On a US passport, the “place of issue” is whatever appears in the field labeled Authority on the photo page. The passport itself never uses the phrase “place of issue,” which is why the question comes up: visa applications and travel forms ask for it, and you have to translate.
Where to Find It on Your Passport
Open the book to the page with your photo and personal details. Near the bottom, next to your passport number, date of issue, and expiration date, there is a field labeled “Authority.” That is your issuing authority, and it is what other countries mean by “place of issue.”
What it says depends on how your passport was processed. Some passports show a city, such as “Chicago” or “New Orleans,” reflecting the regional passport agency that handled the application. Others show “National Passport Center” or “United States Department of State.”1Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit. Tips for Filling out the Visa Application Form The entry varies from one passport to the next, so check yours rather than guessing.
The US passport card works a little differently. The phrase “United States Department of State” runs along the card’s lower margin.2Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs. United States Passport Card Description
What to Write When a Form Asks for Place of Issue
Copy the Authority field exactly. If your passport says “Chicago,” write Chicago. If it says “National Passport Center,” write that. If it reads “United States Department of State,” use the full phrase.1Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit. Tips for Filling out the Visa Application Form Visa forms for countries such as Japan, India, and Saudi Arabia commonly use this field, and matching the passport word for word avoids problems.
Some online applications reduce the question to a dropdown of countries. In that case, select United States.
One error causes real delays: writing the city where you applied. If you handed your paperwork to a post office clerk in Denver, your passport was not issued in Denver. Denver was a collection point. Whatever city or agency actually printed the passport is what belongs on the form.
Why Passports Show Different Issuing Authorities
The Department of State processes passports through regional passport agencies and a centralized facility. Apply in person at a passport agency, usually for expedited service, and that agency processes the book itself; its city ends up in the Authority field. Mail in your renewal or drop it off at a post office, library, or clerk of court, and those locations only accept and forward the paperwork. The application is processed at a central facility.3U.S. Department of State. Passport Processing at Acceptance Facilities Only the agency or center that actually issues the passport is named on it.4U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center
The international standard for passport design, set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, requires an “Authority or issuing organization” field and treats the location line inside it as optional.5International Civil Aviation Organization. Doc 9303 – Machine Readable Travel Documents That is why some US passports name a city and others do not. Both formats are valid.
What the Authority Field Is Not
It is not your place of birth. Birthplace is a separate field on the same page. It is not where you live, and it is not where you dropped off your application. A post office that accepted your forms did not issue your passport.
The Authority field says nothing about your citizenship, travel privileges, or the passport’s validity. A book that reads “Washington” and one that reads “National Passport Center” work identically at every border. Older passports sometimes phrased the issuing information differently, so a renewal after many years may not match your previous book word for word.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization