How to Fill Out and Submit Form DS-11: U.S. Passport Application

Form DS-11 is the application you file in person for a new U.S. passport book, passport card, or both. You cannot submit it online or by mail. Every applicant has to appear at an acceptance facility or passport agency, present original documents, and sign the form in front of an authorized agent. From gathering documents to receiving the finished passport, plan on roughly six to ten weeks once mailing time is added to standard processing.

Who Has to Use DS-11 Instead of Renewing by Mail

Not every passport applicant uses this form. DS-11 is for people who cannot renew with the simpler Form DS-82. You need DS-11 if any of the following apply:

You have never held a U.S. passport.
You are under 16, or applying for a child under 16.
Your previous passport was lost, stolen, or significantly damaged.
Your most recent passport was issued more than 15 years ago.
Your most recent passport was issued before you turned 16.

If none of those fit and your most recent passport is undamaged and was issued in the last 15 years when you were 16 or older, you can likely renew by mail with DS-82 instead.

Book, Card, or Both

DS-11 covers both documents. The passport book is the standard travel document accepted for all international travel by air, sea, or land. The passport card is a wallet-sized alternative that works only for land and sea crossings into the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean destinations. It cannot be used for international air travel.¹ If there’s any chance you’ll fly internationally, get the book. Adding the card to a book application costs relatively little more, and many applicants check both boxes at the top of the form.

What to Bring to the Appointment

Collect everything before you fill out the form. A missing document means a wasted trip, because the acceptance agent cannot process an incomplete application.

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

Bring an original or certified copy of one of the following. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.

A U.S. birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state where you were born, showing your full name, date and place of birth, both parents’ full names, the issuing authority’s seal or stamp, and a filing date within one year of your birth.²
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth (for U.S. citizens born outside the country).
A Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship.

You also have to bring a photocopy of that document on standard 8.5-by-11-inch paper, printed on one side.³ The State Department keeps the copy and returns your original.

Can’t get a birth certificate? Request a Letter of No Record from the vital records office in the state where you were born. That letter, combined with early documents from the first five years of your life (baptism certificate, hospital birth record, early school record, census record), can serve as secondary citizenship evidence. If you have only one early public record, you’ll also need Form DS-10 (Birth Affidavit) plus an early private record such as a doctor’s record of post-natal care.²

Photo Identification

Bring one original, physical photo ID. Accepted primary IDs include a valid or expired undamaged U.S. passport, an in-state driver’s license, a government employee ID (city, county, state, or federal), a military or military dependent ID, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship.⁴ You’ll also need a photocopy of the front and back of that ID on 8.5-by-11-inch paper.³

Without a primary ID, you can present two secondary forms of identification instead — an out-of-state driver’s license, Social Security card, voter registration card, employee or student ID, or an expired driver’s license, among others. Another option is bringing an identifying witness who knows you personally and vouches for you using Form DS-71, available only at acceptance facilities and passport agencies.⁴

Passport Photo

One color photo, taken within the last six months, printed at exactly 2 by 2 inches. Plain white or off-white background, no shadows, full front view of your face with a neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed.⁵ No eyeglasses or sunglasses. The only exception is a signed doctor’s note explaining a medical reason you cannot remove them. Many acceptance facilities offer on-site photo services.

Social Security Number

Federal law requires you to provide your Social Security number on the application. Leaving it off can trigger a $500 IRS penalty and delay or deny your application.⁶⁷ If you’ve never been assigned one, write zeros in that field.

Filling Out the Form

Download and print DS-11 from the State Department website or pick up a copy at any acceptance facility. You can also use the online form-filler at eforms.state.gov to type your answers before printing. Either way, bring the printed form to your appointment.

The fields are straightforward: full legal name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, physical description (height, hair color, eye color), mailing and permanent addresses, email, phone, emergency contact, and both parents’ full names and places of birth. Check both boxes at the top if you want a book and a card.

Do not sign the form at home. Leave the signature line blank until the acceptance agent tells you to sign. The agent has to witness your signature as part of the oath affirming the application is truthful.⁸⁹ Sign early and you’ll be printing a fresh copy.

One boundary worth flagging: if your current legal name differs from the name on your citizenship evidence, bring a marriage certificate or court order documenting the change. Informal name changes without either document require Form DS-60 (Affidavit Regarding a Change of Name) plus supporting public records.¹⁰

Applying for a Child Under 16

Children under 16 always use DS-11 and always appear in person. The key added requirement is parental consent: both parents or legal guardians have to attend the appointment with the child and show their own government-issued photo IDs.¹¹

If one parent cannot attend, the absent parent completes Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent), signs it in front of a notary, and provides a photocopy of the ID shown to the notary. The notarized DS-3053 has to be submitted within 90 days of signing. When the absent parent is outside the United States, the form may need notarization at a U.S. embassy or consulate.¹¹

If the other parent cannot be located, submit Form DS-5525 (Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances) explaining the situation. A parent with sole legal custody can apply alone by presenting a court order granting sole custody, an adoption decree naming only one parent, or a death certificate for the non-applying parent.

