How do I get a passport?
If it’s your first passport book or if it’s for a child under 16, you need to apply in person at a passport acceptance facility, which can be a post office, library or county courthouse. You can renew an expired passport by mail (they’re good for 10 years) if you have the old one (undamaged) and if it was issued less than 15 years ago.
What’s required for getting a passport?
For a new passport, you need to complete federal form DS-11 and have proof of citizenship, a photo ID, color passport photos and payment. If you’re renewing by mail, your old passport serves as your ID and proof of citizenship, plus you need to send everything else listed for a new passport. Go to to learn more about the forms you’ll need.
How much will this cost?
Adult passport books—age 16 and up, new or renewed—cost $110. For a new one, add an execution fee (that sounds worse than it is) of $35. Child passports (under 16) cost $85 plus the same $35 execution fee for first-timers.
How long is it before my passport arrives?
For a routine application or renewal, expect six to eight weeks for delivery (per changes in June 2019). If you pay the $60 fee to expedite your service, cut that time frame back by two to three weeks.
And what if the passport is for a child?
An applicant under 16 must provide all of the requirements for a new passport listed earlier, but in addition, both parents must give their consent. That’s easiest when both parents can appear when the child applies for the passport. If only one can appear, the other parent can provide a notarized affidavit.
What is a passport card?
A passport card, which differs from the passport book mentioned above, can be used for returning to the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda—but not for air travel or overseas travel. The application process is similar, and passport cards are significantly less expensive than passport books.
There are more details—many more details—involved with passports. To get all the answers, go to travel.state.gov and click on “Get a U.S. Passport.”
Top photo ©Artwell/Adobe Stock
