It depends on where you are going. A passport book costs more, but you can use it when traveling worldwide. A passport card is more convenient, but only accepted when traveling to the U.S. from border crossings or ports of entry in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. You cannot use it for international air travel.
You must apply for your passport in person if this is your first passport, if you are under 16 years old, or if you received your previous passport when you were under 16. You also must apply in person if your previous passport was stolen, lost or damaged, if 15 years have passed since your last passport was issued, or if your name has changed and you have no legal documentation of the change.
The U.S. Department of State website lets you type in your zip code to find acceptance facilities in your area. Post offices are the most common place to apply for passports. If there is an emergency where you need to have a passport in less than two weeks, you will need to go to the nearest regional passport acceptance facility, which you also can find on the Department of State website. If you want to apply for a U.S. passport outside the United States, go to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
You will need two forms of identification. One is evidence of U.S. citizenship, which could be a previously issued U.S. passport, a certified birth certificate, a consular report of birth abroad or certification of birth, a naturalization certificate, or a certificate of citizenship. The other is for primary identification, such as a valid driver's license, government or military ID, naturalization certificate, or previously issued U.S. passport. You cannot use the same document for both forms of ID. If you're using your naturalization certificate for proof of citizenship, for example, you cannot use it for primary identification at the same time.
You will also need to print out a DS-11 application form from the State Department's website and fill it out before you go to the acceptance facility. However, do not sign it until the acceptance agent tells you to do so.
You can generally get a passport photo taken anywhere that develops photos, such as a drugstore or a one-hour photo studio. You need two 2-inch-by-2-inch full-face photos of yourself wearing regular street clothes without any kind of eyeglasses or non-religious headgear. You must take the photos in front of a white or off-white backdrop.
After you submit the application, it usually takes about four to six weeks to process it. The State Department recommends that you plan to wait the full six weeks when making travel arrangements. You can pay an extra fee for expediting processing, in which case your passport will be in the mail to you in two to three weeks. There are options for obtaining a passport under emergency circumstances as well.
Adults aged 16 and over getting their first passports can expect to pay a $140 application fee and a $25 processing fee for a passport book and card. As of 2010, the application fee for the book alone is $110, while the fee for a card is $55. Processing fees are still $25. Prices do change, though, so check the State Department's website.
