Frequently Asked Questions about Passport Services (2024)

If you applied in person or renewed by mail, register for emails using theOnline Passport Status System.

We sent you a letter or email because we need more information from you to continue processing your passport. The letters and emails all have instructions for your case that you should follow. Go to ourRespond to a Letter or Email pagefor more information.

If you are flying internationally, you must provide a flight receipt or an itinerary. If you are traveling by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean, you can provide a hotel reservation, cruise tickets, or international car insurance. A print version of your proof of travel is required at most agencies.

Go to our Life-or-Death Emergency page to see if you are eligible for an appointment at one of our passport agencies and centers.

If you have waited over two weeks since the date we updated your application status to "Passport Mailed" and you have not received your passport, contact theNational Passport Information Center. Customer service representatives will help you complete a special form (known as theDS-86 form) which is a signed statement that you didn't receive your U.S. passport.

You have 90 days from the date your passport was issued to complete the DS-86 form. After 90 days, you must reapply and pay all fees.

After we print your passport, we will send it to you and return your supporting documents. How we send your passport and supporting documents depends if you applied for a book and/or a card and if you paid for 1-2 day delivery service of your completed passport book.

I applied for a passport book only:You may receive your newly-issued passport and your citizenship documents in two separate mailings.You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport before you receive a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We can send your passport book via a 1-2 day delivery service.

I applied for a passport card only:You may receive your newly-issued passport card and your citizenship documents in two separate mailings.You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport before you receive a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards via 1-2 day delivery services.

I applied for both a passport book and passport card:You may receive three separate mailings; one with your citizenship documents, one with your newly-issued passport book, and one with your newly-issued passport card.You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport book before you receive a second and third mailing with your passport card and citizenship documents.

I have been waiting more than 8 weeks and have not received my supporting documents. What should I do?

It may take 8 weeks after you receive your new passport for your supporting documents (e.g. birth certificate or previous passport) to arrive.If you have been waiting more than 8 weeks, contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to report that you have not received your documents.

Yes, in most cases, we will return the old, canceled passport to you. The old passport may be sent separately from your new passport and may not arrive for up to 8 weeks after you receive your new passport. We recommend keeping your old passport in a safe place as it is considered proof of your U.S. citizenship.

If your old passport is linked to a valid visa, you can still use the valid visa. You must travel with both your new and old passport in this case.

When you receive your new passport, the number on the document will be different from the number on your previous passport.

If you applied in person or renewed by mail, contact theNational Passport Information Center. You do not need to contact us if your address changedafteryou received your passport.

If your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo, you will need to apply for a new passport. Damage that might require you to replace your passport includes water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries.

Normal "wear and tear"of a U.S. passport is expected and does not count as "damage." Normal wear includes the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing.

If you need to replace your damaged passport, you will need to submit the following in person (SeeWhere to Apply):

• The damaged passport;
• A signed statement explaining the damaged or mutilated condition of your passport book and/or card;
• Form DS-11; and
• All documents required by Form DS-11, including citizenship documentation (i.e., birth certificate).

See How to Get My Passport Fast.

Processing times vary depending on the time of year. SeeApplication Processing Timesfor more information.

The cost of your U.S. passport will depend on the type of passport you request and how quickly you need it. SeePassportFeesfor more information on the cost of a U.S. passport book or a U.S. passport card and all associated services.

Go to our Passport Agency and Center page to see if you eligible for an appointment, and to learn how to make one.

No. We do not charge a fee to make an appointment. If you are asked to pay for an appointment, you should consider the request to be fraudulent. We are not affiliated with any third-party appointment booking services. We may not be able to honor appointments booked via third parties.

Form instructions can be found on each form or the following pages:

• Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport(First Time Applicants)
• Form DS-82: Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail (Renewals only)
• Form DS-5504: Application for a U.S. Passport - Name Change, Data Correction, and Limited Passport Replacement
• Form DS-64: Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport
• Form DS-3053: Statement of Consent - Issuing a Passport to a Minor Under Age 16
• Form DS-5525: Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circ*mstances - Issuing a Passport to a Minor Under Age 16

If you wereage 16 or olderwhen your passport was issued, your passport is valid for10 years.If you wereunder 16when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for5 years.

TheIssue Dateof your passport can be found on the data page of your passport book or on the front of your passport card.

Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.

Check ourCountry Informationto learn about entry and exit requirements for the country or countries in which you are traveling.

To learn about returning to the United States after your travel, visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's website.

You should have a U.S. passport if:

• You have family living or traveling abroad,
• You are thinking about a vacation abroad, or
• You have a job that could require international travel.

