United States Passport Information

How to apply for a U.S. Passport

U.S. passports are issued only to U.S. citizens or nationals. Each person must obtain his or her own passport.

If you are a First-time applicant, please complete and submit your application in person. (Applicants under 13 years of age usually need not appear in person unless requested. A parent or guardian may execute the application on the child's behalf.) Each application must be accompanies by:

Proof of U.S. Citizenship
Proof of identity
Two photographs

Fees (as explained below) to one of the following acceptance agents:

A clerk of any Federal or State court of record or a judge or clerk of any probate court accepting applications.

A designated postal employee at a selected post office or an agent at a Passport Agency in Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Stanford, or Washington, D.C.; or a U.S. consular official.

if you have had a previous passport, inquire about eligibility to use Form DSP-82 (mail in application).

Address requests for passport amendment, extension of validity, or additional visa pages to a Passport Agency or a U.S. Consulate or Embassy abroad. Check visa requirements with consular officials of countries to be visited well in advance of your departure.

1. PROOF OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP

(a) Applicants born in the united states. Submit previous U.S. passport or certified birth certificate. A birth certificate must include your given name and surname, date and place of birth, date the birth record was filed, and seal or other certification of the official custodian of such records. A record filed more than 1 year after the birth is acceptable if it is supported by evidence described in the next paragraph.

IF NO BIRTH RECORD EXISTS, submit registrar's notice to that effect. Also submit an early baptismal circumcision certificate, hospital birth record, early census, school, or family Bible records, newspaper or insurance files, or notarized affidavits of persons having knowledge of your birth (preferable with at least one record listed above). Evidence should include your given name and surname, date and place ofbirth, and seal or other certification of office (if customary) and signature of issuing official.

(b) Applicants born outside the United States. Submit previous U.S. passport or Certificate of Naturalization, or Certificate of Citizenship, or a Report of Birth Abroad, or evidence described below.
If you claim citizenship through naturalization ofparents(s), submit the Certificate(s) of Naturalization of your parent(s), your foreign birth certificate, and proof of your admission to the United States for permanent residence.

IF YOU CLAIM CITIZENSHIP THROUGH BIRTH ABROAD TO U.S. CITIZEN PARENT(S), submit a Consular Report of Birth (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth (Form DS-1350 or FS-545), or your foreign birth certificate, parents marriage certificate, proof of citizenship of your parent(s), and affidavit of U. S. citizen parent(s) showing all periods and places of residence/physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.

2. PROOF OF IDENTITY

If you are not personally known to the acceptance agent, you must establish your identity to the agents satisfaction. You may submit items such as the following containing your signature AND physical description or photograph that is a good likeness ofyou: previous U.S. passport; Certificate of Naturalization or of Citizenship; drivers license (not temporary or learners license); or government (Federal, State, municipal identification card or pass. Temporary or altered documents are not acceptable.

IF YOU CANNOT PROVE YOUR IDENTITY as stated above, you must appear with an IDENTIFYING WITNESS who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien who has known you for at least 2 years. Your witness must prove his or her identity and complete and sign an Affidavit of Identifling Witness (Form DSP-71) before the acceptance agent. You must also submit some identification of your own.

3. TWO PHOTOGRAPHS

Submit two identical photographs of you alone, sufficiently recent to be a good likeness (normally taken within the last 6 months), 2x2 inches in size, with an image size from bottom of chin to top of head (including hair) of between 1 and 1 3/8 inches. Photographs must be clear, front view, full face, taken in normal street attire without a hat or dark glasses, and printed on thin paper with a plain light (white or offwhite) background. They may be black and white or color. They must be capable of withstanding a mounting temperature of 225 Fahrenheit (107 Celsius). Photographs retouched so that your appearance is changed are unacceptable. Snapshots, most vending machine prints, and magazine or full-length photographs are unacceptable.

4. FEES

Submit $65 if you are 18 of age or older. The passport fee is $55. In addition, a fee of $10 is charged for the execution of application. Your passport will be valid for 10 years from the date of issue except where limited by the Secretary of State to a shorter period. Submit $40 if you are under 18 years of age. The passport fee is $30 and execution fee is $10. Your passport will be valid for 5 years from the date of issue, except where limited as above.

Pay the passport and execution fees in one of the following forms: checks-personal, certified, travelers; bank draft or cashiers check; money order, U.S. Postal, international, currency exchange; or if abroad, the foreign currency equivalent, or a check drawn on a U.S. bank.

