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 16 :
For
All Minors Ages 16 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.
Secondary Evidence of U.S.
Citizenship
If you were born in the United States and
cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, you may submit
a combination of early public records as evidence of your U.S.
citizenship. Early public records must be submitted together with a
birth record or Letter of No Record (see
Secondary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship for additional acceptable
documentation). Early public records should show your name, date of
birth, place of birth, and preferably be created within the first
five years of your life. Examples of early public records are:
- Baptismal certificate
- Hospital birth certificate
- Census record
- Early school record
- Family bible record
- Doctor's record of post-natal care
Early Public Records are not acceptable when
presented alone.
Determine what form of
secondary evidence is most appropriate for your situation based on
the descriptions above. Each application is handled on a
case-by-case basis. The scenarios presented are intended as general
guidance.
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.
Passport Services & Information
From the State Department of the United States
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