Fillable Form DS-11: U.S. Passport Application

What is Form DS-11?

The DS-11 form, Application for a U.S. Passport, is a legal document that United States citizens and non-U.S. nationals use to apply for a passport. It is a passport application form by the U.S. Department of State.

A passport is a powerful legal document that a government issues and serves as its holder’s form of identification and a ticket to other countries.

You may use Form DS-11 if one of the following requirements is true:

• You are applying for your first U.S. passport
• You are 16 years old or older
• Your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under 16 years old
• Your previous U.S. passport was lost, stolen, or damaged
• Your previous U.S. passport was issued more than 15 years ago

How to fill out Form DS-11?

Before you accomplish the form, take note that printed errors on passports require applicants to apply for corrections. To avoid such a problem, you must write as legible as possible and correctly follow all the instructions. Fill out the passport application form as completely as possible, not providing any false information. False statements made deliberately in any legal document are punishable by law and can lead to penalties and imprisonment.

Filling out Form DS-11 is simple and only demands that you pay close attention to detail. In any case, you should not have trouble using it, as it has clear instructions on how to input all the required information.

To start, mark the appropriate box to determine the type of passport you are applying for. You can select:

• U.S. Passport Book
• U.S. Passport Card
• Both

If you marked “U.S. Passport Book,” mark the appropriate box to determine the type of U.S. passport book you are applying for. You can select:

• Regular Book (Standard)
• Large Book (Non-Standard)

Page 1

Item 1 — Name

Enter your full legal name as it is on your citizenship document. Enter your Last Name, First Name, and Middle Name in their respective fields.

Item 2 — Date of Birth

Enter your date of birth following the format: MM/DD/YYYY.

Item 3 — Sex

Mark the appropriate box to determine your gender. You can select:

• M — For male
• F — For female

Item 4 — Place of Birth

Enter your place of birth, regardless if it is in the U.S. or another country.

Item 5 — Social Security Number

Enter your unique, nine-digit Social Security Number. If you do not have one, enter zeros (000-00-0000).

Item 6 — Email

Enter an active email address where you can be sent an email.

Item 7 — Primary Contact Phone Number

Enter a phone number where you can be called.

Item 8 — Mailing Address

Enter your complete mailing address. This address may be used to send your passport. Include your Street or RFD#, P.O. Box or URB, Apartment, Suite, City, State, ZIP Code. Enter the Country if it is outside the U.S. If the applicant is a child, write “In Care of” then your name and relationship to the child.

Item 9 — Names you have used

Enter all of your previous legal names, if applicable.

Page 2

Name of Applicant

Enter your full legal name as it is on your citizenship document. Enter it in the following format: Last Name, First Name, and Middle Name.

Date of Birth

Enter your date of birth following the format: MM/DD/YYYY.

Item 10 — Parental Information

The passport application form has parental information fields for two individuals: your father and mother or two legal guardians. Enter the required information about them:

• Mother/Father/Parent – First and Middle Name at Parent’s Birth
• Last Name – At Paren’t Birth
• Date of Birth – Enter in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.
• Place of Birth – Enter the City and State if in the U.S., or enter City and Country as it is presently known.
• Sex – Mark “Male” if male or “Female” if female.
• U.S. Citizen – Mark “Yes” if your parent is a U.S. citizen; otherwise, mark “No.”

Item 11 — Have you ever been married?

Mark “Yes” if you have ever been married; otherwise, mark “No.”

Full Name of Current Spouse or Most Recent Spouse

Enter the full legal name of your spouse now or your most recent spouse in the following format: Last Name, First Name, Middle Name.

Date of Birth

Enter the date of birth of your current or most recent spouse in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.

Place of Birth

Enter the place of birth of your spouse.

U.S. Citizen?

Mark “Yes” if he or she is a U.S. Citizen; otherwise, mark “No.”

Date of Marriage

Enter your date of marriage with your spouse in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.

Have you ever been widowed or divorced?

Mark “Yes” if you have ever been widowed or divorced; otherwise, mark “No.”

