Determine how soon you need to obtain your passport and whether you have previously been issued a U.S. passport. First time applicants must apply in person and typical processing times are between four and six weeks.
Complete Form DS-11 and bring additional required documentation to one of several Passport Acceptance facilities in the Seattle area or the Passport Agency office located downtown Seattle. Passport Acceptance facilities include many post offices, libraries and city government offices.
Submit required documents to the clerk showing evidence of U.S. citizenship and identification. Proof of citizenship includes a certified birth certificate, certificate of citizenship, or consular report of birth abroad. Acceptable forms of identification include a valid driver's license or government or military ID. A previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport or naturalization certificate may be used for either proof of citizenship or identification. Also, bring photocopies of the documents you plan to present at the passport office.
Provide two clear and correctly exposed passport photographs along with your application and required documents. The photographs must be identical, in color, in normal street attire, taken within the past six months and of the correct two-by-two inch size.
Pay the required current passport fees. Passport Agency offices accept credit cards, checks or money orders and acceptance facilities accept personal checks, money orders or bank drafts.
Expect your passport to arrive in the mail between four and six weeks from the day you submit your application. If you need expedited service, which takes between two and three weeks, you will be required to pay an additional fee for each application to be rushed.
Bring minors under age 16 to a passport office or facility and be prepared to provide evidence of U.S. citizenship and your relationship to them. All children, including infants, must have their own passport and must apply in person with both parents or guardians present. Documents for proof of citizenship are the same as those for adults and evidence of the parents' relationship to the child should be shown on a birth certificate, adoption decree or court order. Both parents must submit identification and authorize consent for the issuance of the minor's passport.
Make an appointment at the Seattle Passport Agency if you need your passport in less than two weeks for travel outside the U.S. or for a foreign visa to be obtained within four weeks. Appointments are available on weekdays only and prompt arrival for your scheduled time is required.
