Passport Information

Follow the steps below to apply for a new Passport.

STEP 1: Fill Out Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport

Fill out Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport online or by hand.  Please note that you:

• Must not sign the application until instructed to do so by the Acceptance Agent
• Must provide your SSN in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6039E.  Failure to provide your Social Security Number may result in significant processing delays and/or the denial of your application.

STEP 2: Submit Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport In Person

You must submit Form DS-11 in person at an Acceptance Facility or Passport Agency

NOTE: There are special submission requirements for All Minors Under Age 16

STEP 3: Submit Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

When applying for a U.S. passport in person, evidence of U.S. citizenship must be submitted with Form DS-11. All documentation submitted as citizenship evidence will be returned to you. These documents will be delivered with your newly issued U.S. passport or in a separate mailing.

*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, some short (abstract) versions of birth certificates may not be acceptable for passport purposes.

NOTE: If you do not have primary evidence of U.S. citizenship or your U.S. birth certificate does not meet the requirements, please see Secondary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship.

STEP 4: Present Identification  

When applying for a U.S. passport in person, acceptable identification must be presented at the time of application.

NOTES:

• If you cannot submit primary identification, please see Secondary Identification.
• If you apply at an Acceptance Facility and submit out-of-state primary identification, you must present an additional ID document, as well. For example, if you apply in Maryland with a Virginia Driver's License, you must present a second ID containing as much of the following information as possible: your photo, full name, date of birth and the document issuance date.
• If you have undergone or are going through gender transition, please see these additional requirements.

STEP 5: Submit a Photocopy of the Identification Document(s) Presented (Step 4)

Bring a photocopy of the front and back of each ID document that you will present when you apply.

• Photocopy must be on plain white, 8 1/2 x 11" standard paper stock, showing the front and the back of your ID
• Photocopy must contain images on only one-side of each page submitted.
  • If copies cannot be made on the same side of one page, you may present two separate pages; one displaying the front of the ID and the second displaying the back of the ID.
• The paper should be free of other images and/or markings.
• The 8 1/2 x 11" paper size cannot be substituted with a larger or smaller size paper, even if the alternative folds down to the 8 1/2 x 11" size.
• You may enlarge the image of your ID on the 8 1/2 x 11" page, but you may not decrease the size of the image.

Other situations that require a photocopy of identification, but are less common, include:

• If you are presenting Secondary Identification, you must provide a photocopy of the front and back of each document being presented with your application.  A photocopy of your credit card will not be requested if it is to be presented with Secondary Identification.
• If you submit out-of-state primary identification, you must provide a photocopy of your primary identification document and the second ID to be presented with your application.  Both sides of all identification documents must be photocopied according to the photocopy requirements above.  If a credit card is presented as your second ID, a photocopy will not be requested.
• An assistant to a disable applicant who witnesses the signature or signs on the disabled applicant's behalf must present a photocopy of his or her ID
• A person acting as an Identifying Witness must present a photocopy of his or her ID

STEP 6: Pay the Applicable Fee

Please see Current Passport Fees and methods of payment.

STEP 7: Provide Two Passport Photos

To avoid processing delays, be sure your photographs meet all quality requirements and are properly submitted with your application.

• When submitting Form DS-11 in person, your photos should not be attached to the form. 
• When submitting Form DS-82 by mail, staple one photo to the application within the space provided using four vertical staples, one in each counter. Enclose the second photo with your application, unattached.

Your Photographs Must Be:

• Identical
• In color
• 2 x 2 inches in size
• Printed on thin, photo-quality paper
• Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
• 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)

NOTES:

• Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable
• Professional photographers see Guidelines for Producing High Quality Photographs for U.S. Travel Documents

For more information on visas and passports, visit http://travel.state.gov/passport