Widow/Divorce Date

Enter the widow or divorce date in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.

Item 12 — Additional Contact Phone Number

Enter any additional contact number you have.

Mark the appropriate box to determine its type of contact number. You can select:

• Home
• Work
• Cell

Item 13 — Occupation

Enter your occupation if you are 16 years old or older.

Item 14 — Employer or School

Enter the business name of your employer or the name of your school.

Item 15 — Height

Enter your height in feet and inches or centimeters.

Item 16 — Hair Color

Enter your natural hair color.

Item 17 — Eye Color

Enter your natural eye color.

Item 18 — Travel Plans

Enter the required information if you are traveling soon. If you have no travel plans, enter “none.”

Departure Date

Enter the date of departure in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.

Return Date

Enter the return date in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.

Countries to be Visited

Enter all the countries you will visit.

Item 19 — Permanent Address

Enter your permanent address, including the Street or RFD # or URB, Apartment or Unit, City, State, and ZIP Code. Complete this item if your P.O. Box is listed under the mailing address or if your residence is different from your mailing address. Do not enter a P.O. box.

Item 20 — Emergency Contact

Enter the details about your emergency contact. Enter the information of a person not traveling with you who can be contacted in the event of an emergency.

• Name – Enter the full legal name of your emergency contact.
• Address – Enter the full address of your emergency contact, including Street or RFD # or P.O. Box, Apartment or Unit, City, State, ZIP Code, Phone Number, Relationship.

Item 21 — Have you ever applied for or been issued a U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card?

Mark “Yes” if you have ever been issued either a U.S. Passport Book, U.S. Passport Card, or both; otherwise, mark “No.” If you answered “Yes,” enter the following information:

• Name as printed on your most recent passport book
• Most recent passport book number
• Most recent passport book issue date – Enter the date in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.
• Status of your most recent passport book – Mark the appropriate box to determine the status of your most recent passport book. You can select:
  • Submitting with application
  • Stolen
  • Lost
  • In my possession (if expired)
• Name as printed on your most recent passport card
• Most recent passport card number
• Most recent passport card issue date – Enter the date in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.
• Status of your most recent passport card – Mark the appropriate box to determine the status of your most recent passport card. You can select:
  • Submitting with application
  • Stolen
  • Lost
  • In my possession (if expired)

Frequently Asked Questions about Form DS-11

What are the required documents to apply for a U.S. passport?

The following documents are required to apply for a U.S. passport:

• Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

Aside from the DS-11 form, additional documents are required when you apply for a passport. You must submit one of the following:

• • Fully valid, undamaged U.S. passport (may be expired)
  • Your U.S. birth certificate that meets the following requirements:
    • Issued by the city, country, or state of birth
    • Lists your full name, date of birth, and place of birth
    • Has the date filed with the registrar's office (must be within one year of birth)
    • Has the registrar’s signature
    • Has the seal of the issuing authority
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
  • Certificate of Naturalization
  • Certificate of Citizenship

These documents must be original or certified copies. A certified copy should have the stamp or seal of the official issuing authority. Nevertheless, you should have photocopies of each document on hand in case needed. Failure to submit a photocopy or a second certified copy of your U.S. citizenship evidence when required might delay the processing of your passport. Photocopies of any of your documents must be on white, 8.5x11” standard paper. If the back page of your evidence contains crucial information, you should have it photocopied as well. For greater legibility, use black and white ink.

• Proof of Identification

Proof of identification is easier to provide than a U.S. citizenship document. Present one of the following identification documents to the acceptance agent:

• • Valid or expired, undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card
  • In-state, fully valid driver’s license or enhanced driver’s license with photo
  • Certificate of Naturalization
  • Certificate of Citizenship
  • Government employee ID (city, country, state, or federal)
  • U.S. military or military dependent ID
  • Current (valid) foreign passport
  • Matricula Consular (Mexican Consular ID) — commonly used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
  • U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) — commonly used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
  • Trusted Traveler IDs (including valid Global Entry, FAST, SENTRI, and NEXUS cards)
  • Enhanced Tribal Cards and Native American tribal photo IDs
  • Other documents: In-state, fully valid learner's permit with photo, In-state, fully valid non-driver ID with photo, and temporary driver's license with photo — you may be asked to present an additional ID when presenting one of these three documents.

