How to fill in Form DS-11 (Application for a U.S. Passport)

Form DS-11 is the U.S. State Department’s application for a passport book or card made in person. You use it for your first passport, for a child under 16, and whenever you cannot renew by mail with Form DS-82.

Last checked against the official form: October 19, 2026

Form: DS-11
Edition: DS-11 04-2025 (OMB No. 1405-0004)
Issued by: U.S. Department of State
Form language: English

Where it goes: In person only: to an acceptance facility (many post offices, libraries and local government offices), a passport agency by appointment, or a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. It cannot be mailed in or done online
Who uses it: First-time applicants, children under 16, and anyone whose last passport was issued under 16, more than 15 years ago, or was lost, stolen or damaged
Signing: Do not sign at home. You sign in front of the acceptance agent, after they administer an oath
What you bring: The unsigned form, proof of U.S. citizenship and a photo ID, each with a photocopy of the front and back, one 2 x 2 inch colour photo, and the fees
Cost: Two payments: the passport fee to the U.S. Department of State and a separate execution fee to the facility. Fees are not refundable; check travel.state.gov for the current amounts and processing times

What this form is

The DS-11, “Application for a U.S. Passport”, is the form you use to apply in person for a U.S. passport book, a passport card, or both. A U.S. passport is issued to U.S. citizens and non-citizen U.S. nationals. You hand the form in at an acceptance facility, at a passport agency by appointment, or, if you are abroad, at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

It has 2 application pages and 4 pages of instructions. You fill in items 1 to 9 on page 1 and items 10 to 21 on page 2, in black ink, by hand or with the State Department’s online Form Filler, which prints the form for you. You leave the bottom of page 1 (identifying documents and signatures) and the box at the bottom of page 2 (for the issuing office) empty. The form estimates 85 minutes on average, including gathering your documents.

At the appointment, the acceptance agent checks your documents, administers an oath, watches you sign and collects the fees; your original documents are returned to you later by mail. This guide follows edition DS-11 04-2025, which is printed at the bottom of each page. Always download the current edition from the State Department.

Who has to fill it in

You must use the DS-11 if at least one of these is true:

You are applying for your first U.S. passport.
You are under 16, or you are applying for a child under 16.
Your most recent passport was issued when you were under 16.
Your most recent passport was issued more than 15 years ago.
Your most recent passport was lost, stolen or damaged, or you cannot send it in.
Your name has changed and you cannot document the change in a way that lets you use Form DS-82 or DS-5504.

Use another form if:

You can renew: you can send your most recent passport, you were at least 16 when it was issued, it was issued less than 15 years ago, it is undamaged and not reported lost or stolen, and your name is the same or you have a certified marriage certificate or court order. Then you renew by mail with Form DS-82.
You need a correction or a name change on a recently issued passport: Form DS-5504 may apply instead.
You are not a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national: a visa to visit the U.S. is a different application (DS-160).

Field-by-field instructions

Book, card or both

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Page 1Select document(s) for which you are submitting fees: U.S. Passport Book / U.S. Passport Card / Both	Which passport you are applying and paying for: a book, a card, or both.	Tick one box. The book is valid for all international travel. The card is cheaper but only works at land borders and seaports when coming from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean; it is not valid for international air travel.
Page 1Regular Book (Standard) / Large Book (Non-Standard)	The size of the passport book.	Tick “Regular Book (Standard)” unless you travel abroad often and need more visa pages; then tick “Large Book (Non-Standard)”. If you only want a card, leave it empty.

