Passmere is a private company, not a government agency. This guide is free information, not legal advice. Each fact links to the official source and shows the date we checked it.

Passport

Apply for your first adult U.S. passport in person (Form DS-11)

Q: Is a passport card enough to fly abroad?

No. (under review — check the official source) To compare both, read Passport card or passport book.

Q: How long will my passport be valid?

(under review — check the official source)

Q: Will Passmere ask for my Social Security number?

No. (under review — check the official source) Passmere never asks for it: you write it on the form yourself.

Q: How do I track my application?

See Track your passport application. (under review — check the official source)

Who must apply in person, what to bring to the acceptance facility, what the government charges and how long it takes, with the official source for every fact.

Updated October 2, 20265 min read

Who applies in person with Form DS-11

under review — see the official source ⁴

If none of these applies to you and you still have your last adult passport, you may be able to renew by mail instead. Check the conditions in Renew your U.S. passport by mail.

Teen applicants

under review — see the official source ⁵

The adult fees in the table below apply to them.

Debts that can hold up a passport

under review — see the official source ⁶

What to bring

under review — see the official source ⁷

under review — see the official source ⁸

Your original proof of citizenship goes with your application and comes back to you in a separate mailing. For the photo, see Passport photo requirements. No proof of citizenship at all? See the questions at the end of this guide.

Step by step

Check the list above to confirm you must apply in person. If you can renew by mail, do that instead.
Fill in Form DS-11 and print it single-sided. Do not sign it yet.
Gather your original proof of U.S. citizenship and your photo ID, and make the photocopies the list asks for.
Get one passport photo that meets the official rules. Do not staple it to the form.
Find an acceptance facility near you with the official search tool (see "Where to apply" below).
Prepare two payments: a check or money order to "U.S. Department of State" for the application fee, and a separate payment for the facility's acceptance fee.
At the facility, hand over your documents, take the oath and sign the form when the agent asks you to.
Keep a copy of your form and watch your email for status updates.

Checklist

What to bring to the acceptance facility

Form DS-11, filled in and printed single-sided, not signed
Original proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a U.S. birth certificate
Photocopy of your proof of citizenship, one side only
Physical photo ID, such as a valid driver's license
Front-and-back photocopy of your photo ID
A second ID, if your ID was issued by another state
One passport photo, not stapled
Check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State", with your name and date of birth on it
Separate payment for the acceptance fee

Do and don't

Do

Bring the original citizenship document and the photocopy: you need both.
Pay the application fee and the acceptance fee as two separate payments.
Ask for the book and the card at the same visit if you want both. under review — see the official source ⁹
Apply as early as you can, especially in the busy season (see "How long it takes").

Don't

Don't sign Form DS-11 before the agent asks you to.
Don't staple or glue your photo to the form.
Don't plan to pay the application fee in cash; it is paid by check or money order.
Don't mail Form DS-11 yourself: you hand it in at the facility.

Fees

These are government fees. The application fee is paid to the U.S. Department of State and the acceptance fee to the facility. Neither one is paid to Passmere.

What	Paid to	Fee
Passport book	U.S. Department of State	under review — see the official source ¹
Passport card	U.S. Department of State	under review — see the official source ¹⁰
Book and card	U.S. Department of State	under review — see the official source ¹¹
Acceptance fee (in-person applications)	Acceptance facility	under review — see the official source ²
Expedited service (optional)	U.S. Department of State	under review — see the official source ¹²
1–3 day return delivery (optional, book only)	U.S. Department of State	under review — see the official source ¹³
Larger book with more visa pages	U.S. Department of State	under review — see the official source ¹⁴

under review — see the official source ¹⁵ under review — see the official source ¹⁶

Where to apply

You apply at an acceptance facility, often a post office, a library or a local government office. Find one near you with the official search tool: under review — see the official source ¹⁷.

The acceptance agent reviews your documents, gives you the oath and watches you sign. The facility then sends your application to the State Department, so there is no mailing address for you to look up.

Living outside the United States and Canada? under review — see the official source ¹⁸

How long it takes

Routine processing: under review — see the official source ³.
Expedited processing: under review — see the official source ¹⁹.
Mailing can add up to under review — see the official source ²⁰ each way.
Your proof of citizenship comes back up to under review — see the official source ²¹ after the new passport.

under review — see the official source ²²

Traveling soon? Read Urgent travel: getting a passport fast.

Frequently asked questions

What if I have no proof of U.S. citizenship?

Check the official source for the other documents the State Department accepts. If you cannot get any evidence of citizenship, you may need to pay for a file search: under review — see the official source ²³.

Can I mail Form DS-11 instead of going in person?

No. You hand in Form DS-11 at an acceptance facility, where you take the oath and sign in front of the agent.

Is a passport card enough to fly abroad?

No. under review — see the official source ²⁴ To compare both, read Passport card or passport book.

How long will my passport be valid?

under review — see the official source ²⁵

Will Passmere ask for my Social Security number?

No. under review — see the official source ²⁶ Passmere never asks for it: you write it on the form yourself.

How do I track my application?

See Track your passport application. under review — see the official source ²⁷

Sources and verification

Government application fee — adult passport book — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
Acceptance facility fee (in-person applications) — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
Routine processing time — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source
Who must apply in person with Form DS-11 — U.S. Department of State: Apply for Your Adult Passport. under review — see the official source
Applicants aged 16 and 17 — U.S. Department of State: Form DS-11 (edition 04-2025) — instructions. under review — see the official source
Debts that delay or block a passport — U.S. Department of State: Apply for Your Adult Passport. under review — see the official source
What to bring for Form DS-11 — U.S. Department of State: Apply for Your Adult Passport. under review — see the official source
When to sign Form DS-11 — U.S. Department of State: Apply for Your Adult Passport. under review — see the official source
Applying for book and card together — U.S. Department of State: Compare a Passport Card and Book. under review — see the official source
Government application fee — adult passport card — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
Government application fee — adult book and card — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
Expedited service fee — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
1–3 day return delivery fee — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
Extra cost for the large passport book — U.S. Department of State: Renew Your Passport by Mail. under review — see the official source
How to pay the government fees — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
Refunds of passport fees — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
Official acceptance facility search — USAGov (U.S. General Services Administration): Apply for a new adult passport. under review — see the official source
Applying from outside the U.S. and Canada — U.S. Department of State: Form DS-82 (edition 04-2025) — instructions. under review — see the official source
Expedited processing time — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source
Mailing time each way — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source
Return of your supporting documents — U.S. Department of State: Renew Your Passport by Mail. under review — see the official source
Busiest and quietest times of the year — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source
File search fee (no citizenship evidence) — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
What the passport card is for — U.S. Department of State: Compare a Passport Card and Book. under review — see the official source
Validity of the passport book and card — U.S. Department of State: Compare a Passport Card and Book. under review — see the official source
Social Security number on the form — U.S. Department of State: Form DS-82 (edition 04-2025) — instructions. under review — see the official source
Official application status site — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source