How to get your first US passport

Who must apply in person

First-time adults and anyone who can’t renew: for example if your last passport was lost, stolen or damaged, was issued more than 15 years ago, or was issued before you turned 16. Children under 16 always apply in person (see child passport).

What to bring

1. Form DS-11

   Fill it in and print it single-sided. Don’t sign it until the acceptance agent asks you to.

2. Proof of US citizenship

   For example a US birth certificate. Bring the original and a photocopy on one side of 8.5 × 11 inch paper. Digital or mobile birth certificates aren’t accepted.

3. Photo ID

   A physical ID such as a valid driver’s license, plus a copy of the front and back.

4. One passport photo

   A 2 × 2 photo that meets the rules. Don’t staple it to the form; the agent attaches it.

5. The fees

   Two payments: the application fee to the U.S. Department of State by check or money order, and the $35 acceptance fee to the facility.

Where to apply

At an acceptance facility such as a post office or library if you travel in more than three weeks. If you travel internationally within three weeks, make an appointment at a passport agency once you are within 14 days of your trip.

Passport card or book: where each one works

• Book: international travel by air, sea or land; domestic flights
• Card: land and sea travel from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and some Caribbean destinations; domestic flights; faster Ready Lanes at land borders. Not valid for international air travel

Passport card or book: fees

• First adult book: $130 + $35 acceptance fee; card: $30 + $35; both: $160 + $35
• Child under 16: card $15 + $35
• Adult renewal by mail or online: book $130, card $30, both $160

See all passport fees.

Passport card or book: the photo

Both use the same 2 × 2 passport photo. If you apply for both at once, one photo is enough.

Passport card or book: size and format

• Book: 5 × 3½ inches, with pages for visas and entry stamps
• Card: plastic and the same size as a credit card, with no visa pages. It fits in a wallet.
• Both are proof of US citizenship and identity.

Passport card or book: what each one costs in total

For a first passport, add the $35 acceptance fee to the State Department fee. The totals look like this.

• Adult book: $165. Adult card: $65.
• Child book: $135. Child card: $50.
• Applying for both at once saves $35 compared with two separate applications.
• Renewing only the card costs $30, against $130 for the book.

Passport card or book: adding a card when you already have a book

1. Check you have an adult book

   If you hold an adult passport book, you can apply for a card by mail. It is processed as a renewal, even if it is your first card.

2. Use the same form

   The book and card use the same forms. The first step asks whether you want a book, a card or both.

3. Pick mail or online

   You can renew online if you keep the same type, or if you get a book and card. Switching from a book to a card only, or the reverse, must go by mail.

4. Send one photo

   A printed application takes 1 photo. An online renewal takes a digital photo instead.

Passport card or book: how the card reaches you

The State Department sends passport cards only by USPS First Class Mail. The $26.87 1–3 day return delivery isn’t offered if you apply for a card only.

Current processing times are 4–6 weeks routine or 2–3 weeks expedited. Mailing can add up to 2 weeks each way.

If you need the document fast for travel, order the book with expedited service and 1–3 day delivery.

Passport card or book: children and the card

A child’s card, like a child’s book, is valid for 5 years. Children under 16 can’t renew either one. They apply again in person.

For a child under 16, both parents or guardians must approve. See child passport.

Questions