Ensure your current passport will be valid for more than a year after the date you are applying for your second passport. If your current passport expires before then, you will have to renew it before applying for a second.
Decide whether you want to submit your second passport application privately or use a specialist company. Several companies offer this service for a fee. They will guide you through the application process.
If you decide to apply on your own, complete the passport application form DS-82 online. The form is available on the Department of State website at https://pptform.state.gov. Make sure the form has a bar code before signing and dating it. Visa application service Visa HQ warns that applications without a barcode might be delayed.
Complete your 'Statement in Support of a Second Passport Application', ensuring you sign and date the document.
Write a short letter explaining why you need a second passport. Include your travel itinerary or, if the trip is for business, a letter from your employer, stating why it is necessary for you to have a second passport.
Submit the letter, signed Statement, DS-82 form, two passport photos and your current passport, as well as the processing fee. In 2010, according to the American Embassy in London, UK, the fee was $110. The forms and documentation should be sent to the address listed on the DS-82 form.