• Photo

You must provide one photo with your application. While there are passport acceptance facilities that provide photo-taking services at an additional cost, it is ideal to have your photo taken ahead of time to expedite the process slightly.

• • Submit a colored, high-resolution photo taken within the last 6 months
  • Use a plain white or off-white background
  • Photo size must be 2x2" or 51x51 mm
  • Wear regular clothes and do not wear any headdress or eyeglasses, unless worn for religious reasons

How much does a U.S. passport cost?

The fees may be paid in cash, checks, major credit cards, and money orders, with checks and money orders payable to the "U.S. Department of State." In addition, you may request expedited service with an additional processing fee. The following are the current declared U.S. passport fees:

For adults:

Product	Application Fee	Execution (Acceptance) Fee
Passport Book	$110.00	$35.00
Passport Card	$30.00	$35.00
Passport Book and Card	$140.00	$35.00

For minors:

Product	Application Fee	Execution (Acceptance) Fee
Passport Book	$80.00	$35.00
Passport Card	$15.00	$35.00
Passport Book and Card	$95.00	$35.00

Where do I turn in my passport application?

You are obliged to apply in person for your first U.S. passport application. When you are in the U.S., you must submit an accomplished DS-11 application form, proof of U.S. citizenship, a photocopy of a valid ID, and your photo. Moreover, you must pay the fees to proceed with your application. If you live outside the U.S., you should contact your U.S. Embassy and Consulate to learn how to process your passport application, as processes in every country vary.

Passport acceptance facilities are usually located in local post offices. You may find the nearest facility by doing a quick search on the internet. To avoid any inconveniences, as facilities accept clients on a first-come-first-serve basis, it is recommended that you call and set an appointment.

How long does it take to get a U.S. passport after applying?

The length of time it takes to receive a passport varies; it could require more or less time to process. Typically, it takes at least four to six weeks for standard delivery; however, this can be longer and would depend on the number of passports your chosen facility is processing. If you wish to receive your passport earlier, you may get it expedited at an additional cost and may take two to three weeks to receive.

For an expedited passport, it is highly recommended that you get the contact information of the person you coordinate with or the agency that handles your application to track the status of your passport. You can also check the progress of your passport online by going to passportstatus.state.gov where you will be required to input your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. It may take up to 10 days for passport applications to appear on the online database, but you will be able to check when it has been sent out to you.

How long does it take to get approved for a U.S. passport?

Getting approved for a U.S. passport takes some time, but the process has taken longer recently due to new security measures. Routine service can take up to 16 weeks, and expedited service can take as long as 3 weeks. The normal processing time for a routine passport is now 10 business days (not including mailing time). However, it can take considerably longer for applicants residing abroad.

What’s the difference between a passport book and a passport card?

The difference between a passport book and a passport card is the size. A passport card is about the same size as a credit card, while a passport book is roughly 4" x 5-1/2".

A passport book contains information such as your name, date, and place of birth, sex, passport number, and country of citizenship. The passport card contains all this information plus a digitized photo. A Social Security Number is not included in either document.

In terms of traveling, the biggest difference between a passport book and a passport card is that you can only use it to re-enter the United States at land border crossings or seaports of entry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean. You cannot use a passport card for international air travel, only a passport book is accepted for international air travel.

If you are over the age of 16, you can get a passport card at no extra cost. If you're under the age of 16, there is an additional $15 processing fee. Some destinations do not even accept the passport card and require a full passport book instead. It's always best to check ahead of time.

Can I use a passport card instead of a REAL ID?

