Fill out a passport application form, also known as "Form DS-11." You can find this form on the U.S. Department of State website. Complete the form by hand or online, but don't sign it until instructed to do so by an acceptance agent. Forms without your Social Security number will not be processed.
Prove that you are a United States citizen. You can use a certified birth certificate or a naturalization certificate. Abstracts of birth certificates are not accepted, and the filing date on the birth certificate has to be within one year of your birth date.
Provide identification showing who you are. This can be a valid driver's license, a naturalization certificate, a government or military ID or an undamaged, previously issued passport.
Photocopy the front and back of your ID and proof of U.S. citizenship. Make one-sided copies. You can increase the image you are copying, but decreasing it is not allowed.
Have two passport photos taken that are 2 x 2 inches in size. The photos should be in focus and of good quality and cannot be more than six months old. You should look straight into the camera and follow the photographer's direction.
Submit your application and paperwork in person at the Snohomish County Treasurer at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue or at the Everett Main Post Office at 3102 Hoyt Avenue. The acceptance agent will go over your paperwork and make sure all requirements are met.
Pay the processing fee. As of November 2010, the application fee for adult passports is $110, and you will also have to pay a $25 processing fee. Acceptable forms of payment are checks, money orders, debit cards and credit cards.
Allow four to six weeks before receiving your new passport in the mail.
