Official checklist
Get Your First U.S. Passport · United States
Verified against National Passport Information Center on May 22, 2026.
Scam alert: many websites charge for get your first u.s. passport.
The real cost is $165 through the official government source. Third-party 'passport services' charge 2–10× more for the same form. Only travel.state.gov, acceptance facilities, and Passport Agencies are official. OneClickGov only links to verified .gov pages.
Any website charging more than this amount is not the official government source.
Bring these documents
Step by step
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.
Find an acceptance facility near you[3]
Post offices, county clerks, and some libraries. Many require an appointment — book before you go.
Bring everything to your appointment[1]
DS-11 (unsigned), citizenship proof + photocopy, photo ID + photocopy, passport photo, both fees as separate payments.
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.
Track your application[6]
Status updates appear about 2 weeks after applying. You'll get an estimated mail-out date.
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
National Passport Information Center
Mon–Fri 8 AM – 10 PM ET, Sat 10 AM – 3 PM ET (English/Spanish)
Sources
- [1]Apply in Person (DS-11) — travel.state.gov
- [2]Passport fees
- [3]Acceptance Facility Search
- [4]Form DS-11 (PDF)
- [5]Photo requirements
- [6]Application status
- [7]https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/citizenship-evidence.html
- [8]https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/identification.html
- [9]https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/forms.html
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Last verified: May 22, 2026 · Spot something wrong? Report a correction →