U.S. Passport

Forms DS-11 and DS-82 · first passports, renewals, children ← Kivulink community resources
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The whole DS-11 checklist, on one page

DS-11 runs differently depending on which of 4 routes you are on, so each one is listed separately below. The checklist above remembers where you are and what you have ticked; this is the same material in one piece, to read or print without ticking anything.

Routes covered: First adult passport · Adult renewal · Child under 16 · Applying from abroad

PPT-01Step 1 Which application is yours?

The route decides the form, the place and the price.

Get the route right first

First adult passport Form DS-11, applied in person

A first passport is always applied for in person, and the citizenship evidence is handed over. Send a certified copy you can bear to be without for a few weeks, because it travels with the application.

  • Proof of U.S. citizenship, original or certified copy BLOCKINGCertified birth certificate with a registrar's seal, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240), a naturalization certificate, or a previous undamaged passport.
  • A photocopy of that citizenship documentFront and back, on plain white paper.
  • Government-issued photo ID and a photocopy of itDriver's licence, state ID, military ID or naturalization certificate.
  • Do not sign Form DS-11 in advance BLOCKINGIt is signed in front of the acceptance agent.
  • One recent 2x2 inch colour photographPlain white background, no glasses, taken within the last six months.
  • Book an appointment at an acceptance facilityMany post offices and clerks of court. A regional passport agency is only for urgent travel with proof.

Adult renewal Form DS-82, usually by mail

Renewal by mail is cheaper and simpler, but only if every condition is met. If any one of them fails, it is a DS-11 application in person instead.

  • Confirm you can use DS-82 BLOCKINGThe old passport must be undamaged, issued when you were 16 or older, issued within the last 15 years, and in your current name (or with a legal name-change document).
  • Send the most recent passport with the applicationIt is returned separately from the new one.
  • Legal name-change documents, if the name differsMarriage certificate, divorce decree or court order: original or certified copy.
  • One recent 2x2 inch photograph
  • Check whether online renewal is available to youThe Department of State has been phasing an online renewal option in and out. Check the passport site before posting anything.
  • Use trackable mailYou are posting your identity documents.

Child under 16 Both parents must consent

The two-parent rule is what stops most child passport applications. Plan for it before booking: both parents appear, or the absent parent signs a notarised DS-3053, or you bring proof of sole authority.

  • Child's proof of citizenship, original or certified copy BLOCKINGCertified U.S. birth certificate naming both parents, or the FS-240 from a CRBA.
  • Evidence of the parental relationshipThe same birth certificate, adoption order, or court order.
  • Both parents attend with photo ID BLOCKINGOr the absent parent signs a notarised Form DS-3053 with a photocopy of their ID.
  • Sole authority evidence, where only one parent can consentCourt order of sole custody, a court order permitting travel, or the other parent's death certificate.
  • The child attends the appointment BLOCKINGEvery child must appear in person, at any age.
  • One 2x2 inch photograph of the childEyes open, plain background, nobody else in frame. No hands holding the baby.
  • Remember a child's passport is valid five yearsNot ten. Diary the expiry.

Applying from abroad At an embassy, often with a CRBA

Families abroad usually do the CRBA and the first passport at the same appointment. The embassy is also where a lost passport is replaced while overseas.

  • Book the passport appointment together with the CRBAOne visit, two applications. See our CRBA checklist.
  • CRBA (FS-240) or other citizenship evidenceThe FS-240 is the child's U.S. birth record.
  • Both parents attend for a child under 16 BLOCKINGOr a notarised DS-3053 from the parent who cannot.
  • Photographs to the U.S. specificationLocal photo shops often use a different size. Say it is for a U.S. passport.
  • Check the post's payment methods and processing timeOverseas processing usually takes longer than in the United States.
  • Lost or stolen abroad: report it and apply for a replacementForm DS-64 with the replacement application. Report it immediately. A lost passport is invalid the moment it is reported.

PPT-02Step 2 Photograph and forms

Where most applications get delayed.

The photo causes more delays than anything else It must be recent, 2x2 inches, plain white or off-white background, full face, no glasses, no uniform, and no other person visible in the frame.

  • Correct form filled in and printed single-sidedDS-11 for a first passport or a child, DS-82 for an eligible renewal. Black ink, no corrections.
  • Photograph meets every specification2x2 inches, taken within six months, plain background, neutral expression, no glasses.
  • Do not staple or paperclip the photo unless told toFollow the current instruction on the form.
  • Decide book, card, or bothThe card is cheaper but only works for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. It is not valid for air travel abroad.
  • Photocopy everything you are sendingIncluding the completed form.

PPT-03Step 3 Fees

Two separate payments for in-person applications.

Two payments, two payees An in-person application has an application fee paid to the Department of State and a separate execution fee paid to the acceptance facility. A renewal by mail has no execution fee.

  • Adult first-time passport book BLOCKINGWidely published at $165 in total: the application fee plus the acceptance-facility execution fee. Confirm on the official passport fees page before paying.
  • Child under 16 passport bookWidely published at $135 in total. Confirm before your appointment.
  • Renewal by mailNo execution fee, only the application fee. Confirm the current amount.
  • Expedited service, if you need itAn extra fee, plus optional faster return delivery. Check current routine and expedited processing times before choosing.
  • Bring the right payment typesAcceptance facilities and the Department of State take different methods: cheque, money order or card. Check both in advance.

PPT-04Step 4 Submit and track

Getting it in, and getting it back.

Do not book travel until it arrives Processing times move with demand. Plan around the passport, not the other way round.

  • Application submitted in person or posted with tracking
  • Check current processing times before making travel plans BLOCKINGPublished on the official passport site and updated regularly.
  • Track the application status onlineAvailable a couple of weeks after submission.
  • Citizenship documents returned separatelyYour birth certificate or naturalization certificate comes back in its own envelope, often after the passport.
  • Passport received and every detail checkedName spelling, date of birth, place of birth, expiry date. Report an error immediately: corrections are free if reported promptly.
  • Sign the passport and fill in the emergency contact page
  • Diary the renewal date BLOCKINGMany countries require six months' validity beyond your travel dates. Renew early, not at expiry.
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