How to Obtain Your First Passport

First-time applicants must apply in person.

If you're over 17 and want to apply for your first U.S. passport, you have to submit a form in person and bring the required documentation. If you have all of the materials, the process is relatively quick and painless.

Things You'll Need

• Passport application (Form DS-11)
• Evidence of citizenship
• Current, valid I.D. with photocopy
• Passport photos
• Fee

Instructions

1. Fill out form DS-11 online or by hand. Do not sign the form until you are asked to do so by an Acceptance Agent. Provide current and accurate information including your Social Security Number.

2. Submit the form in person at a Passport Agency, Acceptance Facility or other approved location.

3. Provide evidence of your U.S. citizenship; this can be a certified birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship.

4. Present a valid, current form of identification; acceptable forms include a driver's license or a government or military I.D. card. Also, bring a photocopy of the document you're using to identify yourself for your passport file; the copy should be both sides of the I.D. on one side of 8.5-by-11-inch paper in black-and-white.

5. Provide a 2-by-2-inch passport photo taken of you in the last six months showing your unadorned face and head on a neutral background. Any photography studio will be familiar with the requirements for passport photos.

6. Pay the applicable fee and wait four to six weeks for delivery. For an additional fee you can have your request expedited. Check with a passport office or the State Department website for a current fee schedule.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply for a passport well before the date you will be traveling.

• Report a lost passport immediately.

• If you need to make an emergency trip call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 for instructions.

• There are certain countries that require a visa, others do not. Check on this before your planned trip.

References

• U.S. State Department: First Time Passports

Resources

• U.S State Department: Passport Application DS 11
• U.S State Department: Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page