Apply for your First Passport as an Adult (2024)

Apply in person if you respond "Yes" to at leastoneof the following statements:

• I am applying for my firstU.S. passport.
• I am applying with my child who is under age 16.
• My most recent U.S. passport was issued when I was under age 16.
• My most recent U.S. passport waslost, stolen, or damaged.
• My most recent U.S. passport was issuedmore than 15 years ago.

If none of the above statements apply to you, go to ourRenew by Mail page.

Use our Form Filler toolon a desktop or laptop computer. Fill out your form online and then print it. If you are experiencing technical issues with the Form Filler, download a PDF.

Tips to complete your form:

• Complete all parts of the form. Do not sign your form until asked to do so by a passport acceptance agent or employee.
• Print your form on single-sided paper. We do not accept double-sided forms.
• Check the information you entered if you did not get the form you expected to receive on our form filler.
• You can apply for a passport book, a passport card, or both documents using the same form.
• You may request a larger passport book with more visa pages, atno extra cost, by checking the 'large book' box at the top of the DS-11.

Your evidence must be anoriginal or certified, physical copy.Acertified copyis any document that has the seal or stamp of the official issuing authority.You must submitoneof the following documents:

• U.S.birth certificatethat meets the following requirements:
  • Issued by the city, county, or state of birth
  • Lists your full name, date of birth, and place of birth
  • Lists your parent(s)' full names
  • Has the date filed with registrar's office (must be within one year of birth)
  • Has the registrar's signature
  • Has the seal or stamp from the city, county, or state which issued it
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
• Certificate ofNaturalization
• Certificate of Citizenship
• Full validity, undamaged U.S. passport
  • Full validity means the document is or was valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 16.

If youcannot submit one of these documents, go to ourCitizenship Evidence pagefor more information.

Tips for making a photocopy:

• Black and white (no color)
• Use 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper
• Use a single side of the paper

If you do not submit a photocopy, you must submit a second, certified copy of your citizenship evidence. We will keep this copy for our records.

Returning your document: We will return your citizenship document up to 8 weeks after you receive your passport.

Bring a physical, photo ID and a photocopy of it. If your photo ID is from a different state than the state in which you are applying, bring a second photo ID.

You must show at leastoneof these photo IDs:

• Valid or expired, undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card
• In-state, fully valid driver's license or enhanced driver's license with photo
• Certificate ofNaturalization
• Certificate ofCitizenship
• Government employee ID (city, county, state, or federal)
• U.S. military or military dependent ID
• Current (valid) foreign passport
• Matricula Consular (Mexican Consular ID) used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• Trusted Traveler IDs (including valid Global Entry, FAST, SENTRI, and NEXUS cards)
• Enhanced Tribal Cards and Native American tribal photo IDs
• Note: you may need to show another ID when presenting one of these three documents:
  • In-state, fully-valid learner's permit with photo
  • In-state, fully-valid non-driver ID with photo
  • Temporary driver's license with photo

If you do not have one of these photo IDs, go to ourIdentification pagefor more information.

Tips for making a photocopy:

• Black and white (no color)
• Use 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper
• Use a single side of the paper

You may need to provide more information and documents if:

• You are applying for a child age 0-15
• Your child, who is age 16-17, is applying
• Your valid passport islost or stolen(you must also submit Form DS-64)
• Your valid passport is damaged (include the damaged passport, and a signed statement explaining the damage)
  • Normal "wear and tear" such as folded pages or a small bend do not count as damage. Damage includes stains from a liquid, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), or a hole punch.
• You owe over $2500 inchild support
• You are selecting a new gender marker
• You are applying for a special issuance passport
• You are a sex offender covered under International Megan's Law

You must provide one photo with your application. Go to ourPassport Photo pagefor photo requirements and to see examples of photos.

• Do not attach or staple your photo to the form. The acceptance agent or passport employee will review the photo and staple it to your form.
• You can get a photo at:
  • Somepassport acceptance facilities
  • A company which offers photo services
  • Home. Ask a friend or family member to take your photo.Print it on glossy or matte photo quality paper.

When applying using Form DS-11, you will pay two separate fees - an application fee and an execution (acceptance) fee. You will pay the application fee to the U.S. Department of State, and the execution (acceptance) fee to the facility which takes your application.

• Add $60 to your application fee if you wantexpedited service.
• Add $19.53 to your application fee if you want us to ship your completed passport in 1-2 days after we issue it.

Adult Applicants(Age 16 and older):

For more information on how to pay and a full list of fees, go to ourPassport Feespage.

How to fill out your check for the application fee:

In the United States:

• Traveling in more than 3 weeks? Go to apassport acceptance facilitysuch as a post office, library, or local government office. Check with the facility to see if you need to make an appointment.
• Traveling in less than 3 weeks? Make an appointment to apply at a passport agency or center.

In another country:

• Contact yourU.S. embassy or consulate.

You canenroll in email updatesabout your application status, and learn more about each status update.

It may take 2 weeks from the day you apply until your application status is “In Process.”

You will get multiple mailings. The number of mailings depends on what document(s) you asked for.

Passport Book:You may get your new passport and citizenship documents in two mailings.You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We will return the passport book using a trackable delivery service.

Passport Card:You may get your new passport card and your citizenship documents in two mailings.You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards using 1-2 day delivery services.

Both a Passport Book and Card:You may get three separate mailings:

1. New passport book
2. New passport card
3. Citizenship documents

Contacting Us: If you have been waiting more than 8 weeks for your citizenship documents, call us at1-877-487-2778.