Some countries require that your passport has two to fourblank visa/stamp pages. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.

Yes. If you live in Canada, you may be eligible to renew your U.S. passport by mail. You cannot renew by mail from any other foreign country in the world. Follow the instructions on Form DS-82 and our Renew by Mail page. Send your application and supporting documents via Canada Post to one of two addresses (either for routine or expedited service) listed on Form DS-82. You must pay by check or money order in U.S. currency drawn from a U.S. bank.

You should renew in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate in Canada if you have urgent travel within the next 4 weeks. You must also apply at the embassy or consulate if you're applying for the first time or you're applying for your child's (under age 16) passport. To learn more, go to our Applying from Outside the United States page.

If you are changing your name within one year of the date your passport was issued, you will need to completeForm DS-5504: Name Change, Data Correction, and Limited Passport Book Replacement.

If you are changing your name more than a year after your passport was issued, you must submitForm DS-82: Renewal Application.

For more information, seeHow to Change or Correct a Passport.

Theexecution feeapplies to first-time applicants, children, and those replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged passport who must appear in person before an agent authorized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of State to give oaths to verify passport applications. In order to offer U.S. citizens convenient locations to apply for a passport, the Department of State authorizes Passport Acceptance Agents to accept passport applications on its behalf. The execution fee is to reimburse the acceptance facility for the cost of the service provided to the customer and to serve as an incentive for participation in the Passport Application Acceptance Program.

When applying for both the passport book and card on the same application, you pay onlyoneexecution fee. The execution fee does not apply to adult passport book or card renewals when submitting Form DS-82.

Bulk quantities of passport forms are now available from the U.S. Government Publishing Office.

• Form DS-11:Application for a U.S. Passport(for all first-time applicants, children under 16, and applicants not eligible to use the DS-82 form)
  • Stock Number: 044-000-02510-8
• Form DS-82:U.S. Passport Renewal Application
  • Stock Number: 044-000-02511-6

Orders May Be Placed:

1. By Phone:Call(202) 512-1800, Monday-Friday (except on federal holidays)
2. By Fax: Fax to (202) 512-2250, Monday-Friday (except on federal holidays)
3. By Mail: Write to

Superintendent of Documents
P.O. Box 371954
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954

Please mail the passport in a sturdy envelope to:

ATTN: U.S. Department of State
Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Unit (CLASP)
CA/PPT/S/TO/LE
44132 Mercure Circle
PO Box 1227
Sterling, VA 20166-1227

For complete details, please see Selecting Your Gender Marker.

Yes, but only if you are renewing your U.S. passport online on our website.

We paused the limited release of our online passport renewal application in March 2023.We look forward to launching the enhanced application in a full, nationwide release later this year.

Yes. Please return the passport of a deceased relative for cancelation. We can return the passport after it is canceled.

Please submit:

• The valid passport,
• Acertifiedcopy of your relative's death certificate, and
• A letter requesting the cancelation and return (or destruction) of the passport

Please mail to:

U.S. Department of State
Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Unit (CLASP)
CA/PPT/S/TO/LE
44132 Mercure Circle
P.O. Box 1227
Sterling, VA 20166-1227

Yes, but only if you have a valid U.S. passport book and you meet several additional requirements. Learn more to see if you are eligible.

No, you cannot.Applicants who need additional pages in their valid passports must obtain a new passport by mail. On your passport form, select the option for a "large book" when applying for a new passport.

Yes.The U.S. passport book and passport card are alternatives to a state-issued REAL ID and can be used for domestic flights.

According to theDepartment for Homeland Security, residents of all states will soon have to use a Real ID compliant ID for domestic air travel.Not sure if your state’s driver’s license and ID are Real ID compliant? Checkyour state’s status. For a complete list of acceptable forms of identification to fly domestically visit REAL ID.

Yes. U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem will be able to request either “Jerusalem” or “Israel” as their place of birth when applying for U.S. passports, and either “Jerusalem” or “Jerusalem, Israel” when applying for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs) and Consular Reports of Death Abroad (CRDAs).

Please note you do not need to reapply for a new U.S. passport, CRBA, or CRDA because your document will remain valid after this change in our policy. If you choose to renew or reapply for a consular document with the new place of birth designation, you must pay all applicable fees.

U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem who do not specify their place of birth on applications for consular services as “Israel” will continue to be issued documents that indicate their place of birth as “Jerusalem.”

Please visit our International Megan's Law page.