About you (items 1–6)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
1Name: Last / First / Middle	The name that will be printed in your passport.	Write your last, first and middle names as they appear on your proof of citizenship and your ID. If you also want a card, your first and middle names together can have at most 24 characters on it; shorten one if they are longer.
2Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)	Your date of birth.	Write it as MM/DD/YYYY, month first: 7 March 1990 is 03/07/1990.
3Sex: M / F	The sex marker in your passport.	Tick M or F; do not leave it empty, which is a common cause of delays. The 04-2025 form says to choose the one that matches your sex at birth. This policy has been challenged in court, so check the State Department’s page on sex markers for the current rule.
4Place of Birth (City & State if in the U.S. or City & Country as it is presently known.)	Where you were born.	Born in the U.S.: write the city and state. Born abroad: write the city and the country by its current name. Make it match your birth certificate or other citizenship evidence.
5Social Security Number	Your U.S. Social Security number, which the law requires if you have one.	Write all 9 digits. If you have never been issued one, write zeros and attach a signed and dated statement with the exact sentence the instructions give: “I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the following is true and correct: I have never been issued a Social Security Number by the Social Security Administration.” If you live abroad, also give the country where you live.
6USCIS Registration A-Number (if applicable)	Your USCIS registration number, for people who were once immigrants.	If you have one, write its 9 digits after “A-”. If you do not have one, leave it blank.
Page 1List all other names you have used. (Examples: Birth Name, Maiden, Previous Marriage, Legal Name Change)	Every other legal name you have used.	List a birth name, maiden name, a name from an earlier marriage or a name you changed by law. There is room for 2 names (A and B); attach a separate sheet for more.

Contact details (items 7–9)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
7Email	The email address for updates about your passport.	Write an address you check. By giving it you agree to emails about the status of your application.
8Mailing Address Line 1: Street/RFD#, P.O. Box, or URB / City / State / Zip Code / Country (if outside the United States)	Where the passport and your returned documents are mailed.	Write the street, apartment, city, state and ZIP code, or a P.O. Box, and the country if you live outside the U.S. The State Department does not mail passports to private addresses outside the U.S. and Canada.
8Address Line 2: (If applicant is a child, write "In Care Of" the parent)	A second address line for mail that reaches you through someone else.	If you do not live at the mailing address, write the name of the person who does, marked “In Care Of”. For a child, write “In Care Of” and the parent’s name, for example: In Care Of - Jane Doe.
9Primary Contact Phone Number	Your main phone number.	Write a number where you can be reached. By giving it you agree to text messages about your passport status.

Photo, documents and signatures (left for the appointment)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Page 1Attach a color photograph of applicant taken within the last six months	The box for your passport photo.	Bring one colour photo, 2 x 2 inches, taken in the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background, facing the camera, head 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to top. No glasses, no uniform and no head covering, unless you have a signed religious or medical statement. Follow the agent’s instructions for attaching it.
Page 1Identifying Documents - Applicant or Mother/Father/Parent/Legal Guardian	The boxes where the acceptance agent records the ID you show.	Leave them empty. The agent fills them in from your driver’s licence, passport or other photo ID, or from the ID of the parent applying for a child.
Page 1Applicant's Legal Signature - age 16 and older / Mother/Father/Parent/Legal Guardian's Signature (if identifying minor)	Your signature under the declaration that the information is true and the photo is you.	Do not sign at home. The agent asks you to sign after the oath. If you are 16 or older, you sign on the first line. For a child under 16, the parents or guardians sign on the lines below.

Top of page 2 and parents (item 10)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Page 2Name of Applicant (Last, First, & Middle) / Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)	Your name and date of birth again, at the top of page 2.	Repeat them exactly as on page 1, so that the two pages stay together if they are separated.
10Mother/Father/Parent - First & Middle Name (at Parent's Birth) / Last Name (at Parent's Birth)	The names of your parents, as they were when each parent was born.	For each parent, write the first and middle name and the last name they had at birth, for example a mother’s maiden name. Write what you know.
10Date of Birth / Place of Birth / Sex / U.S. Citizen?	Each parent’s date and place of birth, sex and whether they are a U.S. citizen.	Write the date as MM/DD/YYYY and the place as city and state, or city and country. Tick Yes or No for U.S. Citizen.

Marriage (item 11)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
11Have you ever been married?	Whether you have ever been married.	Tick Yes or No. If Yes, fill in the rest of item 11.
11Full Name of Current Spouse or Most Recent Spouse (Last, First & Middle) / Date of Birth / Place of Birth / U.S. Citizen?	Your current spouse, or your most recent one.	Write their full name, date and place of birth, and tick whether they are a U.S. citizen.
11Date of Marriage / Have you ever been widowed or divorced? / Widow/Divorce Date	When you married, and whether a marriage ended through death or divorce.	Write the date of marriage. If you have ever been widowed or divorced, tick Yes and write that date.

