Apply for your first adult U.S. passport in person (Form DS-11)

Who applies in person with Form DS-11

If none of these applies to you and you still have your last adult passport, you may be able to renew by mail instead. Check the conditions in Renew your U.S. passport by mail.

Teen applicants

Applicants aged 16 or 17 apply in person, and at least one parent or legal guardian must know about the application.⁵

The adult fees in the table below apply to them.

Debts that can hold up a passport

An application is delayed or denied if you owe more than $2,500 in child support or have seriously delinquent federal tax debt that is not resolved first.⁶

What to bring

Do not sign Form DS-11 until the acceptance agent asks you to; the agent gives you an oath and watches you sign.⁸

Your original proof of citizenship goes with your application and comes back to you in a separate mailing. For the photo, see Passport photo requirements. No proof of citizenship at all? See the questions at the end of this guide.

Step by step

Checklist

What to bring to the acceptance facility

Print checklist

• Form DS-11, filled in and printed single-sided, not signed
• Original proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a U.S. birth certificate
• Photocopy of your proof of citizenship, one side only
• Physical photo ID, such as a valid driver's license
• Front-and-back photocopy of your photo ID
• A second ID, if your ID was issued by another state
• One passport photo, not stapled
• Check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State", with your name and date of birth on it
• Separate payment for the acceptance fee

Do and don't

Do

• Bring the original citizenship document and the photocopy: you need both.
• Pay the application fee and the acceptance fee as two separate payments.
• Ask for the book and the card at the same visit if you want both. The same forms are used for both; asking for the book and card together saves one $35 acceptance fee compared with applying separately.⁹
• Apply as early as you can, especially in the busy season (see "How long it takes").

Don't

• Don't sign Form DS-11 before the agent asks you to.
• Don't staple or glue your photo to the form.
• Don't plan to pay the application fee in cash; it is paid by check or money order.
• Don't mail Form DS-11 yourself: you hand it in at the facility.

Fees

These are government fees. The application fee is paid to the U.S. Department of State and the acceptance fee to the facility. Neither one is paid to Passmere.

By mail or at an acceptance facility, pay the application fee with a check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State", with the applicant's name and date of birth in the memo. The acceptance fee is paid separately to the facility. Online renewals are paid by credit or debit card.¹⁵ The application fee and the acceptance fee are not refunded, even if no passport is issued. Only the $60 expedite fee can be refunded when expedited service was not delivered on time.¹⁶

Where to apply

You apply at an acceptance facility, often a post office, a library or a local government office. Find one near you with the official search tool: iafdb.travel.state.gov¹⁷.

The acceptance agent reviews your documents, gives you the oath and watches you sign. The facility then sends your application to the State Department, so there is no mailing address for you to look up.

Living outside the United States and Canada? From outside the United States and Canada, the domestic mailing addresses do not apply; contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.¹⁸

How long it takes

• Routine processing: 4–6 weeks³.
• Expedited processing: 2–3 weeks¹⁹.
• Mailing can add up to 2 weeks²⁰ each way.
• Your proof of citizenship comes back up to 4 weeks²¹ after the new passport.

Demand is highest between late winter and summer; October to December is usually less busy.²²

Traveling soon? Read Urgent travel: getting a passport fast.

Frequently asked questions