The Special Issuance Agencyissues passports to U.S. citizens traveling abroad for the U.S. government, their dependents, and certain others who are exempt by law from payment of the passport fee. You can access SIA'ssiteonly if you are using a U.S. government computer or device.

Since 2007, we have issued only electronic passports. An electronic passport has a small integrated circuit (or “chip”) embedded in the back cover.

The chip securely stores:

• The same information visually displayed on the photo page of the passport,
• A biometric identifier in the form of a digital image of the passport photograph, which facilitates the use of facial recognition technology at ports-of-entry,
• The unique chip identification number, and
• A digital signature to protect the stored data from alteration.

If the chip fails, the passport remains a valid travel document until its expiration date.You will continue to be processed by the port-of-entry officer as if you had a passport without a chip.

The most visible changes to the Next Generation Passport book are the polycarbonate, multi-layered plastic, data page, and the passport number, which now includes both letters and numbers.

Yes, this is a legitimate email and the links in the email will take you directly to this website. We are emailing many customers who have passports expiring in the next year and reminding them to renew. The subject line of the email will be:

• Act Now - Renew Your U.S. Passport!, or
• Act Now - Renew Your Child's Passport!

We are placing Quick Response (QR) code stickers on the back of passport books to give you easy access to important passport and travel information. You may remove the sticker, though we recommend keeping it on so you have quick and easy access to our website. If you scan the code using the camera on your mobile device, it will link you to our website. If you do not wish to scan the code, you can also access the After I Get My Passport webpage. The QR code is identical on all passport books, does not contain any personally identifiable information, nor does it change the way border officials, airlines, and others review your document. We are not currently placing QR code stickers on passport cards.

On a passport for a child under 16, a parent should print the child's full name on the signature line. The parent should also sign their name next to the printed name of their child, and note their relation to their child (example: mother, father, or guardian).

Yes. For a complete explanation of Parental Consent for a Minor's passport application go toChildren Under 16.

You cannot renew your child's passport. If your child is under age 16, your child must appear in person with you and the child's other parent or guardian to apply. A child's application must besubmitted in personat apassport agency or an acceptance facility.

Parents may enroll their U.S. citizen children under the age of 18 in theChildren’s Passport Issuance Alert Program(CPIAP), one of the Department of State’s most important tools for preventing international parental child abduction. If a passport application is submitted for a child who is enrolled in CPIAP, the Department attempts to alert the parent or parents to verify whether the parents approve passport issuance.

If the mailing address you provided on your child's application has changed and you're waiting for his or her U.S. passport book, passport card, or return of citizenship evidence documents, please contact theNational Passport Information Center. You do not need to contact us if your child's address changedafteryou received their passport.When completing your child's passport application, we recommend you add your name in the “In Care Of” part of the Mailing Address section on Form DS-11.

Yes.22 U.S.C. 2714aand22 C.F.R 51.60(f)requires you to provide your Social Security number, if you have one, when you apply for a U.S. passport or renewal of a U.S. passport.

If you fail to provide the information, you will encounter a delay in processing and/or denial of your passport application. You will also be subject to a $500 penalty enforced by the IRS pursuant to Section 6039E of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6039E). All questions on this matter should be directed to the nearest IRS office.

If you would like to apply for a U.S. passport, and you don’t have a Social Security number, you will need to submit a statement, signed and dated, which includes the phrase, “I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the following is true and correct: I have never been issued a Social Security number by the Social Security Administration.”

You will need to submit a statement, signed and dated, which includes the phrase, “I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the following is true and correct: (Child's full name) has never been issued a Social Security number by the Social Security Administration.”

If you submit an application for a U.S. passport and do not provide a Social Security number, you will encounter a delay with the processing and/or denial of your passport application. Contact theSocial Security Administrationfor information about obtaining a new or replacement Social Security number and card.

If you are outside the United States, we may be able to issue you a limited passport for direct return to the United States only. If you are in the United States, we cannot issue you a passport unless you provide your Social Security number.

The passport card is the wallet-size travel document that can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border-crossings and sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. The card provides a less expensive, smaller, and convenient alternative to the passport book for those who travel frequently to these destinations by land or by sea.The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

The passport card was designed for the specific needs of northern and southern U.S. border communities with residents that cross the border frequently by land. The passport book is the only document approved for international travel by air.

See the Department of Homeland Security'sWestern Hemisphere Travel Initiativesite.

You use the same form that you would use to apply for a passport book (DS-11 or DS-82). There is a checkbox on the form for you to indicate that you are applying for a passport card.

If you already have a passport book and you are eligible to use Form DS-82 (renewal by mail), you may apply for a passport card using DS-82 even if this is your first passport card. Otherwise you will need to use form DS-11 to apply for a passport card.

