You can get a passport at 16 by applying in person with Form DS-11, the same application adults use, and because you’re 16 or older the passport you receive is good for 10 years rather than the 5-year book issued to younger children.1USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18 One rule sets 16- and 17-year-olds apart from adult applicants: you have to show that at least one parent or legal guardian knows you’re applying. Everything else — the forms, the documents, the fees — matches the standard first-time adult process.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Start with Form DS-11, the application for anyone who has never held a full-validity adult passport.2eCFR. 22 CFR 51.21 – Execution of Passport Application Download it from the State Department, fill it out in black ink, and leave the signature blank. You sign in front of the acceptance agent.3U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport
Proof of U.S. Citizenship
Bring an original or certified copy of a document showing you’re a U.S. citizen. For most applicants born in the country, that’s a state- or county-issued birth certificate showing your full name, date and place of birth, your parent or parents’ names, the registrar’s signature, and a filing date within one year of birth. A previously issued U.S. passport works too. If your birth certificate doesn’t meet those requirements, secondary evidence like hospital birth records, baptismal certificates, or early school records can be used.4eCFR. 22 CFR 51.42 – Persons Born in the United States Applying for a Passport for the First Time Bring a photocopy along with the original. The State Department keeps the copy and mails the original back to you.5U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
Photo ID
You’ll need a physical photo ID. A driver’s license is the most common; a learner’s permit works, though you may need to bring a second form of ID with it.6U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old If your ID was issued in a different state from where you’re applying, bring a second ID as well. No government photo ID at all? A parent can identify you at the appointment using their own valid ID. Photocopy the front and back of whatever you bring.8U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
Social Security Number
Your Social Security number goes on the form. Federal law imposes a $500 penalty for leaving it off or entering it wrong unless you can show the mistake was due to reasonable cause rather than carelessness.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 6039E – Information Concerning Resident Status If you’ve never been issued one, enter zeros in that field and include a signed statement saying so.3U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport
Passport Photo
One color photo, taken within the last six months, 2 by 2 inches, plain white or off-white background, full face directed at the camera, neutral expression, both eyes open.9U.S. Department of State. Photo Requirements No eyeglasses unless you have a medical statement. Head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons, and your full face still has to be visible without shadows. Pharmacies and shipping stores typically charge $15 to $35 to take passport photos.
Showing a Parent Knows You’re Applying
This is the piece that separates 16- and 17-year-olds from adult applicants. You need to demonstrate that at least one parent or legal guardian is aware of your application. The State Department accepts any of the following:6U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
- A parent or guardian comes with you to the appointment, signs the DS-11, and provides a photocopy of their ID.
- You bring a signed note from your parent stating they know you’re applying, along with a photocopy of the parent’s ID.
- You submit a check or money order with your parent’s or guardian’s name printed on it.
If the agent still isn’t satisfied, they can ask for a notarized Form DS-3053.10U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child That’s a fallback, not the default. Having a parent attend the appointment in person is the cleanest way to avoid any back-and-forth.
When a Parent Can’t Participate
Only one parent has to be involved, but sometimes even that one can’t be. If a parent is deceased, submit the death certificate. If one parent has sole legal custody, a court order documenting that is enough. A birth certificate that lists only one parent also works.10U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child When a second parent can’t be located, you can file Form DS-5525 or a statement made under penalty of perjury explaining in detail why that parent is unreachable. These cases are handled individually, so bring whatever supporting paperwork you have.
What It Costs
Because you get an adult 10-year passport at 16, you pay the full adult fee. The first-time passport book application fee on Form DS-11 is $160, plus a $35 execution fee to the acceptance facility that processes your paperwork.11U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees That’s $195 total for a book.
The two payments usually can’t be combined. The $160 fee generally goes by check or money order to the U.S. Department of State; the $35 execution fee is paid to the facility and may be accepted by cash or credit card depending on the location. Ask ahead. If you want expedited service, add another $60.11U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees
Book, Card, or Both
The DS-11 lets you request a passport book, a passport card, or both. Most 16-year-olds should get at least the book, because the card cannot be used for international air travel.12U.S. Department of State. Compare a Passport Card and Book The card only works for land and sea crossings into Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean destinations. If there’s any chance you’ll fly abroad in the next decade, the book is what you need. The card costs less and fits in a wallet, so some applicants order both and use the card as a backup federal ID.
The In-Person Appointment
Every first-time applicant has to appear in person at a passport acceptance facility. Post offices handle most applications; some libraries, county clerk offices, and municipal buildings also qualify. Search for nearby facilities and book an appointment through USPS or the State Department’s locator. Many locations don’t take walk-ins.
At the appointment, hand over your completed and unsigned DS-11, your citizenship document with its photocopy, your ID with its photocopy, your passport photo, and your payment. The agent reviews everything, has you raise your right hand and swear the information is truthful, and then watches you sign. The package is sealed and sent by secure mail to a federal processing center. Your original citizenship document comes back separately after processing.
How Long It Takes and How to Check Status
Routine processing currently runs 4 to 6 weeks from the date the State Department receives your application. Expedited processing, which costs an extra $60, runs 2 to 3 weeks.13U.S. Department of State. Get Your Processing Time Those windows don’t count mail time in either direction, so add a week or two on each end unless you’re paying for overnight delivery.
Track your application at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.14U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status Give it a couple of weeks after submission before the status shows up in the system.