Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport

Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport, is the application used by people who must apply for a passport in person, including first-time applicants and others who cannot use the mail-in renewal process. You must use Form DS-11 if you are applying for the first time, are under 16, do not have a prior passport you can submit, your most recent passport was issued more than 15 years ago or when you were under 16, or your previous passport was lost, stolen, or damaged. Applicants using Form DS-11 submit it in person at an acceptance facility, such as many post offices and clerks of court, or at a passport agency. The form requires proof of U.S. citizenship, proof of identity, a passport photo, and the applicable fees. Because Form DS-11 is for in-person applications that require document verification, applicants must appear in person rather than mailing the form, and should bring all required originals and copies.

Submitting Form DS-11 requires evidence of U.S. citizenship, proof of identity, a photocopy of the identity document, a compliant passport photo, and payment of the fees. Acceptable citizenship evidence includes a certified U.S. birth certificate with the required features, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a naturalization certificate, or a previous U.S. passport. Identity proof includes a valid driver's license, a government or military ID, or certain other documents, and you present the original and a photocopy. The passport photo must meet the size, background, and recency requirements. You should not sign Form DS-11 until instructed at the acceptance facility, where an acceptance agent witnesses your signature. For minors, additional documents proving parental relationship and consent are required. Because the acceptance facility verifies your originals and returns them, you should bring the required documents and copies. Confirming the current document list before your appointment helps avoid delays in processing your passport application.

The time to receive a passport after filing Form DS-11 depends on the processing option you choose and current State Department processing times, which vary throughout the year. Routine service typically takes a number of weeks, while expedited service for an additional fee is faster, and the published estimates change based on demand. Processing time begins when the application reaches a passport agency, not when you submit it at the acceptance facility, and mailing times add to the total. If you have imminent international travel or need a foreign visa quickly, you may qualify for urgent in-person service at a passport agency by appointment. Because processing times fluctuate and peak seasons can lengthen them, you should apply well before any planned travel, often several months ahead, and check the current estimates. For Form DS-11 applicants, building in extra time accounts for mailing and processing, and expedited service is available when you need the passport sooner.

Whether you renew with Form DS-11 or Form DS-82 depends on your eligibility for the mail-in renewal process. You can use Form DS-82 to renew by mail only if your most recent passport is undamaged and can be submitted, was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued within the last 15 years, and was issued in your current name or you can document a name change. If you do not meet all those conditions, for example because your prior passport was lost, stolen, or damaged, was issued when you were under 16, or is more than 15 years old, you must use Form DS-11 and apply in person. First-time applicants always use Form DS-11. Because the in-person process with Form DS-11 requires presenting citizenship and identity documents for verification, it applies whenever the mail-in DS-82 renewal is not available. Confirming which form fits your situation before applying ensures you use the correct process and avoid having an application rejected.

Applying for a child's passport requires Form DS-11 and additional steps to protect minors, including the in-person appearance of the child and evidence of parental consent. For an applicant under 16, both parents or guardians generally must consent, typically by both appearing in person with the child, or one parent appearing with a notarized consent statement from the absent parent on the appropriate form. You must provide the child's proof of U.S. citizenship, evidence of the parental relationship such as a birth certificate listing the parents, the parents' identification, a passport photo of the child, and the fees. The child must appear in person at the acceptance facility. These requirements exist to help prevent international child abduction by ensuring both parents are aware of and approve the passport. Because the consent rules are strict and missing documentation will delay the application, parents should confirm the current requirements and bring all needed originals and copies when applying for a child's passport with Form DS-11.