Free guides
Guides
Passport and visa steps explained in plain language, with the official source for every fact.
Passport guides
Passport
Renew your U.S. passport by mail (Form DS-82)
Who can renew by mail, what goes in the envelope, what the government charges and where to send it, with the official source for every fact.
Passport
Apply for your first adult U.S. passport in person (Form DS-11)
Who must apply in person, what to bring to the acceptance facility, what the government charges and how long it takes, with the official source for every fact.
Passport
Get a U.S. passport for a child under 16 (Form DS-11)
Who must come with the child, what to do when a parent can't, what to bring, what the government charges and why a child passport can't be renewed.
Passport
Lost or stolen U.S. passport: report it and replace it
How to report a lost or stolen passport, why you replace it in person with Form DS-11, what to bring and what the government charges, with official sources.
Passport
Damaged U.S. passport: what counts and how to replace it
What counts as a damaged passport, why you replace it in person with Form DS-11, what to bring and what the government charges, with official sources.
Passport
Change the name on your U.S. passport or fix an error
Which form to use after marriage, divorce or a court order, when the change has no government fee, where to mail it, and how to fix a data or printing error.
Passport
Second U.S. passport book: who can get one and how to apply
Why the State Department may issue a second passport book, how long it lasts, the signed statement you add, and when you apply by mail or in person.
Passport
Passport card vs. passport book: which one you need
What the passport card can and can't do, how long each one lasts, what the government charges, and how asking for both at once saves a fee.
Passport
Urgent travel: how to get a U.S. passport fast
When you can book a passport agency appointment, what counts as a life-or-death emergency, expedited vs. routine times, and the extra fees for speed.
Entry requirements by country
Entry requirements
Brazil entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Brazil: the e-Visa, the government fee, how long you can stay and the passport rules, with the official source for each fact.
Entry requirements
India entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter India: the e-Visa, when to apply, the government fee, how long you can stay and the passport rules, with official sources.
Entry requirements
Egypt entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Egypt: the e-Visa or the airport visa, the government fee, how long you can stay and the passport rules, with official sources.
Entry requirements
Turkey entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Türkiye (Turkey): the visa-free rule, how long you can stay, the passport rules and the stamps to check, with official sources.
Entry requirements
Saudi Arabia entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Saudi Arabia: the visa rule, how long you can stay, the yearly limit and the rules for leaving the country, with official sources.
Entry requirements
Vietnam entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Vietnam: the e-visa, the official site, the government fee, how long it can last and the passport rules, with sources.
Entry requirements
Nigeria entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Nigeria: the tourism visa, the official e-Visa portal, how long you can stay, passport rules and required vaccines.
Entry requirements
Tanzania entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Tanzania: the visa, the official site, the government fee, how long each visit can last, passport rules and yellow fever proof.
Entry requirements
Kenya entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Kenya: the eTA, the official site, the government fee, passport rules, yellow fever proof and the travel advisory, with sources.
Entry requirements
Sri Lanka entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Sri Lanka: the ETA, the official site, the government fee, how long you can stay, extensions and the passport rule, with sources.
Entry requirements
Azerbaijan entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Azerbaijan: the e-visa, the government fee, how long you can stay, passport rules and registration, with official sources.
Entry requirements
Australia entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Australia: the ETA from the official app, the government charge, how long you can stay and passport rules, with official sources.
Entry requirements
New Zealand entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter New Zealand: the NZeTA, the fee and visitor levy, how long you can stay, passport rules and arrival checks, with official sources.
Entry requirements
China entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter mainland China: the visa, the Embassy fee, passport rules, registration and the visa-free exceptions, with official sources.
Entry requirements
Cambodia entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What a U.S. tourist needs to enter Cambodia: the visa on arrival or online, the Embassy fee, how long you can stay and passport rules, with official sources.
Entry requirements
United Kingdom entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What U.S. tourists need to visit the UK: the ETA, how to apply, the government fee, how long you can stay and the passport rule, with the official source for each.
Entry requirements
Indonesia entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What U.S. tourists need to visit Indonesia: the visa on arrival (e-VOA), the arrival card, the government fee, how long you can stay and passport rules, with sources.
Entry requirements
Thailand entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What U.S. tourists need to visit Thailand: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), how long you can stay, the cash rule and passport validity, with official sources.
Entry requirements
Jordan entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What U.S. tourists need to visit Jordan: the visa on arrival, the Allenby Bridge exception, the Jordan Pass, the government fee and how long you can stay, with sources.
Entry requirements
Ghana entry requirements for U.S. citizens
What U.S. tourists need to visit Ghana: the e-Visa, how to apply, the government fee, yellow fever proof, how long you can stay and passport rules, with sources.
Photos, fees, mailing and tracking
How-to
U.S. passport photo requirements: size, rules and how to attach it
The exact size, the rules a passport photo must meet, when a new look needs a new passport, and how to attach the photo to Form DS-82 or DS-11.
How-to
U.S. passport fees: what the government charges and how to pay
Government passport fees for adults and children, the acceptance fee, expedited service, faster delivery, no-fee cases, how to pay and what is refunded.
How-to
Where to mail your U.S. passport application (DS-82, DS-5504, DS-64)
The official mailing addresses for mail renewals, name changes and loss reports, why you never mail Form DS-11 yourself, and how to send your envelope safely.
How-to
U.S. passport processing times: routine, expedited and mail
How long a U.S. passport takes with routine or expedited service, how much time mail adds, when your documents come back and what to do if you travel soon.
How-to
Track your U.S. passport application status
Where to check your passport status, when the first update appears, what to do if the State Department writes to you, and when your documents come back.