Phone, work and description (items 12–18)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
12Additional Contact Phone Number (Home / Cell / Work)	A second phone number.	Write it and tick whether it is a home, cell or work number. Leave it blank if you have only one number.
13Occupation (if age 16 or older)	What you do, if you are 16 or older.	Write your job or main activity in a few words, for example teacher, student or retired.
14Employer or School (if applicable)	Where you work or study.	Write the employer’s or school’s name. Leave it blank if it does not apply.
15–17Height / Hair Color / Eye Color	Your height, hair colour and eye colour, items 15, 16 and 17.	Write your height, and your hair and eye colour in plain words, such as brown, black or blue.
18Travel Plans (If no travel plans, please write "none"): Departure Date / Return Date / Countries to be Visited	Your next trip abroad, if you have one.	Write the departure and return dates as MM/DD/YYYY and the countries you will visit. If you have no travel plans, write “none”.

Permanent address and emergency contact (items 19–20)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
19Permanent Address (Complete if P.O. Box is listed under Mailing Address or if residence is different from Mailing Address. Do not list a P.O. Box.)	Where you actually live, when it differs from the mailing address.	Fill it in only if your mailing address is a P.O. Box or you live somewhere else. Write a street address here; a P.O. Box is not allowed.
20Your Emergency Contact (Provide the information of a person not traveling with you to be contacted in the event of an emergency.)	Someone to contact if something happens to you.	Give the name, address, phone number and relationship of a person who is not travelling with you.

Previous passports (item 21)

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
21Have you ever applied for or been issued a U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card?	Whether you have ever applied for or held a U.S. passport book or card.	Tick Yes even if the passport has expired or was lost or stolen. If Yes, fill in the rest of item 21.
21Name printed on your most recent book / card; Status of Book / Status of Card: Submitting with application / Stolen / Lost / In my possession (if expired)	The name on your most recent book and card, and where each one is now.	Write the name exactly as printed in it. For status, tick “Submitting with application” if you hand it in, “Stolen” or “Lost”, or “In my possession” if you keep an expired one.
21If your most recent passport book/card was lost or stolen, you must explain in detail below.	Your explanation if your most recent passport was lost or stolen.	Give the book or card number if you know it, the date and place (address, city, state, country) of the loss or theft, and whether you filed a police report; attach a copy if you have one. Use a separate sheet if you need more space.

Key terms

Term on the form	What it means
Acceptance facility	An office designated to accept passport applications, such as many post offices, public libraries and county or city offices. It accepts your application and sends it on; the passport itself is issued by the State Department. Many require an appointment.
Acceptance Agent (authorized agent)	The employee at the acceptance facility, passport agency or embassy who checks your identity and documents, administers the oath and witnesses your signature.
Oath	The spoken promise, given in front of the agent, that what you wrote is true. You sign the form right after it.
Proof of U.S. citizenship	The original or certified document that shows you are a U.S. citizen, such as a U.S. birth certificate, a full-validity U.S. passport (it may be expired), a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a naturalization or citizenship certificate. You hand it in with a photocopy, and it is mailed back to you.
Proof of identity	A physical, government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s licence, a passport, a naturalization certificate, or a military or government employee ID. You show the original and hand in a photocopy of its front and back on white 8.5 x 11 inch paper, one side only. Digital and mobile IDs are not accepted. A temporary licence or learner’s permit with a photo can be used, but you may be asked for an extra ID; if you have no photo ID, bring at least 2 secondary IDs.
Passport fee	The fee for the passport itself, paid to the U.S. Department of State. It depends on your age and on whether you ask for a book, a card or both. By law it is not refundable.
Execution fee	The fee for the acceptance facility’s work, paid separately to that facility, in a payment method it accepts.
U.S. Passport Card	A wallet-sized U.S. passport for land border crossings and seaports from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. It is not valid for international air travel.
Non-citizen U.S. national	A person who owes allegiance to the U.S. without being a citizen. They can also hold a U.S. passport.
In Care Of	A note on an address that mail for you goes to another person who lives there, for example a child’s parent.
Acts or Conditions	A statement on the last instruction page about things such as an outstanding felony arrest warrant or a court order forbidding you to leave the U.S. By signing, you declare that none applies to you; if one does, you must attach an explanation under oath.
DS-82	The renewal form, sent by mail, for adults whose recent passport they can send in, was issued when they were 16 or older and less than 15 years ago, and is undamaged.
DS-3053	The “Statement of Consent” a parent who cannot come to the appointment signs before a notary, so that a child under 16 can get a passport. It cannot be more than 3 months old and comes with a copy of the front and back of that parent’s ID.
DS-64	The statement about a lost or stolen passport. If item 21 does not give enough detail, the State Department may ask you to fill it in.

