| Applying for Your U.S.
Passport the Easy Way |
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United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs |
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| The Department of State's
Bureau of Consular
Affairs has prepared this publication to assist you in
applying for your U.S. passport. This guide will give you information
on where to apply, how to apply, and the best time to apply. |
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| Other Than at Passport Agencies,
Where Can I Apply for a Passport? |
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| You can apply for a passport at
over 4,500
passport acceptance facilities nationwide that include many
Federal, state and probate courts, many post offices, some libraries
and a number of county and municipal offices. These designated
acceptance facilities are usually more convenient because they are
near your home or workplace. (Most of the 13 passport agencies are
designated to serve only those departing urgently and appointments are
required. |
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| When Do I Have to Apply in Person?
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| You must always apply in person if you
are 13 or older, and if you do not meet the requirements for applying
by mail. (See "May
I Apply for a Passport by Mail?") Usually, for children age 12
and under, only a parent or legal guardian need appear to execute a
passport application. |
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| What Do I Need to Do to Apply for a
Passport in Person? |
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1. Complete Application Form DS-11
- Application forms can be obtained
from any passport agency or acceptance facility (during their posted
of hours of passport application acceptance), or the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov/. Many Travel agents stock
application forms for their clients as well. Please do not sign
the
DS-11 application form until instructed to do so.
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| 2. Present Proof of U.S.
Citizenship |
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- Bring a previous U.S. Passport; or
- If you were born in the U.S.....
- a certified copy of your birth certificate issued by the state,
city, or county of your birth (a certified birth certificate has a
registrar's raised, embossessed, impressed, or multicolored seal and
the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office).
- If you were born in the U.S. and
have neither a U.S. Passport nor a certified birth certificate....
- a notice from the registrar of the state where you were born that
indicates no birth record exists; and
- as many as possible of the following:
a baptismal certificate, hospital birth record, early Census, early
school record, or family Bible record. To be considered, these
documents must show your full name, date, and place of birth;
and
- an affidavit completed by an older blood relative who has personal
knowledge of your birth.
- If you were born abroad.....
- a Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship,
Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen, or a Certification of
Birth (Form FS-545 or DS-1350).
If you do not have these documents, check with the passport
acceptance agent for documents that may be used in their place.
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| 3. Bring Two Photographs |
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- Photographs must be recent (taken
within the last 6 months), identical, 2x2 inches, and either color
or black/white; and
- they must show a front view, full
face, on a plain, light (white or off-white) background. Vending
machine photographs are not acceptable.
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| 4. Proof of Identity |
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| a valid driver's license, government
or military ID; or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, or
a previously issued passport (as long as it has an easily recognizable
photo). If you have none of these, check with the passport
acceptance agent for identification alternatives. |
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| 5. Pay Appropriate Fees
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- - $60 for a ten-year passport (age
16 and older);
- - $40 for a five-year passport (age
15 and younger)
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| For applications requiring personal
appearance by applicant or parent, the cost includes a $15
execution fee for the passport acceptance facility or passport
agency. You may be required to pay this portion of the cost separately
to the acceptance facility, with all ofther passport fees paid to "Passport
Services." |
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| If paying in cash, all passport
agencies and some acceptance facilities require exact cash; courts are
not required to accept cash. Checks and money orders are
accepted as well. |
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| Passport agencies accept major
credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover)
and debit cards (not ATM cards). Passports acceptance
facilities are not required to accept these forms of payment. |
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| If you need your passport in less than
5 weeks (25 business days) if applying at a passport agency, or
in less than 6 weeks (30 business days) if applying at an
acceptance facility, you will need to pay and additional $35
expedite fee to ensure urgent handling. (See "What
If I Need a Passport in a Hurry?") |
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| 6. Provide a Social Security Number |
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| Although a Social Security number is
not required for issuance of a passport, Section 6039E of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 requires that passport applicants
provide this information. Passport Services gives this information
to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) routinely. Any applicant who
fails to provide the information is subject to a $500 penalty enforced
by the IRS. Questions on this matter should be referred to the nearest
IRS office. |
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| May I Apply for a Passport by Mail? |
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| Yes, if you already have a passport
and that passport is your most recent one, and it was issued within
the past 12 years, and if you were over age 16 when it was issued.
