You must apply in person for a U.S. passport if you meet any of the following descriptions:

• You are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time.
• Your previous U.S. passport was lost or stolen.
• You previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 12 years ago.

If applying for a child 12 and under:  The child need not appear in person. A parent or legal guardian may apply for the child. However, passport agents reserve the right to require appearance if circumstances so indicate.

Application by a minor child 13 to 17: The child MUST appear in person.

If you fit any of these descriptions, you will need to appear IN PERSON before an agent authorized to accept passport applications at either a post office, court house or passport agency.  (See Where to Apply for a Passport Nationwide.)

How to Apply in Person for a U.S. Passport

1. Complete Application Form DSP-11

Application forms can be obtained from any passport agency or acceptance facility (during their posted hours of passport application acceptance), or the Internet at http://travel.state.gov/download_applications.html. Many travel agents stock application forms for their clients as well. Please do not sign the DSP-11 application form until instructed to do so.

2. Present Proof of U.S. Citizenship (one of these)

• Previous U.S. Passport
  
• Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state (A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office.)
  
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad
  
• Naturalization Certificate
  
• Certificate of Citizenship

If none of these are available, you will need:

1. Letter of No Record issued by the state stating the name, date of birth, years searched for a record and that there is no birth certificate on file for the person

   AND as many of the following as possible:

2. Other documentation of birth in the U.S. such as a:

• baptismal certificate
• hospital birth certificate
• census record
• certificate of circumcision
• early school record
• family bible record
• doctor's record of post-natal care.

This documentation must be a public record showing the date and place of birth, and, created within the first five years of life. An affidavit or Form DSP-10A from an older blood relative who has personal knowledge of your birth, i.e., a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling. It must be notarized or have the seal and signature of the acceptance agent.

A Delayed Birth Certificate filed more than one year after the birth, listing the documentation used to create it. It must be signed by the attending physician or midwife, or, list an affidavit by the parents, or, show early public records.

NO voter registration cards. NO army discharge papers.

3. Proof of Identity (one of these)

• Previous U.S. passport
• Naturalization Certificate
• Certificate of Citizenship
• Current, valid driver's license
• Government ID: city, state or federal
• Military ID: military and dependents
• Work ID: must be currently employed by the company
• Student ID: must be currently enrolled
• Merchant Marines card: also known as a "Seamen's" or "Z" card
• Pilot or flight attendant ID

SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AS IDENTIFICATION.

If none of these are available, you will need:

• A person who can vouch for the applicant. This person must have known the applicant for at least 2 years, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have valid ID. They will need to fill out a Form DSP-71 in front of the passport agent,

AND

• The passport applicant must have some form of signature ID, such as a Social Security card, credit card, bank card or library card.

If applying for a child 12 and under:  The child need not appear in person. A parent or legal guardian may apply for the child. However, passport agents reserve the right to require the appearance if circumstances so indicate.

• The parent or guardian must show current, valid ID.
  
• If the parent is NOT a citizen, they must show an alien registration card ("green card"), valid foreign passport, other ID such as a driver's license.
  
• If the parent does not have acceptable ID, someone with current, valid ID must vouch for the parent as described above.

Application for a minor child age 13 to 17: The child MUST appear in person.

4. Two Passport Photographs

Photographs must be 2x2 inches in size, identical, taken within the past 6 months. The image size from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head should be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches. They may be in color or black and white. They must be full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background. Photographs should be taken in normal street attire, without a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline. Uniforms should not be worn in photographs with the exception of religious attire which is worn daily. If prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles are normally and consistently worn, they should be worn when the picture is taken. Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless required for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required to support the wearing of such glasses in photographs. Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable.

5. The Applicable Fee

• Click here to see a chart of passport fees.

• If paying in cash, all passport agencies and some acceptance facilities require exact cash; courts are not required to accept cash. Checks and money orders are accepted as well.

• Passport agencies accept major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover) and debit cards (not ATM cards). Passport acceptance facilities are not required to accept these forms of payment.

• If you need your passport in less than 5 weeks (25 business days) if applying at a passport agency, or in less than 6 weeks (30 business days) if applying at an acceptance facility, you will need to pay an additional $35 expedite fee to ensure urgent handling. (See How to Expedite Service for Your Passport Application)

6. Provide A Social Security Number

Although a Social Security number is not required for issuance of a passport, Section 6039E of the Internal Revenue Code o f1986 requires that passport applicants provide this information. Passport Services gives this information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) routinely. Any applicant who fails to provide the information is subject to a $500 penalty enforced by the IRS. Questions on this matter should be referred to the nearest IRS office.