Completed Passport Application Example: Fields, Attachments, and Fees

A completed passport application example starts with the right form, filled in black ink with capital block letters, dates written as MM/DD/YYYY, every biographical field answered, and the signature line left blank until an authorized agent tells you to sign. Get those basics right and the rest is attaching the correct documents, photo, and payment.

Which Form Belongs on Your Desk

Form DS-11 is the form for first-time applicants, anyone under 16, and anyone whose previous passport was issued before age 16, issued more than 15 years ago, or lost, stolen, or damaged.¹ DS-11 must be filed in person at an acceptance facility.

Form DS-82 is the renewal form. You can use it only if your most recent passport was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued less than 15 years ago, is undamaged, and has never been reported lost or stolen.² DS-82 goes in the mail. Eligible adults renewing at routine speed can also complete the same renewal online and pay by credit or debit card.³

Both paper forms ask for the same core information, so the field-by-field walkthrough below applies to either.

What Goes in Each Field

Enter your full legal name, including any previous names you have used. Your date and place of birth must match your birth certificate exactly — a completed form that says “Chicago, IL” while your birth certificate says “Cook County” invites a clarification request.

The Social Security number field is not optional. Federal tax law requires it, and leaving it blank or entering an incorrect number can trigger a $500 IRS penalty.⁴ If you have never been issued a Social Security number, enter zeros in that field.⁵

Fill in the full names, dates of birth, and birthplaces of both parents, even if a parent is deceased. The State Department uses this to verify your citizenship claim. Add your current mailing address and a phone number so the agency can reach you if a field needs clarification.

The emergency contact page is technically optional. State Department instructions say you may skip it if you do not have a contact in the United States.⁶ Filling it in is still worth doing, because consular staff use that contact if something happens to you overseas.

Formatting Rules That Trip People Up

Use black ink only. The instructions say so explicitly, and it matters because the forms are scanned at high resolution.¹ Print in capital block letters. Illegible handwriting is one of the most common reasons applications come back for clarification.

Every date field uses MM/DD/YYYY. May 24, 1985 is 05/24/1985.⁷ This is consistent across the whole form.

Do not sign a DS-11 at home. You sign it in front of the authorized agent at the acceptance facility, who administers an oath and witnesses the signature.¹ A pre-signed DS-11 cannot be accepted, and you will need to fill out a new one.

Do not use white-out anywhere on the application. If you make a mistake, print a fresh form and start over. Forms with correction fluid are rejected.

What You Attach to the Completed Form

Proof of Citizenship

First-time applicants born in the United States submit a birth certificate showing full name, place and date of birth, the full name of at least one parent, the signature of the official custodian of birth records, the seal of the issuing office, and a filing date within one year of birth.⁸ Hospital souvenir certificates do not qualify.

If you cannot produce a qualifying birth certificate, secondary evidence such as hospital birth records, baptismal certificates, early school records, or sworn statements from people with personal knowledge of your birth may be accepted.⁸ Applicants born abroad typically submit a naturalization certificate or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.

Identity Document

A valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, is required. Include a high-quality photocopy of both the front and back of that ID in your submission package.

Passport Photo

The photo must be 2 x 2 inches and taken within the last six months.⁹ Color image, plain white or off-white background, printed on photo-quality paper. Keep a neutral expression with both eyes open. No glasses. Head coverings are permitted only for religious or medical reasons. Lighting should eliminate shadows on your face and behind your head, since shadowed photos are a common cause of rejection.

Extra Pages for a Child’s Application

Children under 16 always use DS-11 and always apply in person. Both parents or legal guardians must appear at the acceptance facility with the child.¹⁰ The two-parent requirement is where a lot of families get caught out.

If one parent cannot be present, that parent completes Form DS-3053, a notarized statement of consent. The absent parent signs in front of a notary, attaches a photocopy of their ID, and the applying parent brings it to the appointment. DS-3053 is valid for only 90 days from the notary’s signature date.¹⁰

Consent from a second parent may not be required if the applying parent can show sole authority. Evidence that satisfies this includes a court order granting sole legal custody, a death certificate of the other parent, or a birth certificate listing only one parent.¹⁰

Fees to Write on the Check

Fees depend on age, document type, and whether you are applying for the first time or renewing.

First-time adult passport book (DS-11): $130 application fee plus $35 execution fee, totaling $165.¹¹
Adult passport book renewal (DS-82): $130 application fee, no execution fee.¹²
First-time adult passport card (DS-11): $30 application fee plus $35 execution fee, totaling $65.¹²
Child under 16 passport book (DS-11): $100 application fee plus $35 execution fee, totaling $135.¹¹
Expedited processing: add $60 to any of the above.¹³

Application fee and execution fee are two separate payments. At an acceptance facility, the application fee goes to the Department of State by check or money order made payable to “U.S. Department of State.” The $35 execution fee is paid directly to the facility, and accepted methods vary by location. Mail-in renewals use a check or money order. Online renewals take credit and debit cards.¹¹

Where to Send or Bring the Finished Application

DS-11 goes in person to an authorized acceptance facility, usually a local post office, public library, or clerk of court office. Search for one on the State Department’s website before you fill out the form, since bringing an unsigned form to that appointment is the whole point of the in-person visit.

DS-82 is mailed. Use a trackable mailing service. You can check application status online roughly two weeks after submission.

If the Passport You’re Replacing Was Lost, Stolen, or Damaged

A lost or stolen passport cannot be renewed on DS-82. Report the loss to the State Department using Form DS-64, filed online, by phone at 1-877-487-2778, or by mail.¹⁴ Once reported, the old passport is permanently invalidated even if you later find it. You then apply for a replacement on DS-11, in person, with the same fees as a first-time application.

A damaged passport also cannot be renewed. Damage includes water stains, significant tears, unofficial markings on the data page, missing pages, or hole punches.³ Submit the damaged passport along with a signed statement explaining what happened, and complete a fresh DS-11.

1
U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6039E – Information Concerning Resident Status
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eCFR. 26 CFR 301.6039E-1 – Information Reporting by Passport Applicants
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U.S. Embassy & Consulates. U.S. Passport Instructions on How to Fill Out a Passport Application Wizard
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Form Wizard
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eCFR. 22 CFR 51.42 – Persons Born in the United States Applying for a Passport for the First Time
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
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U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
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USAGov. Lost or Stolen Passports