How
to Apply in Person for a Passport
Should
You Apply In Person?
| You are applying for a U.S.
passport for the first time. |
Yes |
| Your previous U.S. passport
was lost, stolen, or damaged. |
Yes |
| Your previous U.S. passport
has expired & was issued more than 15 years ago. |
Yes |
| Your previous passport has
expired and it was issued when you were under 16. |
Yes |
| Your name has changed since
your passport was issued and you do not have a legal
document formally changing your name. |
Yes |
NOTES: All
persons must have their own passports, including infants. If you are
behind in child support payments, you may not be able to get a
passport. See Child
Support.
For All Minors Under Age 14 :
For
All Minors Ages 14 to 17:
- Each minor child shall appear in
person.
- For security reasons, parental
consent may be requested.
- If your child does not have
identification of his/her own, you need to accompany your child
and present identification.
- Follow instructions below.
To
Apply in Person for a U.S. Passport You MUST:
1.
Provide Application for Passport, Form DS-11
NOTE: Please
do NOT sign the DS-11 application form until the
Passport Acceptance Agent instructs you to do so.
2.
Present Proof of U.S. Citizenship
You
may prove U.S. Citizenship with any one of the following:
- Previous U.S. Passport
(mutilated, altered, or damaged passports are not acceptable as
evidence of U.S. citizenship.)
- Certified birth
certificate issued by the city, county or state
NOTE:
A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed,
impressed or multicolored seal, registrar’s signature, and the
date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which
must be within 1 year of your birth. Please note that some short
(abstract) versions of birth certificates may not be acceptable for
passport purposes.
A
Delayed Birth Certificate filed more than one year after your birth
may be acceptable if it:
- Listed the documentation used to
create it and
- Signed by the attending
physician or midwife, or, lists an affidavit signed by the
parents, or shows early public records.
If
you do NOT have a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth
certificate, you will need:
Letter of No Record
Issued
by the State with your name, date of birth, which years were
searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate
on file for you.
AND as many of the
following as possible:
- Baptismal certificate
- Hospital birth certificate
- Census record
- Early school record
- Family bible record
- Doctor's record of post-natal
care
NOTES:
These documents must be early public records showing the date
and place of birth, preferably created within the first five years
of your life. You may also submit an Affidavit of Birth, form DS-10,
from an older blood relative, i.e., a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling,
who has personal knowledge of your birth. It must be notarized or
have the seal and signature of the acceptance agent.
If
you were born abroad AND do not have a Consular Report of Birth
Abroad or Certificate of Birth on file, you will need:
If you claim citizenship through birth
abroad to one U.S. citizen parent:
- Foreign birth certificate,
- Proof of citizenship of your
U.S. citizen parent, AND
- An affidavit of your U.S.
citizen parent showing all periods and places of residence or
physical presence in the United States and abroad before your
birth.
If you claim citizenship through birth
abroad to two U.S. citizen parents:
- Your foreign birth certificate,
- Parent’s marriage certificate,
AND
- Proof of citizenship of your
U.S. parents and an affidavit of your U.S. citizen parents
showing all periods and places of residence of physical presence
in the United States and abroad before your birth.
NOTE:
The following are NOT proof of citizenship
- Voter registration cards
- Army discharge papers
All documentation submitted as
evidence of U.S. Citizenship will be returned with the issued
passport. See Processing
Times.
NOTE: If
you travel extensively, you may request more
Visa pages in your passport at no additional cost. To do so, please
attach a signed request for additional Visa pages to be added to
your application. 48-page passports
are no longer available in the U.S. or abroad.
3.
Present Proof of Identity
You
may prove your identity with any one of these, if you are
recognizable:
- Previous U.S. passport
(mutilated, altered, or damaged passports are not acceptable as
proof of identity.)
- Naturalization Certificate
- Current, valid
- Driver's license
- Government ID: city, state
or federal
- Military ID: military and
dependents
NOTE:
Your Social Security Card does NOT prove your identity. If none
of these are available , you will need:
- Some signature documents, not
acceptable alone as ID
(ex:
a combination of documents, such as your Social Security card,
credit card, bank card, library card, etc.) AND
- A person who can vouch for you.
He/she must:
- Have known you for at least 2
years,
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent
resident,
- Have valid ID, and
- Fill out a Form DS-71 in the
presence of a passport agent.
4.
Provide Two Passport Photos
Your
photographs must be:
- 2x2 inches in size
- Identical
- Taken within the past 6 months,
showing current appearance
- Color
- Full face, front view with a
plain white or off-white background
- Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches
from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
- Taken in normal street attire
- Uniforms should not be worn
in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily.
- Do not wear a
hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline.
- If you normally wear
prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar
articles, they should be worn for your picture.
- Dark glasses or
nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not
acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A
medical certificate may be required.
NOTE:
Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable
5.
Pay the Applicable Fee
Click
here to see passport fees.
Methods
of Payment:
At
Passport Agencies
Both
fees and the surcharge are combined into one payment to the ''U.S.
Department of State'':
- Credit Cards – VISA,
MasterCard, American Express, Discover
- Debit/Check cards (not ATM
cards)
- Checks (personal,
certified, cashiers', travelers'), money orders (U.S.
Postal, international, currency exchange), bank drafts
Note: If
abroad, U.S. Embassies and Consulates accept the foreign currency
equivalent, or a check drawn on a U.S. bank.
At
Passport Acceptance Facilities
You
pay the passport application fee and the security surcharge to the
''U.S. Department of State'' and the execution fee to the facility
where you are applying. For Passport Application Fee:
- Personal checks, money orders,
and bank drafts at all locations
- Exact cash at some locations
(verify with the Acceptance Facility)
For
Execution Fee:
- Money orders and bank drafts at
all locations
- Personal checks and exact cash
at some locations (verify with the Acceptance Facility)
- Credit cards at U.S. Postal
Facilities and some other locations (verify with the
Acceptance Facility)
Expedite
Fee: (See How
to Get Your Passport in a Hurry)
6.
Provide a Social Security Number
If
you do not provide your Social Security Number, the Internal Revenue
Service may impose a $500 penalty. If you have any questions please
call your nearest IRS office.
Where
to Apply for a Passport in the U.S.
Most
Passport Agencies now accept applications only by appointment. Click
here for more information.
Passport Services & Information
From the State Department of the United States
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