Get Your First U.S. Passport · United States

Bring these documents

• Completed Form DS-11 (do NOT sign until told by the agent)[4]Required
• Proof of U.S. citizenship + photocopy[7]Required

  Certified birth certificate with raised seal, OR Certificate of Naturalization/Citizenship, OR previous U.S. passport. A hospital souvenir birth certificate is NOT accepted.

• Valid photo ID + photocopy of front and back[8]Required

  Driver's license, government ID, or military ID. The photocopy must be on one side of an 8.5×11 sheet.

• One 2×2 inch passport photo[5]Required

  Taken within the last 6 months, color, plain white/off-white background, no glasses, no head covering, no smile.

• Payment for both fees[2]Required

  Application fee ($130 book) by check or money order to 'U.S. Department of State'. Acceptance fee ($35) paid separately at the facility — many take card; some only cash/check.

Step by step

1. 1

   Fill out DS-11 with the online Form Filler[9]

   Use the official Form Filler — it auto-fills, prints, and barcodes correctly. Do not sign it; the agent watches you sign.

   Open Form Filler → Download DS-11 (PDF)Source: travel.state.gov
2. 2

   Find an acceptance facility near you[3]

   Post offices, county clerks, and some libraries. Many require an appointment — book before you go.

   Find a facility → Source: iafdb.travel.state.gov
3. 3

   Bring everything to your appointment[1]

   DS-11 (unsigned), citizenship proof + photocopy, photo ID + photocopy, passport photo, both fees as separate payments.

   Open official page Source: travel.state.gov
4. 4

   Sign in front of the agent and pay[1]

   The agent will mail your documents to the State Department. Your citizenship evidence is returned separately from the passport.

   Open official page Source: travel.state.gov
5. 5

   Track your application[6]

   Status updates appear about 2 weeks after applying. You'll get an estimated mail-out date.

   Track status → Source: travel.state.gov

Common reasons this gets rejected

• Signed the DS-11 before the appointment

  If you sign DS-11 anywhere except in front of the acceptance agent, the form is void and you start over.

• Hospital birth certificate instead of certified copy

  Souvenir/decorative certificates are rejected. You need the certified copy with a raised seal from the state/county vital records office.

• Photo doesn't meet spec

  Wrong size, glasses on, shadows behind you, or non-white background. CVS/Walgreens/USPS photos are reliable; phone selfies usually fail.

• Paid both fees with one check

  The $130 application fee and the $35 acceptance fee go to DIFFERENT places — they must be separate payments.

• Forgot photocopies

  The facility will not photocopy for you. Bring copies of both sides of your photo ID and your citizenship evidence.

Talk to a human

Sources

1. [1]Apply in Person (DS-11) — travel.state.gov
2. [2]Passport fees
3. [3]Acceptance Facility Search
4. [4]Form DS-11 (PDF)
5. [5]Photo requirements
6. [6]Application status
7. [7]https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/citizenship-evidence.html
8. [8]https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/identification.html
9. [9]https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/forms.html