Passport and Visa Information
Applying for Your U.S. Passport the Easy Way
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs has prepared this publication to assist you in applying for your U.S. passport. This guide will give you information on where to apply, how to apply, and the best time to apply.
Other Than at Passport Agencies, Where Can I Apply for a Passport?
You can apply for a passport at over 4,500 passport acceptance facilities nationwide that include many Federal, state and probate courts, many post offices, some libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. These designated acceptance facilities are usually more convenient because they are near your home or workplace. (Most of the 13 passport agencies are designated to serve only those departing urgently and appointments are required.
When Do I Have to Apply in Person?
You must always apply in person if you are 13 or older, and if you do not meet the requirements for applying by mail. (See "May I Apply for a Passport by Mail?") Usually, for children age 12 and under, only a parent or legal guardian need appear to execute a passport application.
What Do I Need to Do to Apply for a Passport in Person?
1. Complete Application Form DS-11
  • Application forms can be obtained from any passport agency or acceptance facility (during their posted of hours of passport application acceptance), or the Internet at http://travel.state.gov/. Many Travel agents stock application forms for their clients as well. Please do not sign the DS-11 application form until instructed to do so.
2. Present Proof of U.S. Citizenship
  • Bring a previous U.S. Passport; or
  • If you were born in the U.S.....
    - a certified copy of your birth certificate issued by the state, city, or county of your birth (a certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office).
  • If you were born in the U.S. and have neither a U.S. Passport nor a certified birth certificate....
    - a notice from the registrar of the state where you were born that indicates no birth record exists; and
    - as many as possible of the following:
    a baptismal certificate, hospital birth record, early Census, early school record, or family Bible record. To be considered, these documents must show your full name, date, and place of birth; and
    - an affidavit completed by an older blood relative who has personal knowledge of your birth.
  • If you were born abroad.....
    - a Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen, or a Certification of Birth (Form FS-545 or DS-1350).
    If you do not have these documents, check with the passport acceptance agent for documents that may be used in their place.
3. Bring Two Photographs
  • Photographs must be recent (taken within the last 6 months), identical, 2x2 inches, and either color or black/white; and
  • they must show a front view, full face, on a plain, light (white or off-white) background. Vending machine photographs are not acceptable.
4. Proof of Identity
a valid driver's license, government or military ID; or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, or a previously issued passport (as long as it has an easily recognizable photo). If you have none of these, check with the passport acceptance agent for identification alternatives.
5. Pay Appropriate Fees
  • - $60 for a ten-year passport (age 16 and older);
  • - $40 for a five-year passport (age 15 and younger)
For applications requiring personal appearance by applicant or parent, the cost includes a $15 execution fee for the passport acceptance facility or passport agency. You may be required to pay this portion of the cost separately to the acceptance facility, with all of their passport fees paid to "Passport Services."
If paying in cash, all passport agencies and some acceptance facilities require exact cash; courts are not required to accept cash. Checks and money orders are accepted as well.
Passport agencies accept major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover) and debit cards (not ATM cards). Passports acceptance facilities are not required to accept these forms of payment.
If you need your passport in less than 5 weeks (25 business days) if applying at a passport agency, or in less than 6 weeks (30 business days) if applying at an acceptance facility, you will need to pay and additional $35 expedite fee to ensure urgent handling. (See "What If I Need a Passport in a Hurry?")
6. Provide a Social Security Number
Although a Social Security number is not required for issuance of a passport, Section 6039E of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 requires that passport applicants provide this information. Passport Services gives this information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) routinely. Any applicant who fails to provide the information is subject to a $500 penalty enforced by the IRS. Questions on this matter should be referred to the nearest IRS office.
May I Apply for a Passport by Mail?
Yes, if you already have a passport and that passport is your most recent one, and it was issued within the past 12 years, and if you were over age 16 when it was issued. Obtain DSP-82 "Application For Passport By Mail." (See "Where Can I Get Passport Forms?") Fill it out, sign, and date it.
Attach to it:
If your name changed since your previous passport was issued, enclose a certified copy of the court order, adoption decree, marriage certificate, or divorce decree specifying another name for you to use. (Photocopies will not be accepted.) If your name has changed by any other means, you must apply in person.