Common mistakes

1
Signing the form at home
Sign only when the acceptance agent asks you to, after the oath. Bring the form to the appointment unsigned.
2
Using the wrong form
If your passport was issued more than 15 years ago, when you were under 16, or was lost, stolen or damaged, you cannot renew by mail with the DS-82. Use the DS-11 and apply in person. If you meet every DS-82 condition, you can renew by mail instead.
3
Correcting a mistake on the form
Do not cross out, write over or use white-out. If you make an error, fill in a new form. The Form Filler avoids most handwriting problems; print its result on one side of the paper only.
4
Leaving boxes empty
Missing answers delay the application, and the sex box is often forgotten. Answer every item that applies to you, and write “none” for travel plans if you have none.
5
Bringing the wrong photocopies
You need a photocopy of the front and back of your citizenship document and of your ID, on plain white 8.5 x 11 inch paper, one side only. Photocopies are not returned.
6
Bringing only a digital ID
A mobile driver’s licence or other digital ID on your phone is not accepted. Bring a physical photo ID; with a temporary licence or learner’s permit you may be asked for an extra ID. Also bring the original or certified citizenship document, not just a copy.
7
A photo that does not meet the rules
Glasses, a photo older than 6 months, a coloured background or the wrong size are common reasons for delay. Have a 2 x 2 inch passport photo taken; some acceptance facilities, such as many post offices, take them.
8
Coming for a child without both parents
For a child under 16, both parents or guardians should come with the child. If one cannot, bring their notarized DS-3053, no more than 3 months old, with a copy of their ID, or proof that you have sole custody.
9
Paying everything in one payment
The passport fee and the execution fee are paid separately, often to different payees. Check the accepted payment methods with the facility before you go.

Questions and answers

Do I need the DS-11 or the DS-82?

Use the DS-82 to renew by mail only if you can send your most recent passport, you were 16 or older when it was issued, it was issued less than 15 years ago, it is not damaged, lost or stolen, and your name is unchanged or documented. In every other case, and for a first passport or a child under 16, use the DS-11 in person.

Can I sign the DS-11 before my appointment?

No. The form says not to sign until the authorized agent asks you to. The agent administers an oath and watches you sign.

Can I mail the DS-11 or apply online?

No. A DS-11 must be handed in in person, at an acceptance facility, a passport agency by appointment, or a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. You can fill it in online with the Form Filler and print it, but you still bring it in person.

Do both parents have to come for a child’s passport?

For a child under 16, both parents or guardians normally come with the child. If one cannot, the other brings a notarized DS-3053 from them, or proof of sole custody, or another document the instructions list. At 16 or 17, at least one parent must know about the application.

What if I don’t have a Social Security number?

Write zeros in item 5 and attach a signed and dated statement, in the exact words the instructions give, that you have never been issued a Social Security number. If you live abroad, also give the country where you live.

How much does a DS-11 cost, and how long does it take?

You pay a passport fee to the U.S. Department of State and a separate execution fee to the facility. The amounts and processing times change, so check travel.state.gov before you go. You can follow the status at passportstatus.state.gov.

What if I make a mistake on the form?

Fill in a new form. The instructions say not to correct the form or use white-out.

Will I get my birth certificate back?

Yes. Citizenship evidence that is not damaged, altered or forged is mailed back to you, often separately from the passport. Photocopies are not returned.

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