If you are applying for your first passport, you must complete the Application for a U.S. Passport (Form DS-11) and apply in person. Do not sign the application until you are in the presence of an agent and are instructed to do so. If you are renewing your passport, you may use the Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail (Form DS-82). You can obtain copies of these forms online (see Resources).
You must submit evidence of your U.S. citizenship, which requires one of the following: a previously issued passport, a certified birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth, a Certificate of Naturalization or a Certificate of Citizenship.
You must present valid identification, which may be one of the following: a previously issued passport, a driver's license, a Naturalization Certificate, or a current government or military ID.
You must pay the appropriate fee by credit or debit card, check, money order or bank draft. You can find the current fee schedule on the U.S. Department of State's website (see Resources).
You must provide two identical color photographs of yourself facing forward. The photographs should be 2 by 2 inches with a white background.
You must apply for your first passport in person at an Acceptance Facility. You can use the Department of State's search function to find the facility closest to you (see Resources).