Applicants who are 16 or 17 can appear without a parent, but a parent still has to show awareness. Either the parent attends the appointment or provides a signed note plus a photocopy of their ID confirming they know the teen is applying.¹²

Where to Submit It

In person only. No online or mail option for DS-11.⁹ Acceptance facilities include post offices, public libraries, clerks of court, and other local government offices authorized by the State Department. Use the facility locator at iafdb.travel.state.gov to search by zip code or city, and filter for on-site photo services or accessibility if you need them.¹³

Most facilities require or strongly recommend an appointment. When you arrive, the agent reviews your documents, watches you sign the form, administers the oath, and seals your application package for shipment to a processing center. Bring everything: the completed but unsigned DS-11, your citizenship evidence and its photocopy, your photo ID and its photocopy, your passport photo, and both payments.

What It Costs

Every DS-11 application takes two separate payments. The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State by check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” The execution fee goes to the acceptance facility, and payment methods vary by location, so check ahead.¹⁴

Adults 16 and older:

Passport book: $130 application + $35 execution = $165
Passport card: $30 application + $35 execution = $65
Both: $160 application + $35 execution = $195

Children under 16:

Passport book: $100 application + $35 execution = $135
Passport card: $15 application + $35 execution = $50
Both: $115 application + $35 execution = $150

Expedited processing adds $60. Return delivery in 1 to 3 days is another $22.05, available for passport books only; cards ship via USPS First Class Mail.¹⁴

How Long It Takes

Routine processing runs four to six weeks. Expedited runs two to three weeks. Neither window includes mailing time: up to two weeks for your application to reach a processing center, and up to another two weeks for the finished passport to arrive. Paying for 1-to-3-day return delivery shortens only the return leg.¹⁵

Traveling internationally within 14 calendar days? You can book an appointment directly at a passport agency, which is a federal office in a major city that handles urgent cases (separate from an acceptance facility). Applicants who need a foreign visa within 28 days can book up to 28 days before travel. Slots go quickly. Call 1-877-487-2778 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern) or book online as soon as you know your travel date.¹⁶

Life-or-death emergencies (an immediate family member abroad who has died, is dying, or is critically ill) are handled separately, with documentation of the emergency and proof of imminent travel. After hours, weekends, and federal holidays: 202-647-4000.¹⁷

About two weeks after you apply, your status appears in the Online Passport Status System at passportstatus.state.gov. Log in with your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.¹⁸

Reasons an Application Gets Denied

Most denials trace back to incomplete paperwork or missing documents, which you can prevent by checking everything before your appointment. Federal law also bars certain applicants regardless of how carefully the form is filled out.

Owing more than $2,500 in child support triggers an automatic denial. State child support agencies certify the debt to the federal government, which then directs the State Department to refuse or revoke the passport. To clear the block, resolve the arrearage or arrange a payment plan with the certifying state agency.¹⁹

A federal or state drug trafficking conviction results in denial if you used a passport or crossed an international border while committing the offense. The bar runs as long as you’re imprisoned or on supervised release. Discretionary denial can apply to drug-related misdemeanors, though not to a first-time possession-only conviction. The Secretary of State retains authority to issue a passport in emergency or humanitarian situations.²⁰

Outstanding federal arrest warrants, court-ordered travel restrictions, and certain parole or probation conditions can also lead to denial or revocation. If you have any pending criminal matters, resolve them or consult an attorney before applying. A denied application does not come with a fee refund.

1
U.S. Department of State. Compare a Passport Card and Book
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U.S. Department of State. Citizenship Evidence
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Photo ID Requirements
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Photos
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 22 USC 211a – Authority to Grant, Issue, and Verify Passports
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6039E – Information Concerning Resident Status
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U.S. Department of State. DS-11 U.S. Passport Application Form
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USAGov. Apply for a New Adult Passport
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U.S. Department of State. DS-60 Affidavit Regarding a Change of Name
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
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USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Get Your Processing Time
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U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency
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U.S. Department of State. Get Your Passport Fast
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U.S. Department of State. Check Your Application Status
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 652 – Duties of Secretary
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 22 USC 2714 – Denial of Passports to Certain Convicted Drug Traffickers