What to Bring to Your U.S. Passport Appointment: Documents, Photo, Fees

For a first-time U.S. passport appointment, bring five things: proof of citizenship, a government-issued photo ID, a 2×2 passport photo, a completed but unsigned Form DS-11, and two separate payments for the fees. You also need black-and-white photocopies of your citizenship document and your photo ID. Knowing what to bring to a U.S. passport appointment matters because a missing photocopy, a signed form, or a check made out incorrectly is enough to send you home to reschedule.¹

Every item below is required at the appointment itself. The acceptance agent reviews your documents, watches you sign the DS-11 under oath, and seals everything into a package that is mailed to a passport processing center.²

Proof of U.S. Citizenship (Original or Certified Copy)

You need an original or certified physical copy of a document proving you are a U.S. citizen. Digital documents and plain photocopies are not accepted for this purpose. For most people born in the United States, that means a 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 registrar’s signature and seal, and a filing date within one year of your birth.³

If you became a citizen through naturalization, bring your Certificate of Naturalization. If you were born abroad to U.S. citizen parents, bring your Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth.³

Your original document is submitted with the application and returned to you after processing, so don’t leave home without it.

If Your Birth Certificate Is Delayed or Missing

A birth certificate filed more than one year after your birth is considered a delayed certificate. It can still work, but it must include a list of the records used to create it along with either the birth attendant’s signature or an affidavit signed by a parent. If those pieces are missing, bring the certificate together with early public records from the first five years of your life.³

If no birth certificate exists at all, request a Letter of No Record from the state where you were born. The letter must include your name, date of birth, the years searched, and a statement that no certificate is on file. Bring it along with early records such as a baptism certificate, hospital birth record, census record, early school records, or a family Bible entry. The State Department may also ask for a completed Form DS-10 (Birth Affidavit), a sworn statement from someone with knowledge of your birth.³

If Your Name Has Changed

If the name you are applying under does not match the name on your citizenship document, bring a certified copy of the legal document that connects the two. A marriage certificate is the most common example, but a court order for a legal name change or an adoption decree also works.⁴ “Certified” is the key word. A photocopy from your personal files will not be accepted.

Photocopy of the Citizenship Document

Along with the original, bring a black-and-white photocopy. It must be legible, printed on white 8.5″ x 11″ paper, single-sided, showing both front and back.³

Government-Issued Photo ID (Plus a Photocopy)

Bring a current, government-issued photo identification to verify your identity. A valid driver’s license is the most common choice; a military ID or a government employee identification card also qualifies.⁵

You also need a photocopy of your ID, front and back, on white 8.5″ x 11″ paper, printed on one side only. You can enlarge the image, but reducing the size is not allowed.⁵ Make these copies before you leave the house. Some acceptance facilities have a copier available, but counting on that is how people lose their time slot.

A 2×2 Passport Photo

Bring one color photograph measuring 2 x 2 inches, taken against a plain white or off-white background with no visible shadows. The photo must have been taken within the last six months.⁶ Keep your expression neutral with both eyes open and your mouth closed. A natural smile is allowed, but showing teeth is not.

Eyeglasses must be removed. The only exception is a documented medical reason, which requires a signed note from your doctor submitted with the application.⁶ Hats and head coverings are prohibited unless worn for religious or medical reasons, in which case include a signed statement explaining the reason. Uniforms and camouflage are not allowed in any circumstance.

Many post offices that serve as acceptance facilities offer on-site photo services, often around $15 to $17. Some pharmacies and shipping stores take passport photos as well. Wherever you get the photo, check it against the State Department’s requirements before your appointment. A rejected photo means a wasted trip.

A Completed but Unsigned Form DS-11

Form DS-11 is the application form for all first-time passport applicants. You can fill it out online at the State Department’s website and print it, or pick up a paper copy at a post office or library.⁷ If you complete it by hand, use black ink. Mistakes cannot be corrected with white-out or correction tape; you will need to start over on a fresh form.

Do not sign the form before your appointment. The acceptance agent has to witness your signature, and signing early means the form is rejected and you’ll fill out a new one.¹ At the appointment, the agent administers an oath, reviews your information, and then asks you to sign.

The form asks for your Social Security number, and this is not optional. Under federal tax law, failing to provide your SSN on a passport application can trigger a $500 IRS penalty.⁸ If you don’t have the number memorized, look it up before you go.

Two Separate Payments for the Fees

Passport fees come in two parts, paid to two different entities at the same appointment. The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State. The execution fee goes to the acceptance facility.

For a first-time adult passport book, the application fee is $130 and the execution fee is $35, totaling $165. A child’s passport book is $100 plus the same $35 execution fee. A passport card costs $30 for adults or $15 for minors, plus the $35 execution fee. A book-and-card combination is $160 for adults or $115 for minors, plus the $35 execution fee.⁹

The application fee must be paid by check or money order made payable to “U.S. Department of State.” The applicant’s full name and date of birth must be printed on the front of the check, and the amount must be exact. Personal checks, certified checks, cashier’s checks, and traveler’s checks are all accepted. Cash and credit cards are generally not accepted for the application fee. The $35 execution fee is paid directly to the facility, and accepted payment methods vary by location; some take cash, debit, or credit cards.¹⁰

Prepare both payments before you arrive. Showing up without a check made out correctly is one of the most common reasons people leave empty-handed.

If You Are Applying for a Child

Children under 16 cannot apply on their own, so the “what to bring” list includes people. Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child at the acceptance facility and provide consent for the passport to be issued.¹¹ You’ll bring the same items as an adult application: citizenship evidence (usually the child’s birth certificate, which also proves the parental relationship), a passport photo of the child, a completed DS-11, and the fees.

If one parent cannot attend, that parent must complete a notarized Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) for you to submit with the application. If the other parent cannot be located at all, bring a completed Form DS-5525 (Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances) instead.¹¹ A parent with sole legal custody can apply alone by presenting a certified court order granting sole custody, an adoption decree listing only one parent, a judicial declaration of the other parent’s incompetence, or the other parent’s death certificate.

Applicants who are 16 or 17 also apply in person using Form DS-11, but the two-parent consent requirement does not apply to them the same way. At that age, the minor can appear with just one parent or guardian.¹²

Quick Pre-Appointment Checklist

Before you walk out the door, confirm you have each of the following in hand:

Original or certified citizenship document, plus a single-sided black-and-white photocopy on 8.5″ x 11″ paper (front and back)
Government-issued photo ID, plus a single-sided photocopy on 8.5″ x 11″ paper (front and back)
One 2×2 color passport photo taken within the last six months
Completed Form DS-11, unsigned, filled in with black ink
Check or money order for the application fee, payable to “U.S. Department of State,” with your full name and date of birth on the front
Payment for the $35 execution fee in a form the facility accepts
Any certified name-change documents, if applicable
For a child under 16: both parents or the appropriate consent forms

Plan for about 15 minutes per applicant, and arrive 10 minutes early with everything ready.² If a document is missing when you sit down at the counter, the agent cannot accept the application, and you’ll be booking again.

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