How to Change Your Address on a Passport: DS-86 and Mail Forwarding

If you already have a valid U.S. passport, you don’t need to do anything to change the address on it. A passport identifies who you are, not where you live, and the State Department does not require any amendment, correction, or replacement when you move.¹ The picture changes if your application is still being processed: in that case, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to redirect delivery before the book ships to your old home.²

You Have a Valid Passport in Hand

No fee, no form, no agency to notify. Your passport stays valid until its printed expiration date regardless of where you live, and the address inside it has no bearing on that validity.¹

The back page of the passport book has a space for your address and emergency contact information. That page is for your own reference and for emergency responders abroad, not something border agents verify, so you can write in your new details yourself. Many travelers use pencil so they can revise it after future moves.

Your Application Is Still Being Processed

Finished passport books ship through a trackable delivery service to whatever mailing address you wrote on your application.³ If that address is no longer yours, the package may end up with the new occupant or be returned undeliverable.

The only way to change the mailing address on a pending application is to phone the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.⁴ You cannot make this change online or by email.²

What to Have Ready Before You Call

To verify your identity and pull up your application, the representative will ask for:

Your last name exactly as it appeared on the application, including any suffix like Jr. or III
Your date of birth
The last four digits of your Social Security number³

Have your old mailing address and your new full address ready too, including apartment number, city, state, and ZIP code.

Will the Change Go Through in Time?

If your passport has not yet entered the printing and shipping phase, the representative can update the mailing address in the system. The change should appear in your online status within a few business days. Check periodically to confirm.

If the book has already been printed or shipped, an address update won’t help. At that point your options move to intercepting the package or reporting non-receipt.

To judge where you sit in the pipeline, current processing times are 4 to 6 weeks for routine service and 2 to 3 weeks for expedited. Those timeframes start when the State Department receives your application, not when you mailed it.⁵ If you moved early in the window, you probably have time. If your online status already shows the passport as mailed, you’re likely too late for a redirect.

If the Passport Already Shipped to Your Old Address

An unsecured identity document sitting somewhere you don’t control is a problem to move on quickly.

Start with the tracking number. Passport books ship with tracking, and the number is included in the email status update the State Department sends when the book is mailed, provided you gave an email address on your application. Use it to see exactly when and where the package was delivered. If you can reach the new occupant, arrange a pickup. Passport cards ship via First Class Mail with no tracking, which makes them harder to trace.³

File Form DS-86 if You Cannot Recover It

If the passport is gone, file a Statement of Non-Receipt on Form DS-86. You have 120 days from the issue date to report non-receipt, and the State Department recommends waiting at least 14 days after issue before filing, unless you have immediate travel plans.⁶

Before submitting, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to get the issue date, tracking number, and the name and address of the passport agency that produced your passport. All of that goes on the form. Mail the completed DS-86 with a clear copy of your government-issued photo ID to the issuing agency.⁶

Miss the 120-day window and you lose the option to report non-receipt. You’ll have to reapply from scratch on Form DS-11 and pay the full fees again, which for an adult passport book means $130 in application fees plus a $35 acceptance fee.⁶⁷ If you suspect the passport was stolen, file a police report and notify the State Department so the document can be invalidated.

Does USPS Mail Forwarding Cover It?

Don’t rely on it. USPS forwards First Class Mail and Priority Mail, but the State Department does not guarantee that a forwarding order will redirect passport packages, and standard USPS forwarding does not update your address with government agencies.⁸ Treat forwarding as a backup, not a substitute for calling the National Passport Information Center.

If You’ve Moved Abroad

The emergency contact information printed inside your passport from the original application cannot be changed after the passport is issued. If you want the State Department to be able to reach you overseas, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. STEP is free and lets U.S. citizens register their location abroad so the nearest embassy or consulate can contact them during a crisis, natural disaster, or family emergency, and you can update your contact details through STEP at any time.⁹

1
U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error
2
U.S. Department of State. Contact U.S. Passports
3
U.S. Department of State. Checking Your Passport Application Status
4
U.S. Department of State. Contact Us
5
U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
6
U.S. Department of State. Statement of Non-Receipt of a U.S. Passport
7
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
8
United States Postal Service. Standard Forward Mail and Change of Address
9
U.S. Department of State. Smart Traveler Enrollment Program