Passports & Visas
Butler University is an IIE American Passport Project recipient!
Want to get a FREE passport? Grants are available for first year Pell Grant eligible students. Learn more.
How to Get/Renew Your Passport
U.S. citizens leaving the United States must be in possession of a valid U.S. passport. When studying abroad, your passport must be valid for at least six months past the end of your program – if it is not, you must renew your passport prior to leaving the country. Please consult the U.S. Department of State’s website regarding cost for a new or renewed passport. All passports are valid for ten years and take approximately six weeks to process. Additional fees apply for expedited service. Detailed information including a downloadable passport application, instructions, and frequently asked questions can be found on the U.S. Department of State’s website.
Passport Acceptance Facilities in Indianapolis
For more agent hours and location information, visit the Department of State’s Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page.
- USPS Passport Agent—Bacon Station Branch
2727 E. 55th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317-464-6820 - USPS Passport Agent—Eagle Creek Branch
6401 Gateway Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46254-9998
317-464-6814 - USPS Passport Agent—Main Office Window Services
125 W. South St.
Indianapolis, IN 46206-9631
317-464-6876 - USPS Passport Agent—Nora Branch
1300 E. 86th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46240
317-464-6840 - USPS Passport Agent—East Gate Station
740 N. Shortridge Rd.
Indianapolis, IN 46219-9998
317-464-6819 - USPS Passport Agent—Park Fletcher Branch
2760 Fortune Circle East
Indianapolis, IN 46241-9998
317-464-6841 - USPS Passport Agent—Carmel Branch
275 Medical Drive
Carmel, IN 46032
317-846-2489 - USPS Passport Agent—Castleton Branch
8710 Bash Street
Indianapolis, IN 46256-9998
317-464-6850 - USPS Passport Agent—Southport Branch
1701 E. Edgewood Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46227-9996
317-464-6827 - USPS Passport Agent – Brownsburg Branch
411 E. Northfield Dr.
Brownsburg, IN 46112
317-852-3943
Visas
All governments require foreigners to have an appropriate visa to reside in their country. This endorsement or stamp placed in your passport by a foreign government permits you to enter that country for a specified purpose. In most instances you must obtain the necessary visa before you leave the United States. Some visas cost money; others do not. Visa processing can take anywhere from several hours to several weeks. Apply for your visa directly from the embassy or nearest consulate of the country in which you plan to reside. If you are going on a 3rd Party Provider program, please consult your provider to determine if and how they assist you with obtaining your visa.
The Center for Global Education has a Study Abroad Visa Basics presentation – please review this video prior to starting your visa process to answer many of your basic questions. This video is only 20 minutes long.
Links includes in this presentation are:
- U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories (slide 4)
- What is a consulate? (slide 6)
- What is a jurisdiction? (slide 6)
- FBI Identity History Summary Checks (slide 9)
While the CGE is not a visa office, they can help with the process as much as possible. The consulate is always the best place to get up-to-date information.
If studying abroad in Europe, you may be required to obtain a Schengen visa. The Schengen area is comprised of the following 26 countries that have agreed to allow free movement of their citizens within this area as a single country: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. For more information on the health insurance visa requirements for the Schengen visa, please see the CGE’s webpage on Health Insurance While Abroad.