Yes, simply check the appropriate box at the top of the form to indicate that you would like to apply for both products.

If you already have a passport book and are eligible to useForm DS-82, you may apply for your new passport card by mail using Form DS-82. You may renew your passport book at the same time using the same form.

The cost of your U.S. passport will depend on the type of passport you request and how quickly you need it. SeePassport Feesfor more details.

SeeProcessing Times. The processing time for the passport card is the same as for the passport book. Please note: passport cards are sent to you via First Class Mail. We do not send cards using a 1-2 day delivery service.

Only one photo is required.

Contact theVital Statistics officein the state where you were born.

If you were born in the United States, you will need to provide several different documents to us:

• A letter of no record issued from the vital statistics office of the state of your birth with your name and what years were searched for your birth record.
• Early public records to prove your birth in the United States.

If you were born outside the United States and your U.S. parent(s) did not register your birth at the U.S. embassy or consulate, you may apply for a U.S. passport. You will need:

• Your foreign birth certificate showing both of your parents' names
• Evidence of your parent(s) U.S. citizenship and
• Your parents' marriage certificate

To learn more, visit ourCitizenship Evidencepage.

Request copies of a:

Certification of Report of Birth

Consular Report of Birth Abroad

Panama Canal Zone Birth Certificate

If your Consular Report of Birth Abroad is lost, damaged, or you need to amend it, learn how toRequest a Replacement.

Go to ourCertificate of Witness to Marriage Abroadpage for more information.

Request one or more copies of aConsular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad.

SeeGet Copies of Passport Records.

You must submit one photo with your passport application.

Photos must be printed on matte or glossy photo quality paper.

Yes, your photo must be in color. A black and white photo will not be accepted.

Your photo must have been taken within 6 months of submitting your application and reflect your current appearance.

The photo must be exactly 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) if you are submitting your application in person or mailing it in.

You must directly face the camera. Profile shots will not be accepted. Your expression should be neutral with both eyes open and directly facing the camera. Photos with exaggerated expressions and squinting will not be accepted.

Your head should be between 1 inch and 1-3/8 inches (between 25 and 35 mm) from the bottom of your chin to the top of your hair if you are applying in person or by mail.

No, you may not. Just take them off for your passport photo.

If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, you'll need to obtain and submit a signed statement from your doctor with your passport application.

No, you may not. Just take them off for your passport photo.

If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, you'll need to obtain and submit a signed statement from your doctor with your passport application.

You may wear a hat or head covering, but you must submit a signed statement that verifies that the hat or head covering is part of recognized, traditional religious attire that is customarily or required to be worn continuously in public or a signed doctor's statement verifying the item is used daily for medical purposes.

Your full face must be visible and your hat or head covering cannot obscure your hairline or cast shadows on your face.

No, the child must be the only person in the photo. Nothing used to support the child should be in the camera's frame, including the arms or hands of a parent holding the child.

Uniforms, clothing that looks like a uniform, and camouflage attire cannot be worn in the photo except in the case of religious attire that is worn daily.

It is acceptable ifan infant's eyes - particularly a newborn's eyes - are not entirely open. All other children must have their eyes open and look straight ahead towards the camera.

When taking a photo of your baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open.

• Lay your baby on a plain white or off-white sheet. This will ensure your baby's head is supported and provide a plain background for the photo. Make certain there are no shadows on your baby's face, especially if you take a picture from above with the baby lying down.
• Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white sheet and take a picture of your child in the car seat. This will also ensure your baby’s head is supported.

Yes, you can use a digital camera.

No, you can not digitally alter a photo to remove red eye. You will have to submit a new photo without red eye.

Copied or digitally scanned photos of official documents will not be accepted. In addition, photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way.

No. Snapshots, magazine photos, and low-resolution, vending machine photos are not acceptable for passport purposes.

Only if your appearance has significantly changed from what is in your photo. Growing a beard or coloring your hair is not a significant change. If you can still be identified from the photo in your current passport, you do not need to apply for a new passport.

You may have toapply for a new passportif you have:

• Undergone significant facial surgery or trauma
• Added or removed numerous/large facial piercings or tattoos
• Undergone a significant amount of weight loss or gain
• Completed a gender transition

If the appearance of your child under the age of 16 has changed due to the normal aging process, you do not need to apply for a new passport for your child.

Yes, you can wear jewelry and piercings and show your tattoos. Jewelry and piercings should not block large portions of your face. Permanent tattoos are fine for your photo as well and don't need to be covered.