When I book flights to the US, the website usually asks where my American passport was issued. I got it sorted at the US Embassy and mailed to me here in Amsterdam, but in the actual passport it says it was issued by the US Department of State and makes no mention of the Netherlands at all. I have been marking that it was issued in the United States, and have had no problems, but am just curious if that's correct or not for a bureaucrat. I did have an emergency passport issued to me ages ago in London, and it clearly said it was issued in London.

I got my passport renewed a 5 years ago here in The NL and under ´Authority´ it says ..

US Consulate General Amsterdam.

I would use what it says under ´Authority´ and not worry about it.

Agree, don't sweat it, just put what is under Authority. But that's funny... I thought consulates themselves haven't been authorities for issuing passports for years?--ever since they centralized the manufacture of passports post-9/11. I renewed mine through the consulate in Amsterdam in 2003, but the issuing Authority in mine is National Passport Center, which, if you're wondering where that actually is, is Pittsburgh (which in my personal experience, is where all roads lead back to...)

Umm that's a good point.

I know in my case they had to do a rush job because I was going to China for 5 weeks and midway ... my passport would have expired.

It was about a 2 day turnaround time though ... so I don't think they could have gotten it to Pittsburgh and back in that time.

I think they just worked it up right there in Amsterdam .. or maybe they is a centralized agency here in Europe where they are all sent?

I don't know though because 2 days does leave much leeway in terms of mailing it anywhere.

Actually they can do it in 2 days via Pittsburgh with scanning of your documents in Amsterdam, then urgent jobs can be done overnight. They still need your photo but they can start any checks needed with the scanned info.
Then, they overnight in both directions and the processing in Pittsburgh of non urgent requests is a couple of days.

I think this is a pre- 9/11 thing that is left over. It used to be that the passport was issued at such & such a place - my old one was Passport Office, Washington, D.C., but now they are all under the authoirty of the US Dept. of State. So, I wouldn't worry about it.

Yeah, if it says Dept. of State under Authority then it was issued in the US and sent to you. I think they all are issued in the US now. I think it is a lot more centralized than it used to be.

Umm .. but like I said, I had mine renewed here in Amsterdam after 9/11 an under Authority it says 'US Consulate General Amsterdam'.

They don't do that anymore. Except in very rare occasions, if your passport is issued outside of the USA it just says "Authority: United States Department of State". This change seems to coincide with the new chip passports.

Well, that was in 2005 and I do have the new chip passport ... but whatever.

Actually ouloveit you are wrong in the OP's circumstance since it wasn't actually made/issued by the Consulaat. If it was issued in the US but sent here in the Netherlands it would be issued by the US Secretary of State/ US General, whatever it says on the picture page of your passport. Mine says the same exact thing and that is what I had to put on my IND application.

Umm what do you mean I was wrong?

The OP was inquiring about what he should use when asked where his passport was issued.

I just replied that my passport says it was issued at the ... US Consulate General Amsterdam and that I would use what it says under ´Authority´ and not worry about'.

Geesh - he doesn't have to take my advice. I was just suggesting that he use whatever it says under 'Authority' but if he wants to use what's on the picture page of his passport like you are now saying ... ahhh okay.

It's a free country.

Actually, I was just explaining why it is wrong, and it is probably important to get the right issuer on there; the only reason I know about it is because I did it myself before. I don't know where you get the feeling that I'm dumping on you because I'm not, just offering my experiences. Lol, calm down.

Umm I don't need calming down?

I just offered my opinion of what the OP should do. If your opinion is different (shrugs) .. okay..

(I think it was the bold font...People can interpret it either as making a point or sounding peed off... )

Well there's no point in beginning an argument but I just find the way you type to be filled with quite a lot of attitude, and not necessarily always a nice one. And yes, you're entitled to do that.

You'll have to try to get used to that...

I will only say, no, in terms of my former statement of wishing not to start an argument.