How to Check the Status of Your Passport Application

A passport is your ticket to an exotic vacation abroad.

Now that you have successfully applied for your passport, you may start getting impatient. Each day that goes by is a day closer to that fantastic trip you have planned. Checking the status of your passport application online is simple and quick. You can also call the State Department to see how your passport application is progressing. At the time of publication, the average processing time for routine passport services was four to six weeks.

Things You'll Need

• Internet Access

Instructions

1. Go to the U.S. Department of State website using the link in Resources. Read the Privacy and Computer Fraud and Abuse Acts Notices and Disclaimers, click on the appropriate box and click on "Submit."

2. Input your last name, including suffixes, without punctuation (except for hyphens). For example, you might write "Joyner-Smith," "Brown Jr" or "O Brien."

3. Input your date of birth in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.

4. Input the last four digits of your Social Security number.

5. View your results to see your passport's progress and when it is expected to arrive.

6. Remember to close your browser when you are finished as a security precaution.

7. Contact the National Passport Information Center by phone with any questions you may have regarding your application. The phone number is 877-487-2778 or, for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, 888-874-7793.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also email the Passport Information Center at [e-mail]. The staff tries to respond to routine emails within a day's time.

References

• National Passport Information Center: Contact Us
• U.S. Department of State: Processing Times

Resources

• U.S. State Department: U.S. Passport Application Status