Make passport and execution fees payable to Passport Services (except if applying at a State Court, pay execution fee as the State court requires) or the appropriate Embassy or Consulate, if abroad. No fee is charged to applicants with U.S. Government or military authorization for no-fee passports (except State courts may collect the execution fee). Pay special postage if applicable.

U.S. PASSPORT RENEWAL

Procedures for Renewing Your Passport

What Do I Need To Send With The Application Form?

Your most recent passport.
A marriage certificate or court order if your name has changed.
Passport fee of $55.
Two recent (taken within the last 6 months) identical photographs with a light, plain background.

1. YOUR MOST RECENT PASSPORT. Issued at age 18 or older in your current name (or see item #2 below) and issued within the past 12 years. If your passport is mutilated or damaged, you must apply on the DSP-11 Application form as specified below.

2. A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OR COURT ORDER. Tf the name you are currently using differs from the name on your most recent passport, you must submit a marriage certificate or court order showing the change of name. The name change document MUST bear the official seal of the issuing authority. Uncertified copies or notarized documents can not be accepted. All documents will be returned to you with your passport. If you are unable to document your name change in this manner, you must apply on the DSP-II Application form by making a personal appearance at (1) a passport agency; (2) any Federal or State court of record or any probate court accepting passport applications; or (3) a Post Office which has been selected to accept passport applications.

3. THE PASSPORT FEE OF $55. Enclose the $55 passport fee in the form of a personal check or money order. DO NOT SEND CASH. Passport services cannot be responsible for cash sent through the mail. If you desire special postage other than first class (registered, special deliver, etc.) include the appropriate fee on the check. THE FULL NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH OF THE APPLICANT MUST BE TYPED OR PRINTED ON THE FRONT OF THE CHECK. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO PASSPORT SERVICES.

4. TWO RECENT IDENTICAL PHOTOGRAPHS. The photographs must have been taken within the past six months and be a good likeness ofyou. The photographs must be clear with a full front view of your face and taken on a light (white or off-white) background. Photographs may be in color or black and white and the image size must be 2x2 inches with an image size from bottom of chin to top of head (including hair) of between I and 1 3/8 inches. Photographs must be taken in normal street attire, showing you without head covering unless a signed statement is submitted indicating that the head covering is worn daily for religious or medical reasons. Dark glasses may not be worn in passport photographs unless a doctors statement is submitted supporting the wearing of dark glasses for medical reasons.

For Inquiries Contact: National Passport Center 31 Rochester Avenue Portsmouth, NH. 03801-2900 Telephone: (603) 334-0500

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS RESIDING ABROAD. United States citizens residing abroad CANNOT submit this form to the Passport Facility listed above. Such applicants should contact the nearest United States Embassy or Consulate for procedures to be followed when applying overseas.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS FOR OFFICIAL, DIPLOMATIC, OR NO-FEE PASSPORTS. You may use this application if you meet all of the provisions listed above. Submit you U.S. Government or military authorization for a no-fee passport with your application in lieu of the passport fee. CONSULT YOUR SPONSORING AGENCY FOR INSTRUCTION ON PROPER ROUTING PROCEDURES BEFORE FORWARDING THIS APPLICATION. Your completed passport will be released to your sponsoring agency for forwarding to you.

FEDERAL TAX LAW Section 6039E of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 requires a passport applicant to provide his/her name, mailing address, date of birth and social security number. If you have not been issued a social security number, enter zeros in box. Passport Services will provide this information to the Internal Revenue Service routinely. Any applicant who fails to provide the required information is subject to a $500 penalty enforced by the IRS. All questions on this matter should be referred to the nearest IRS office.

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT. The information solicited on a passport application form is authorized by, but not limited to, those statutes codified in Titles 8, 18, and 22, United States Code, and all predecessor statutes whether or not codified, and all regulations issued pursuant to Executive Order 1 1295 of August 5, 1966. The primary purpose for soliciting the information is to establish citizenship, identity, and entitlement to issuance of a United States passport or related facility, and to properly administer and enforce the laws pertaining thereto.

The information is made available as a routine use on a need-to-know basis to personnel of the Department of State and of their official duties; pursuant to a court order; and, as set other government agencies having statutory or other lawful authority to maintain such information in the performance of their official duties; pursuant to a court order; and, as set forth in Part 171, Title 22, Code ofFederal Regulations (see Federal Register, Volume 42, pages 49791 through 49795).

Failure to provide the information requested on a passport application form may result in the denial of a United States passport, related document, or service to the individual seeking such passport, document, or service .