Mail (if possible, in a padded envelope) the completed DSP-82 application and attachments to:
National Passport Center
P.O. Box 371971
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7971
Your previous passport will be returned to you with your new passport.
If you wish to use an overnight service, and the service of your choice will not deliver to a post office box, send it to:
Passport Services - Lockbox
Attn: Passport Supervisor 371971
3 Mellon Bank Center, Rm. 153-2723
Pittsburgh, PA 15259-0001
Include the appropriate fee for overnight return of your passport. Please note that overnight service will not speed up processing time unless payment for expedited service is also included. (See "What If I Need a Passport in a Hurry?")
Note: *If your passport has been mutilated, altered or damaged , you cannot apply by mail. You must apply in person using Form DS-11, present evidence of U.S. citizenship, and acceptable identification. (If you mutilate or alter your U.S. passport, you may render it invalid and expose yourself to possible prosecution under the law (Section 1543 of Title 22 of the U.S. Code).)
When Should I Apply for a Passport?
Apply several months in advance of your planned departure. If you will need visas from foreign embassies, allow more time.
Where Can I Get Passport Forms?
Passport acceptance facilities stock passport forms. (See "Other Than at Passport Agencies, Where Can I Apply for a Passport?") Passport forms can also be downloaded from the Internet at http://travel.state.gov or obtained by calling the National Passport Information Center at 1-900-225-5674 or from the passport agencies.
What Happens to My Passport Application After I Submit It?
If you apply at a passport acceptance facility, the same day that you apply, your application will be sent to Passport Services for processing. You will receive our passport within 6 weeks, via first class mail. If you apply at a passport agency, you will receive your passport within 5 weeks (25 business days) via first class mail. Your passport will be mailed to the mailing address you provided on your application. If you need a passports sooner, see "What If I Need a Passport in a Hurry?"
What Should I Do if My Passport Is Lost or Stolen?
If your passport is lost or stolen report the loss on form DS-64, when you apply, in person for your new passport. If you are abroad, report the loss immediately to local police authorities and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Remember to write your current address in pencil in the space provided in your passport, so that, if it is found, it can be returned to you.
Do I need to Obtain a Separate Passport for My Baby?
Yes. All persons, including newborn infants, are required to obtain passports in their own names.
What Do I Do if My Name Changes?
If you need to get a valid passport amended due to a name change, use Form DS-5504. See "May I Apply for a Passport by Mail?" for the documentation needed to accompany the form and your current passport for amendment.
What Else Should I Know About Passports?
Before traveling abroad, make a copy of the identification page so it easier to get a new passport, should it be necessary. It is also a good idea to carry two extra passport size photos with you.
If you run out of pages before your passport expires, submit Form DS-4085, along with your passport to one of the passport agencies. (Please allow time for the processing of the request.) If you travel abroad frequently, you may request a 48-page passport at the time of application.
Some countries require that your passport be valid at least 6 months beyond the dates of your trip. Check with the nearest embassy or consulate of the countries you plan to visit to find out their entry requirements.
In addition to foreign entry requirements, U.S. law must be considered. With certain exceptions, it is against U.S. law to enter or leave the country without a valid passport. Generally for tourists, the exceptions refer to direct travel within U.S. territories or between North, South, or Central America (except Cuba).
For More Information
Visit Passport Services on the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov
- learn where to apply at one of the 4,500 passport acceptance facilities (designated post offices, clerks of court, other state, county or municipal offices and libraries)
- download application forms
- answer many of your passport informational questions
or
Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC)
Dial 1-900-224-5674 (TDD: 1-900-225-7778)
Customer Service Representatives are available Monday - Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, ET, excluding Federal holidays to provide information/answer questions, check the status of pending applications, and mail forms. Automated information available 24-hours/day, 7 days/week. These calls are $1.05 per minute to speak with Customer Service Representative, and $.35 per minute for automated service. *
Or dial 1-888-362-8668 (TDD: 1-888-498-3648)
(using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express)
Customer Service Representatives are available Monday - Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, ET, excluding Federal holidays to provide information/answer questions, check the status of pending applications, and mail forms. These calls require a credit card payment for a flat fee of $4.95 per call. This fee-for-service NPIC was opened in late 1996 without using tax dollars to ensure passport customers high-quality telecommunications service.
Department of State Publication 10629
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Revised July 1999
Passport Services