Passport Application FAQ

Below are some of the most frequently asked passport application questions. If you don´t find what you are looking for, please visit our passport form FAQ page.

What U.S. passport application do I need?

The application form you use will depend on the type of service you require. Forms are listed below along with the purpose for which they are used.

• DS-11: Application for New Passport
• DS-82: Application For Passport Renewal By Mail
• DS-64: Statement Regarding Lost Or Stolen Passport
• DS-3053: Statement of Consent - Issuance of a Passport to a Child (under age 16)
• DS-5504: Application for a US Passport Name Change, Data Correction, or Replacement of Limited Validity Passport

Where can I get an application form?

Forms are available at authorized application acceptance facilities and regional processing centers. They are also available for download on our website by clicking on their form numbers listed above.

Note: Some passport forms can be completed online and printed. Others require you to print and complete them by hand.

How do I fill out the application form?

If filling out a passport form by hand, be sure to use black ink and write legibly. This will ensure your details can be read and processed correctly by the federal passport acceptance facility that receives them.

Be advised, failure to provide requested information can lead to delays or denial of your passport.

Additional instructions are provided with each application form. Similarly, step-by-step instructions are also provided for those who choose to complete their passport forms online. Occasionally technical issues impede applicants from completing the form. If this happens to you, please print and complete a hard copy.

Guidelines for Printing Forms

• The forms you print must be clear and sharp. Passport applications that are blurred or illegible will not be accepted. They must be printed in black ink on white paper. The paper must be 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, with no holes or perforations, at least medium (20 lb.) weight, and with a matte surface. Thermal paper, dye-sublimation paper, special inkjet paper, and other shiny papers are not acceptable. For best results, replace and calibrate your printer toner cartridge before printing any passport form
• Be sure to print passport forms at a 1:1 size ratio with the original document. This is especially important when it comes to the passport photo. Some printers will reduce the photograph area on the passport application to less than 2x2 inches. Please make sure that the photograph area on the printed application form is 2x2 inches to ensure that the photographs you submit (also 2x2 inches in size) can be correctly attached.
• Only print and write on one side of each page. Do not submit any form that is double-sided or includes writing on the back of a page.

For more support with the passport application process, be sure to visit our Complete Guide to Passport Applications.

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About the Author: For over 20 years, the U.S. Passport Service Guide team has helped hundreds of thousands of travelers with their travel document questions and shared advice about how to make traveling abroad simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.