of prayer, especially group prayers, and it worked.  I’m now sitting on our flight to Brazil just a few days later.  To call it a miracle is a small way to say it!

Our original Instagram post: Our original Instagram post about starting travel again.

After the incident, many people asked a very valid question; Why did we have 14 passports to travel with seven people to begin with?  I am here to explain the reasoning.

Why We Needed a Second Passport in 2021

We first learned about this option when we were facing a difficult dilemma last year.  We needed to travel through Australia and back to the US, while ALSO applying for a visa.  In our 2021 situation, we were planning travel while our Portuguese visa application could require one passport to be away from us.

For our Portuguese visa process in 2021, we understood that processing could take 4–12 weeks and that the consulate might request our passports within 48 hours. Those were the details we were working with then, not current timelines or requirements.

Since we already had plans to go to Brazil, we knew we were going to need two sets of passports.

For that application, we understood that we could apply for the visa no more than 90 days before our intended arrival. Without second passports, we thought our travel plans would keep us domestic during that period.

What a Second Passport Does Not Change

A second passport is a travel document, not a way around a destination’s entry rules. It does not remove a visa requirement, a prior entry restriction, or a disclosure requirement. The specific rules depend on the destination, so use that country’s official guidance.

• It cannot be used to bypass a destination’s entry restrictions.
• It does not remove a requirement to disclose information when a destination asks for it.

How We Applied for a Second Passport in 2021

I was very surprised at how easy it was for us to obtain a second passport. It had sounded incredibly difficult, but our application experience felt quite simple.

Check out our favorite passport holder to keep all of our passports in one place.

What Our Adult Application Included in 2021

1. For our adult applications, we included two passport photos.
2. We completed the form our 2021 instructions specified: the application listed for a new passport. Current form and eligibility rules may differ.
3. We included a short letter explaining why we needed a second passport. This is the wording we used:

• _Date
• _{To Whom It May Concern: We are applying for a second passport in order to apply for visas to Portugal and also travel to Brazil.  One set needs to be used to send with our visa application and the second set for International travel.}
• _Signature

4. For our 2021 application, we included a check for payment as the instructions directed.
5. For our application, we included proof of citizenship and identification. I also sent my original passport and did not receive it back in time; that was our experience, not current document guidance.
6. We mailed our application to the address listed in the instructions we used in 2021.

A few items to note:

• For our 2021 application, the instructions we followed asked us to list our travel date. 
• COVID-era processing estimates and emergency procedures in the version we followed are outdated. For current expedited or urgent-travel options, use the State Department’s current passport service guidance.
• In 2021, I tried to submit my application at the appointment with the kids, but the office would not accept mine with theirs; I had to send mine separately. Current application methods depend on the form and eligibility rules, so use the State Department guide above.

What We Submitted for Our Children in 2021

1. For each child, we provided two passport photos.
2. We completed the form our instructions specified and signed it at the office, in front of the acceptance agent: the new-passport application we used.
3. For our children’s applications, we brought their original birth certificates, which listed both parents.
4. We also brought a copy of each birth certificate. That was what our 2021 instructions called for.
5. We applied with both parents present in 2021. If one parent cannot attend today, consult the State Department’s current child-passport instructions for the required alternative documents.
6. We used our county passport office in Utah. To locate a passport acceptance facility for a current application, use the State Department’s facility search.
7. At our 2021 appointment, both parents appeared with the children and signed in front of the acceptance agent.
8. We included a check for the processing fee as the 2021 instructions directed.
9. The acceptance facility mailed our children’s applications for us in 2021.

Remember to note:

• For our 2021 applications, the instructions we followed asked us to list our travel dates.
• The COVID-era processing estimates and urgent-travel notes in our old checklist are no longer current. Check the State Department’s current expedited and urgent-travel guidance.

For current U.S. child passport applications for children under 16, the State Department says both parents or guardians should apply in person with the child or provide additional documents; its current guide for children under 16 explains the alternatives. These current rules are separate from the steps our family followed in 2021.

How Long Our Second Passports Were Valid

The State Department’s current guide says second-passport books are valid for four years or less; confirm eligibility and validity details there before applying.

When we got Chris’ second passport in New Zealand, it was only valid for two years.

The State Department says regular passports for children under 16 are valid for five years. A second passport book has its own limited validity, so check both the child-passport and second-book guidance for your application.

Other Advice to Note When Applying for a Second Passport:

• We now avoid keeping both sets of passports together when we can. We learned that the hard way when all 14 of ours were stolen at once.
• Which passport to show for a visa or border crossing depends on the destination’s current rules; check official guidance for each country on your itinerary.
• If any are stolen, report immediately here.
• If a visa outlasts the passport it is placed in, the destination’s rules determine whether you should carry both documents. Check the issuing country’s official guidance before travel.
  • Visa-validity periods vary by country and traveler; confirm the current terms with the issuing government.

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Our original family video: We Had The Worst Time In San Francisco!.

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