The first step in acquiring a passport is to complete the application, Form DS-11, Application For A U.S. Passport. The form is available for downloading and printing, or you may fill out an online form and print it once it has been completed. Paper copies may be obtained at any passport acceptance facility, such as your local post office. However, do not sign the form until instructed to do so at the acceptance facility.
Anyone applying for a U.S. passport for the first time must submit the application in person at one of the designated acceptance facilities identified by the State Department. It is at this time that you will be instructed to sign the application in the presence of the facility's personnel. It bears repeating that you must not sign the completed application in advance.
For adult first-time applicants age 16 years or older, the passport application fee is $110. There is an additional execution fee of $25, which must be paid separately. The passport fee for minor children is $80 plus the $25 dollar execution fee. Payment methods include credit cards, personal or certified check, money order and in some cases, exact cash. Checks or money orders must be made payable to "Department of State." If you intend to pay in cash, it is advisable to verify in advance that the acceptance facility will take cash, as some will not. The application fee is nonrefundable, even if your application is denied.
In addition to the application and fees, you must submit proof of U.S. citizenship. Acceptable documents include a previously issued and undamaged U.S. passport, certified birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth, Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship. After your application has been processed, these documents will be returned to you by mail.
When applying in person, acceptable identification must also be presented. Valid examples include a Naturalization Certificate, valid driver's license, current government ID card or current military ID card. In conjunction with the presentation of these items, you must submit front and back photocopies of your identification. They must be on white standard-sized copier paper.
Along with your application, you must also submit two, 2-inch by 2-inch identical color photos. They must show your full face, have been taken within the last six months, illustrate you wearing normal street attire and must be printed on photo-quality paper. When submitting Form DS-11 in person, the photos should not be attached to the application.
Children must appear in person along with their parents or legal guardian when submitting a passport application. Citizenship and identification documentation for children must also be provided, as well as written proof that the adults are, in fact, the child's biological or adoptive parents. The same photo requirements exist for children as well. Additionally, parents must also sign the child's DS-11 form indicating their consent to the issuance of a passport. As with adult passports, all parties must sign at the time the DS-11 form is submitted.