No, you cannot use a passport card instead of a REAL ID. The REAL ID Act became law in 2005 and it requires specific security standards for all forms of state-issued identification, including driver's licenses. All REAL ID-compliant documents must have a digitized photo, which the passport card does not have at this time.

Do you need a travel ID if you have a passport?

No. A valid, current U.S. passport is all you need for any international travel, including air and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. Nevertheless, it is prudent to bring other identification documents along with you, such as a driver's license or a photocopy of your passport, just in case.

Is passport enough for international travel?

Yes and no. A "good faith" effort to comply with REAL ID standards is the required minimum for the federal government to accept state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards, so many states have decided to issue both a driver's license and a passport card together to their residents.

A few other countries require Americans traveling within 7 years of their passport's expiration date to also carry a new, valid passport. If this is your situation and you're traveling overseas soon, we advise you to apply for a new passport before leaving the country.

Do I need both a driver's license and a passport?

No, not necessarily. Some countries require American citizens to have only their passports when traveling even when they are within 7 years of the passport's expiration date. Check with the consulate or embassy office of your destination country for specific entry requirements, or see the U.S. State Department website.

Can my child get a passport without both parents' consent?

Technically, yes. But it is rare in practice for a child under 16 to get a passport without both parents' legal presence. As long as the applying parent is able to provide proof of his or her identity, then it can be done.

Do I need a Social Security card to apply for a passport?

No, you do not need to have a card to apply for a passport. You can apply for a passport with proof of your Social Security Number, such as a W-2 form or pay stub, but not a physical card.

Can I travel on an expired passport?

No, you cannot travel on an expired passport. You must have a passport book that is valid for at least six months after your date of entry into Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean. An expired passport is not acceptable and will lead to additional delays or denial of entry.

Is there an age requirement for a child to have his or her own passport?

No, there is none. Children of any age can have their own passports with parental consent.

What if my passport expires while I am abroad?

In general, your passport is no longer valid for international air travel after it expires. You will be required to get a new passport before leaving the U.S. Hence, you must renew your passport before traveling internationally to ensure that you can return home.

How early should I apply for a passport?

The earlier the better, because it takes time to get an appointment and complete the application process. To avoid having to make multiple visits, we recommend applying at least 6 weeks before your planned international travel date.

Can I enter the U.S. if my passport is expired?

If your passport is expired but has not been damaged, mutilated, or significantly worn, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) may allow you to enter the country with it as long as you can show evidence of another citizenship (i.e., a driver's license or national ID card). You must carry all passports, whether current or expired when traveling internationally. In addition to your passport, you should take a photocopy of the passport data page as well as all pages containing entries into and exits from the U.S.

How do I apply for a passport card?

To apply for a passport card, you must go in person to a Passport Acceptance Facility with the required documents, including a completed Form DS-11 or the U.S. passport application form and other required documents. You may also consider applying for a passport book and passport card together since a passport card is only valid for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

Why is a passport book more useful than a passport card?

A passport book is more useful than a passport card since it is the only proof of citizenship accepted for international air travel. A passport card is only accepted when traveling by land or sea. If you are planning to travel abroad, it is recommended to apply for a passport book first as it is more useful and convenient for international air travel.

Is getting a passport easy?

Getting a passport in the U.S. is a simple process. To apply for a U.S. passport, you must schedule an appointment at your nearest Passport Acceptance Facility, fill out the passport application form completely, and provide proof of citizenship (a birth certificate or naturalization certificate), proof of identity (typically a driver's license), and proof of sufficiently good character (i.e., a government-issued background check).

Can a 17-year-old apply for a passport on his own?

At ages 16 and 17, a minor may apply for a U.S. passport without parental consent although the application process is more complicated and requires both parents' or guardians' signatures. Parents can help their children through the application process by accompanying them to the Passport Acceptance Facility and signing Form DS-11 on their behalf.

What if I don't apply for a passport?

If you don't have a U.S. passport and plan to travel internationally, you must apply for a passport at your nearest Passport Acceptance Facility before leaving the country; otherwise, you will not be admitted into the destination country and sent back to the U.S.