Passport FAQ
Who should maintain a valid U.S. passport?
How do I apply for a new U.S. Passport?
Where do I get a passport application?
Do I have to provide my Social Security Number?
How long does it take to get a passport?
How do I find out about the status of my passport application?
I have a life or death emergency. What should I do?
I am traveling very soon. How do I get a passport in a hurry?
How many blank visa pages do I need to travel?
How long is a passport valid and when should I renew my passport?
How do I renew my U.S. Passport?
I'm renewing my passport. Do I get the old one back?
My child who is under 18 needs a passport. How do I get
it?
Is it true that passport applications for minors under 14 require
the consent of both parents or legal guardians?
My child is too young to sign his/her own passport. How do I
sign my child's passport?
What should I do if my baby is born abroad?
What is the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program (CPIAP)?
What if there is an error in the passport I just received?
I was recently married /divorced. How do I change my name on
my passport?
My passport was lost /stolen. How do I report it?
I was born abroad. How do I get a birth certificate proving
my U.S. citizenship?
How do I get a certified copy of my birth certificate?
What do I do if there is no birth record on file for me?
Who should maintain a valid U.S. passport?
It is recommended that the following U.S. citizens maintain valid U.S.
passports: Those with family living or traveling abroad thinking about a
vacation abroad, or with a job that could require international travel.
In the event of an emergency involving a family member abroad, a short-notice
airfare bargain, or an unexpected business trip, already having a valid
U.S. passport will save time, money and stress.
How do I apply for a new U.S. Passport?
To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one
of more than 9,000
passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States
with two passport size photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship,
and a valid form of photo identification such as a drivers license.
Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post
offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices.
There are also 13
regional passport agencies, and one Gateway City Agency, which serves
customers who are traveling within two weeks (14 days), or who need foreign
visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.
Youll need to apply in person if you are applying for a U.S. passport
for the first time ; your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession;
your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years
ago; your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16;
or your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost or stolen.
For more information on getting a new passport, please visit the How
to get a passport page.
Where do I get a passport application?
You may download forms from this web site by clicking
here.
Forms are also available at public offices like Post Offices, courthouses
or municipal offices where passport applications are accepted. Find the location
nearest you by clicking on this searchable
list of convenient locations where you can apply for a passport.
Do I have to provide my Social Security Number?
Section 6039E of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6039E) requires
you to provide your Social Security Number (SSN), if you have one, when you
apply for a U.S. passport or renewal of a U.S. passport. If you have not been
issued a SSN, enter zeros in box #5 of the passport application form you are
completing. Contact the Social Security Administration to request a Number.
If you are residing abroad, you must also provide the name of the foreign
country in which you are residing. The U.S. Department of State must provide
your SSN and foreign residence information to the Department of Treasury.
If you fail to provide the information, you are subject to a $500 penalty
enforced by the IRS. All questions on this matter should be directed to the
nearest IRS office.
How long does it take to get a passport?
Processing times can vary depending on workload and occasional unforeseen
circumstances such as natural disasters. During busier times, such as the
summer travel season, it is recommended that customers expedite their applications
if traveling in less than 10 weeks.
See
Processing Times for more information.
How do I find out about the status of my passport
application?
I have a life or death emergency. What should
I do?
Life or Death Emergencies involve serious illness, injury, or death in
your immediate family that require you to travel within 24-48 hours
to a country that requires a passport. Customers must appear in person at
a passport agency for emergency service and documentation of the emergency
may be requested.
Please call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778
(TTY/TDD 1-888-874-7793) to schedule an appointment at the nearest Passport
Agency. Their automated appointment system is accessible every day, 24 hours
a day.
If an appointment that will meet your needs is not available and you are
calling from 6:00 a.m. to 12 midnight, ET, Monday-Friday, except federal holidays,
please stay on the line and follow instructions to speak to a Customer Service
Representative (CSR). The CSR will give you guidance on what to do.
If an appointment that will meet your needs is not available and you are
calling on a weekend, federal holiday, or during hours the CSRs are not available,
please call 202-647-4000 and explain your situation to the operator.
I am traveling very soon. How do I get a passport
in a hurry?
How many blank visa pages do I need to travel?
How long is a passport valid and when should
I renew my passport?
| If you were ____ when the passport was issued |
Then your passport is valid for |
| 16 or Older |
10 Years |
| 15 or Younger |
5 Years |
How do I renew my U.S. Passport?