Obtain DSP-82 "Application
For Passport By Mail." (See
"Where Can I Get Passport Forms?") Fill it out, sign, and date
it. |
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| Attach to it: |
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| If your name changed since your
previous passport was issued, enclose a certified copy of the court
order, adoption decree, marriage certificate, or divorce decree
specifying another name for you to use. (Photocopies will not be
accepted.) If your name has changed by any other means, you must apply
in person. |
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| Mail (if possible, in a padded
envelope) the completed DSP-82 application and attachments to:
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National Passport Center
P.O. Box 371971
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7971 |
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| Your previous passport will be
returned to you with your new passport. |
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| If you wish to use an overnight
service, and the service of your choice will not deliver to a
post office box, send it to: |
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Passport Services - Lockbox
Attn: Passport Supervisor 371971
3 Mellon Bank Center, Rm. 153-2723
Pittsburgh, PA 15259-0001 |
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| Include the appropriate fee for
overnight return of your passport. Please note that overnight service
will not speed up processing time unless payment for expedited service
is also included. (See
"What If I Need a Passport in a Hurry?") |
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| Note: *If your
passport has been mutilated, altered or damaged ,
you cannot apply by mail. You must apply in person using Form
DS-11, present evidence of U.S. citizenship, and acceptable
identification. (If you mutilate or alter your U.S. passport, you may
render it invalid and expose yourself to possible prosecution under
the law (Section 1543 of Title 22 of the U.S. Code).) |
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| When Should I Apply for a Passport?
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| Apply several months in advance of
your planned departure. If you will need visas from foreign embassies,
allow more time. |
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| Where Can I Get Passport Forms? |
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| Passport acceptance facilities stock
passport forms. (See "Other Than at Passport
Agencies, Where Can I Apply for a Passport?") Passport forms
can also be downloaded from the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov or obtained by calling the
National Passport Information Center at 1-900-225-5674 or from the
passport
agencies. |
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| What Happens to My Passport
Application After I Submit It? |
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| If you apply at a passport acceptance
facility, the same day that you apply, your application will be sent
to Passport Services for processing. You will receive our passport
within 6 weeks, via first class mail. If you apply at a passport
agency, you will receive your passport within 5 weeks (25 business
days) via first class mail. Your passport will be mailed to the
mailing address you provided on your application. If you need a
passports sooner, see
"What If I Need a Passport in a Hurry?" |
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| What Should I Do if My Passport Is
Lost or Stolen? |
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| If your passport is lost or stolen
report the loss on
form
DS-64, when you apply, in person for your new passport. If you
are abroad, report the loss immediately to local police authorities
and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Remember to write your
current address in pencil in the space provided in your passport, so
that, if it is found, it can be returned to you. |
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| Do I need to Obtain a Separate
Passport for My Baby? |
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| Yes. All persons, including newborn
infants, are required to obtain passports in their own names.
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| What Do I Do if My Name Changes? |
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| If you need to get a valid passport
amended due to a name change, use
Form
DS-19. See "May I Apply for a Passport by
Mail?" for the documentation needed to accompany the form and
your current passport for amendment. |
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| What Else Should I Know About
Passports? |
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| Before traveling abroad, make a copy
of the identification page so it easier to get a new passport, should
it be necessary. It is also a good idea to carry two extra passport
size photos with you. |
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| If you run out of pages before your
passport expires, submit
Form
DS-19, along with your passport to one of the
passport agencies. (Please allow time for the processing of
the request.) If you travel abroad frequently, you may request a
48-page passport at the time of application. |
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| Some countries require that your
passport be valid at least 6 months beyond the dates of your trip.
Check with the nearest embassy or consulate of the countries you plan
to visit to find out their entry requirements. |
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| In addition to foreign entry
requirements, U.S. law must be considered. With certain exceptions, it
is against U.S. law to enter or leave the country without a valid
passport. Generally for tourists, the exceptions refer to direct
travel within U.S. territories or between North, South, or Central
America (except Cuba). |
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| For More Information
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Visit
Passport Services on the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov |
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- learn where to apply at one of the
4,500 passport acceptance facilities (designated post offices, clerks
of court, other state, county or mynicipal offices and libraries)
- download application forms
- answer many of your passport infomational questions |
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| or
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| Contact the National Passport
Information Center (NPIC)
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Dial 1-900-224-5674 (TDD:
1-900-225-7778)
Customer Service Representatives are available Monday - Friday, 8:30
am to 5:30 pm, ET, excluding Federal holidays to provide
information/answer questions, check the status of pending
applications, and mail forms. Automated information available
24-hours/day, 7 days/week. These calls are $1.05 per minute to speak
with Customer Service Representative, and $.35 per minute for
automated service. *
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Or dial 1-888-362-8668 (TDD:
1-888-498-3648)
(using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express)
Customer Service Representatives are available Monday - Friday, 8:30
am to 5:30 pm, ET, excluding Federal holidays to provide
information/answer questions, check the status of pending
applications, and mail forms. These calls require a credit card
payment for a flat fee of $4.95 per call. This fee-for-service NPIC
was opened in late 1996 without using tax dollars to ensure passport
customers high-quality telecommunciations service. |
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Department of State Publication
10629
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Revised July 1999 |
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Passport Services |
