What Does a Passport Application Look Like: DS-11 Pages and Fields

A U.S. passport application looks like a four-page federal form titled “Application for a U.S. Passport,” designated Form DS-11. The first two pages are instructions; the second two are the fields you actually complete. You’ll see checkboxes at the top for the type of passport you want, blocks of individual letter boxes for your name and biographical data, a parental information section, a travel plans section, and a signature and oath block at the bottom marked with a bold “STOP” warning telling you not to sign until an acceptance agent is watching.¹

The Four Pages, in Order

Pages one and two are instruction sheets. They cover fees, eligibility, what to bring, and how to complete each field. Nothing on these pages is filled in.

Page three is where the application actually starts. The layout is plain: white background, black text, the Department of State seal in the header, and rows of individual boxes sized for one handwritten letter each so federal scanners can read the entries. All handwriting must be in black ink.¹ You can also complete the form on the State Department’s website and print it, which sidesteps legibility problems entirely.²

Page four ends with the oath and signature block. A prominent “STOP” warning appears above it. That section only gets completed at your in-person appointment, under the acceptance agent’s supervision.¹

The First Choice: Book, Card, or Both

The very top of the fill-in section asks which passport product you want. Three checkboxes: passport book, passport card, or both. The book works for any country and any mode of travel. The card is limited to land and sea crossings between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean destinations, and it cannot be used for international air travel.³ Both are REAL ID compliant for domestic flights and federal facilities.⁴

The choice you make here also sets your fee. For a first-time adult, the application fee is $130 for the book alone, $30 for the card alone, and $160 for both, plus a separate $35 acceptance fee at the facility.⁵

Biographical Fields

The main data-entry section runs through your personal information in a predictable sequence:

Full legal name, exactly as you want it printed in the passport
Date of birth
Social Security number
Sex
Place of birth
Mailing address
Email address and phone number
Emergency contact

A separate travel plans block asks for upcoming dates and destinations. You can leave it blank if nothing is booked.¹ In general, if a field doesn’t apply to you, leave it blank rather than guessing.

Parental Information

A dedicated section asks for both parents’ names, dates of birth, birthplaces, and citizenship status. This is how the State Department verifies derivative citizenship claims, particularly for applicants born abroad to U.S. citizen parents. If what you enter doesn’t line up with existing federal records, expect follow-up questions.

What You Attach to the Form

The form is only part of what you submit. Three things travel with it.

Citizenship Evidence

You must submit original or certified proof of U.S. citizenship. For most applicants born in the United States, that means a certified birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state where you were born. A hospital certificate does not count. Naturalized citizens submit their Certificate of Naturalization. If you were born abroad to U.S. citizen parents, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Citizenship works.¹ The original is mailed back to you separately from your passport.

Photo Identification

You show a valid photo ID at the appointment to prove you are the person on the form. Accepted primary IDs include an in-state driver’s license, a valid or expired but undamaged previous U.S. passport, a military ID, a city, county, state, or federal government employee ID, a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship (Form N-550, N-560, or their replacements), and Trusted Traveler cards such as Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST.⁶ Learner’s permits and non-driver IDs may require an additional form of ID. If you have no primary ID, a secondary identification process applies.

The Photo

One 2 x 2 inch color photo, taken within the last six months, gets stapled or clipped to the form. The head must measure between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches from chin to crown. The background is white or off-white, with no shadows or textures. Remove glasses; a signed doctor’s note is required if you can’t for medical reasons. Head coverings are only allowed for daily religious or medical reasons, and your full face must still be visible, with a signed statement explaining the reason. Expression is neutral, both eyes open, full-face view.⁷

Where You Take It

You submit the completed DS-11 in person at a passport acceptance facility. Post offices, public libraries, and clerks of court commonly serve as facilities, and the State Department’s locator tool searches by zip code.⁸ Many locations require appointments. The agent reviews your documents, administers an oath, and watches you sign the form.²

Fees on the Form

You pay in two places because the money goes to two different recipients. The application fee goes to the Department of State. The $35 acceptance fee goes to the facility.⁵ A standard adult passport book totals $165. Expedited processing adds $60.

Payment methods differ. The facility’s acceptance fee usually takes credit cards, checks, or money orders. The State Department fee, which is mailed with your application package, must be paid by personal check, certified check, cashier’s check, traveler’s check, or money order made payable to “U.S. Department of State.”⁹ Cash is not universally accepted for the State Department portion.

Signature, Oath, and Penalty for False Statements

The last block on the form is the applicant’s signature and the oath. The “STOP” warning above it exists because signing early invalidates the process; the agent needs to witness the signature. Lying on the application is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 1542, carrying up to 10 years in prison for a first or second offense, and up to 25 years if the false statement facilitated international terrorism.¹⁰

Who Doesn’t Use This Form

DS-11 is for people who must apply in person: first-time applicants, children under 16, and adults whose previous passport was lost, stolen, damaged, or issued more than 15 years ago.¹ If your undamaged passport was issued within the last 15 years, when you were 16 or older, and in your current name, you can renew by mail using Form DS-82 instead.¹¹ Adults 25 and older whose passports are expiring within a year or expired less than five years ago can also renew online, though only at routine processing speed.¹²

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U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport
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USAGov. Apply for a New Adult Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Compare a Passport Card and Book
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passports and REAL ID
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U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Get Photo ID for a U.S. Passport
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility
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USPS. Passports
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1542 – False Statement in Application and Use of Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online