An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

My Coast Guard

Subscribe to receive MyCG updates

Commentary | Feb. 9, 2024

Navigating the official passport application process 

By Passport and Visa Program

Official foreign travel can be exciting and stressful. There are numerous requirements to complete, including verifying if a special issuance passport is required. In order to reduce stress, follow these simple steps to apply for a special issuance passport. 

  1. Once you are alerted of pending travel, check the Foreign Clearance Guide to verify requirements of a special issuance passport. 
  2. If a special issuance passport is required, visit the USCG Passport and Visa Program’s SharePoint page for detailed instructions. 
  3. Routine processing takes approximately 8 weeks, so make sure to apply as soon as possible!  

Navigating the process of obtaining a special issuance passport for official foreign travel can seem daunting, but with proper preparation and adherence to the outlined steps, it becomes more manageable.  

The USCG Passport and Visa Program is your one stop shop for questions regarding special issuance passport and visa applications, and can be reached at uscgpassports@uscg.mil.  

 -USCG-

Resources:  
Passport Foreign Travel foreign policy Passport Process feature news

The U.S. Department of Defense is committed to making its electronic and information technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended in 1998. DoD websites use the WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standard.

For persons with disabilities experiencing difficulties accessing content on a particular website, please use the form DoD Section 508 Form.  In this form, please indicate the nature of your accessibility issue/problem and your contact information so we can address your issue or question. If your issue involves log in access, password recovery, or other technical issues, contact the administrator for the website in question, or your local helpdesk.