Passport Acceptance Agent Training System

Student Guide

Welcome to the Passport Acceptance Agent Training System (PAATS). This document is

intended to guide you through the technical requirements and functionality of the web-based

training system for Passport Acceptance Agents.

System Requirements

This training system is administered online and is optimized for use with newer web browsers.

The system works best with the latest versions of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

NOTE: If using Internet Explorer, version 8 is required. Many of PAATS features do not work with

Internet Explorer 7 and below.

Consult your local System Administrator if you are having issues with your web browser. If you

are unable to do so, please contact the Passport Acceptance Training Admin at

admin@passportacceptancetraining.com.

Login

All users will receive an email with a login link. This link is only valid for a one-time use.

The email will be sent from admin@passportacceptancetraining.com. If you do not receive the

email, please check your spam or junk email folder. If you still cannot locate the email, please

contact your Passport Customer Service Manager (CSM) to make sure your email address was

added correctly.

Click on the link to navigate to the PAATS system. Your username has been created for you by

your CSM and will appear at the top of the webpage above the password fields. You must

create a new password. Your password must contain a minimum of eight characters, including

at least one number, one lower case letter, one upper case letter, and one special character

such as !@#$%^&*. Retype your password to confirm that the two passwords match. Click the

button when you’re finished.

Once you have established your password, do not share this information with anyone. Although

the Passport Acceptance Agent Training system does not contain classified information, it does

contain sensitive information that is protected by password access. Information about PAATS

should not be shared with anyone.

After your password has been set, click the button to proceed to the PAATS. You will

land on your profile page. Ensure all information is correct on this page. Please contact your

Passport Customer Service Manager (CSM) to correct any errors found on your profile. Click on

the Home link in yellow in the middle of the top menu bar to go to the main page of the PAATS.

Now that you have created a password, you can login normally from now on. Navigate to the

website at http://passportacceptancetraining.com and you should see the following page:

Enter your username into the Username field, enter your password into the Password field,

and click the button. If you are on a personal computer, you may wish to select the

Remember username box; you will only need to enter your password for future logins.

Forgotten Password

If you forget your username or password, there is a prompt on the initial login page to have it

resent to your email address. If you need further assistance regarding your username and/or

password, you should contact your CSM. If you are unable to do so, contact the Passport

Acceptance Training Admin at admin@passportacceptancetraining.com and have it resent to your

email address.

If you have forgotten your password, click on the link below the login

fields. You will be directed to the following page:

Here you will enter the email address associated with your account. Once you enter your email

address, click the button.

You will then be directed to a new page notifying you that an email has been sent to the email

address you entered.

Click the button to return to the login page.

For security purposes, you will receive an email confirming that you have requested to have

your password reset.

Please click on the link to confirm, and you will be directed to the following page:

You should now receive an email containing a temporary password.

It may take up to 15 minutes for you to receive the email. If you have not received it after this

time has passed, please contact the Passport Acceptance Training Admin at

admin@passportacceptancetraining.com.

You will need to change your password using the link provided in the email. The link will direct

you to login using your temporary password. Input the temporary password into the Current

password field, then enter your new password in each of the New password fields and click the

button.

You should receive confirmation that you have successfully changed your password. Click the

button to continue to the PAATS.

Home Portal

Once you have logged in you will be taken to a screen that looks like this:

There are three tabs, under the top banner, that all students have access to:

1. Home - The main page contains enrolled online courses and training-related

announcements from the Department of State.

2. Transcript - The transcript tab is used to check your scores, completion date, and course

history. You are also able to print your certificate by clicking the icon listed under

“Certificate”.

3. Profile - The profile tab is used to view your profile and change your password. Select

“My profile settings” and then select “Change password” from the Administration block

on the left side of the page.

Which Course to Take? Currently there are two courses available, each for a different audience.

1. New Users – Individuals who are not certified as Passport Acceptance Agents by the

Department of State must take the Passport Acceptance Agent Training for New Agents.

There are 12 modules in this course that include content, scenarios, and an

assessment. You must complete all of the modules and receive an 80% or higher on

each assessment and on the Final Exam to receive your certificate.

2. Existing Users – Agents who have already been certified by the Department of State are

required to take “refresher” training every additional year to maintain their

certification. These users should take the Refresher Training for Existing Agents. This

course includes four modules that include content and scenarios as well as a Final

Exam. You must complete all of the content and receive a 90% or higher on the Final

Exam to receive your certificate.

Launching the Course

To launch the course, click on the course title found under “My Courses”.

This will launch the course and bring up the Course Overview page. Use the Next/Previous

buttons to navigate through the modules. The Next button will only show on the page once all

requirements have been met for the module. At the top of each screen, there is a navigation

bar to direct you to any previously unlocked modules.

Each module page will have an Overview section with instructions on how to complete it and

move on to the next module. All open content will have a button indicating the content has

been unlocked. All locked content will be grayed out with a Restricted message.

Navigation

Use the answer option buttons in the scenarios to navigate through the scenario.

Use the icons in the top indicator bar to navigate through the content.

In the module scenarios and content, click on the Exit Activity link in the upper right corner of

the page to return to the main module page.

Learning Journal

Use the Learning Journal block to add any notes while taking the training. Only you will be able

to see these entries.

Assessment Exams

Click on the assessment activity and then click the button to take the

assessment.

Answer each question by selecting the best answer(s). After all the questions have been

answered, click the button. Make sure all questions have been answered and click the

button. Click it again in the pop-up window that asks you to confirm

your submission.

This will submit your answers and display your results. The review page will show you which

questions you got correct, partially correct, or incorrect. The top of the page shows your total

percentage score. Students must receive an 80% or higher to pass the assessments and a 90%

or higher to pass the Final Exam.

After you have reviewed your results and scores, click Finish Review to return to the quiz

summary page.

To retake the assessment, click on the button. Retake the assessment as

many times as needed to achieve a passing score. Once you receive a passing score, the

button will unlock in order to move on to the next module.

Certificate

Once you have successfully reviewed all the lessons and completed all the assessments with a

passing score, you will be able to print a certificate. This is the last page of the course and will

become available once all requirements have been met.

Click the button to access your certificate and have it open in a new

window. Once the certificate is open, print it by selecting the Print icon in the upper right

corner of the window.

Completing Initial Training

Prospective agents who have completed the new agent-training course and received their

certificates of completion are not yet able to function as Passport Acceptance Agents.

These prospective agents will need to contact their CSMs and provide them with the

appropriate documentation. After the documentation has been received and the eligibility

requirements are met, the CSM will issue the new agent an Acceptance Agent ID number and

authorization. Prospective agents are not allowed to perform Passport Acceptance Agent

functions until they receive authorization from their CSM.

Technical Assistance

If you are having a problem that cannot be resolved by the information in the student guide,

please contact your CSM for technical assistance. If you are unable to do so, please contact the

Passport Acceptance Training Admin at admin@passportacceptancetraining.com.