You can renew by mail if:
-
Your most recent passport is available to submit and it is not damaged;
-
you received the passport within the past 15 years;
-
you were over age 16 when it was issued; and
-
you still have the same name, or can legally document your name change.
If your passport has been altered or damaged, you cannot apply by mail.
You must apply in person.
I'm renewing my passport. Do I get the old
one back?
Yes, your old one is returned to you. It is a good idea to keep it in
a safe place as it is considered proof of your U.S. citizenship.
My child who is under 18 needs a passport.
How do I get it?
| If your child is: |
Then.... |
| Under 14 |
Your child must appear in person.
Both parents or legal guardians, can apply for your child.
Both parents or legal guardian consent is required for minors under
age 14. ( See Two-Parent
Consent Requirements.)
Both parents or legal guardians must show current, valid ID. |
| 14 to 17 |
Your child must appear in person.
Your parental consent may be requested. |
Is it true that passport applications for
minors under 14 require the consent of both parents or legal guardians?
My child is too young to sign his/her own
passport. How do I sign my child's passport?
In the space provided for the signature, the mother or father must print
the child's name and sign their own name. Then, in parenthesis by the parent's
name, write the word (mother) or (father) so we know who signed for the child.
What should I do if my baby is born abroad?
As U.S. citizen parent(s), you should report your child's birth abroad
as soon as possible to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to establish
an official record of the child's claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The
official record will be the Consular Report of Birth of a Citizen of
the United States of America, Form FS-240. This document, know as the
Consular Report of Birth Abroad, is a basic United States citizenship
document. An original FS-240 document will be given to you at the time registration
is approved. Click here for more
information on these documents.
A Consular Report of Birth can only be prepared
at a U.S. embassy or consulate. It cannot be prepared if the child has been
brought back into the United States, or, if the person is 18 years of age
or older at the time the application is made.
What is the Children's Passport Issuance
Alert Program (CPIAP)?
Separate from the Two-Parent Consent requirement for U.S. passport issuance
for minors under the age of 14, parents may also request that their children's
names be entered in the U.S. passport name-check system. The Children's Passport
Issuance Alert Program provides: Notification to parents of passport applications
made on behalf of minor children, and denial of passport issuance if appropriate
court orders are on file with CPIAP. For more information, contact the Office
of Children's Issues at 202-736-7000, or, by fax at 202-312-9743.
Go
to more information on the Office of Children's Issues.
What if there is an error in the passport
I just received?
In order to correct ehe error as quickly as possible, please submit
the following:
If using delivery other than U.S. Postal Service -
National Passport Processing
ATTN: Department 13290
1617 Brett Road
New Castle, DE 19720
I was recently married /divorced. How do
I change my name on my passport?
You will need to complete DS-5504,
U.S.
Passport Re-Application Form, within one year of the issuance date of
your current valid passport and submit along with the following:
-
The passport to be replaced
-
Certified documentation of your name change (e.g., marriage certificate,
divorce decree with your new name); and
-
Two recent passport photos.
My passport was lost /stolen. How do I report
it?
Please apply for a new passport immediately. You may report your lost or
stolen passport when you apply for the new one. Along with your application,
you must submit the Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport , Form DS-64.
Click here for more
information on the DS-64. You can print the DS-64. If you decide not
to apply for a new passport immediately, you may report your lost or stolen
passport by completing Form DS-64 and mailing it to:
US Department of State
Passport Services
Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
Or call toll free at: 1-877-487-2778 (TTY 1-888-874-7793)
Operators are available 6 a.m. to midnight, ET, Monday-Friday, excluding
Federal holidays.
I was born abroad. How do I get a birth
certificate proving my U.S. citizenship?
How do I get a certified copy of my birth
certificate?
If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine months before
it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six
months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to
board if this requirement is not met.
If you passport has already expired, you may still be able to renew your passport
by mail. See
How
to renew my passport.
What do I do if there is no birth record
on file for me?
If you were born in the U.S. and there is no birth record on file, you
will need several different documents to substantiate your citizenship. You
will need: A letter from the Vital Statistics office of the state of your
birth with your name and what years were searched for your birth record. An
official of the Vital Statistics office needs to issue a letter of no record
found. In addition, you will need early public records to prove your birth
in the U.S.
If you were born outside the U.S. and your U.S. parent(s)
did not register your birth at the U.S. embassy or consulate, you may apply
for a U.S. passport.
You will need: Your foreign birth certificate that includes your parents'
names; and evidence of your parent(s) U.S. citizenship; and
your parents' marriage certificate.
