Below are all the essentials to obtain either an American passport or a passport card: regulations, charges, guidelines, photographs, application forms, and directions.
All individuals who hold U.S. citizenship, including minors, must obtain passports in their own legal names when traveling overseas or returning to the United States. Passports also meet the criteria for Real ID purposes.
It is not permitted for any individual to possess more than one valid or potentially valid U.S. passport of the same category at a given time, unless authorized by a passport issuing office. The following is a summary of the passport application procedure, compiled using information provided by the U.S. State Department. More details can be found on their website at travel.state.gov.
Through the official form finder at
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/form-finder.html, you can download PDF versions of all applications.
First-Time Passport Applications
If you are seeking your initial U.S. Passport, it is mandatory to visit one of the over 5,000 designated facilities that accept passport applications, such as Clerks of Court and Post Offices. These facilities can be found by visiting travel.state.gov or reaching out to the National Passport Information Center at 877/487-2778. The following documents are required for your application:
Please bring one form of proof of United States citizenship or nationality, such as an expired U.S. passport, a certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a government office (not a hospital), a Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Additionally, please bring a one-sided photocopy of the document.
Please provide proof of identity by presenting a photo identification document with a signature. This may include a previous or current U.S. driver’s license, a passport, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship
or a valid government or military identification card. Additionally, here is a list of other identification documents that are acceptable. It is also advised to bring a one-sided photocopy of the selected identification document.
Please provide one recent passport photograph, taken within the past six months. Please avoid using any ID photos that were taken prior to this time period. The dimensions of the photograph should be 2×2 inches (51 mm x 51 mm), with your head measuring approximately 1 and 1 3/8 inches (25–25 mm) in height. If submitting a digital image, it should fall between 600×600 pixels and 1200×1200 pixels. You can use the cropping tool available on the State Department’s website for this purpose. The photograph must be in color and show a front view of your face, without wearing any uniforms or camouflage. Additionally, please refrain from wearing hats or glasses. White or off-white should be the backdrop color.
It is essential that the photo be taken by someone else, as selfies are not permitted. Filters are not allowed, and any photos with red-eye should not be used. You may have a natural smile and wear jewelry or piercings as long as they do not obstruct your face. For reference, you can visit the State Department’s Photo Tool for sample images.
Please rewrite, write in English form:
The DS-11 passport application form is filled out completely with all the required information, except for your signature. It is necessary to sign the form in front of an authorized official.
Starting from April 11, 2022, all U.S. citizens will have the option to choose “X” as the gender marker on their passport application instead of selecting male (M) or female (F).
The Biden administration has described this introduction of a new gender option as a significant advancement in providing transgender and non-binary Americans with accurate identification documents and improving their access to them.
As per the State Department, it is not necessary for the gender you choose to match the gender specified on your supporting documents such as your birth certificate, previous passport, or state ID. Additionally, the government no longer requires medical documentation to modify the gender marker on your passport.
For further details on selecting the gender marker for your passport, please refer to the State Department’s webpage dedicated to this topic.
Once you have applied for your passport, you can keep track of the progress of your application online at passportstatus.state.gov. If your status displays as “Not Available,” there is no need to worry as it may take up to four weeks for the status to be changed to “In Process.”
Once your status has been updated to “Mailed,” you can expect to receive your new passport within approximately 10 days.
In the year 2021, the standard (“routine”) service for passport processing took around 10 to 12 weeks. However, if you opted for the expedited service by paying an additional $60, it would take about four to six weeks to receive your passport.
Passport Renewals
Applicants who possess a U.S. passport that was issued in the last 15 years and when they were 16 years or older, may qualify to apply for a new passport by mail, given that they can provide their old passport and their name has remained the same (or else, they must send an original, government-certified copy of evidence for the name change). They also have the option to apply in person. The necessary documents for passport renewals are as follows:
To apply for a U.S. passport, you will need to provide the following:
- A valid or expired U.S. passport.
- One passport photo that meets the specified requirements.
- A fully filled out passport application form DS-82, including all the requested details and signed and dated by the applicant. You can either complete the application online or download the form and send it along with the necessary documents to the address mentioned below:
Standard Service (for residents in California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, or Texas):
National Passport Processing Center
P.O. Box 640155
Irving, TX 75064-0155
Standard Service (for residents in all other US states or Canada):
National Passport Processing Center
P.O. Box 90155
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155
Expedited Service: (including fees for overnight delivery and expedited delivery, typically $60)
National Passport Processing Center
P.O. Box 90955
Philadelphia, PA 1910-0955
When using the United States Postal Service (USPS), please ensure to use an envelope that is large enough to accommodate the passport application without folding it. We recommend requesting Priority Mail Express, the USPS’s quickest trackable delivery option. Your previous passport, which will be invalidated with a hole punch, will be returned to you along with your new passport.
