How to Check Your Passport Status Online or by Phone

To check your passport status, use the State Department’s online tracker at passportstatus.state.gov or call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. The tracker runs 24 hours a day, but your application won’t show up in it until roughly two weeks after you send it in, so a blank result during that window is normal.

Checking Online

Open the tracker, acknowledge the privacy notice, then enter your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.1U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status Enter your name exactly as it appears on the application, including hyphens and suffixes. A mismatch is one of the more common reasons the system returns nothing. You can check as often as you like without affecting your application.

If you gave an email address on your application, the State Department will also send automatic updates as it moves through the process. You can change that email address at any time through the same site, or unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of any update message.2Travel.State.Gov. Checking Your Passport Application Status

Checking by Phone

Call 1-877-487-2778 to reach the National Passport Information Center. Representatives answer Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern. The line is closed on federal holidays.3U.S. Department of State. Contact U.S. Passports A TDD/TTY line is available at 1-888-874-7793 if you are deaf or hard of hearing.4U.S. Department of State. DS-86 – Statement of Non-Receipt of a U.S. Passport

Calling makes sense when the online tracker returns an error, when you suspect your name was entered incorrectly, or when you need to talk through a time-sensitive travel situation. For an ordinary status check, the website gives you the same answer without the hold time.

What Each Status Means

The tracker shows one of a handful of statuses. Some sit unchanged for weeks, which is usually normal.

  • Not Available. Your application hasn’t reached a passport agency yet. Paperwork travels from a mail sorting facility to an intake center to an agency, and that chain can take up to two weeks. The same result can appear during site maintenance or when the name you entered doesn’t match what’s on file. Try again in a few hours and double-check your spelling.2Travel.State.Gov. Checking Your Passport Application Status
  • In Process. A passport specialist is reviewing your application. This is the status you’ll see for the longest stretch, often several weeks.
  • Approved. Your application cleared review and your passport is being printed.
  • Passport Mailed. Your finished passport has been sent to the mailing address on your application.
  • Supporting Documents Mailed. Documents you submitted, such as a birth certificate or previous passport, ship in a separate envelope from the passport itself, sometimes days apart.1U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status
  • Additional Information Needed. Something is missing or unclear. You’ll get a letter or email explaining what’s needed, and your application won’t move until you respond.

One quirk worth knowing: if a renewal application arrives missing the signature, payment, or your old passport, the State Department may return it to you without ever updating the tracker. Expect it back within one to two weeks of reaching the processing facility so you can fix the problem and resubmit.2Travel.State.Gov. Checking Your Passport Application Status

When the Status Doesn’t Change or Something Looks Wrong

Stuck on “In Process”

A long stretch on “In Process” isn’t automatically a problem. During busy periods, that status can hold for the entire published processing window. If it’s been longer than the published time for the service level you paid for, call 1-877-487-2778 and ask about your specific application.

“Passport Mailed” but Nothing Has Arrived

If the tracker says your passport was mailed and it still hasn’t arrived after 14 days, call the National Passport Information Center. You’ll need to complete Form DS-86, a statement confirming you never received the passport.4U.S. Department of State. DS-86 – Statement of Non-Receipt of a U.S. Passport You have 120 days from the issue date to file it. Miss that window and you’ll have to reapply from scratch and pay the full fees again.5Travel.State.Gov. Report Your Passport Lost or Stolen Don’t wait. Once two weeks have passed with no delivery, start the process.

You Have to Travel Soon

If international travel is coming up within 14 calendar days, or you need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days, you can book an in-person appointment at a passport agency. These agencies handle urgent cases by appointment only.6Travel.State.Gov. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center Call 1-877-487-2778 to schedule one, and bring proof of upcoming travel such as a flight itinerary.

Don’t Submit a Second Application

Never file a new application while your first one is still being processed. Duplicate records almost always make the delay worse.3U.S. Department of State. Contact U.S. Passports If something feels wrong, call and ask before you resubmit anything.