How to Apply for A First Passport

All persons with a claim to U.S. citizenship must apply for their first passport in person.

 After reading the information below, click here to schedule the appointment.

Please follow the instructions on this page if:

1. Never had a U.S. passport issued in your own name; and
2. If you have previously been issued any of the following documents, you may begin your application for your first U.S. passport.

If you are no longer in possession of any of these documents, you must obtain a certified copy from the issuing authority.

• A U.S. Birth Certificate – for certified copies please contact the state in which you were born.  The National Center for Health Statistics maintains a list of States’ contact information for this purpose;
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad [FS-240] – please contact the Passport Services Office at the Department of State;
• A Certification of Birth (Form FS-545 or DS-1350) - for certified copies, please contact the Passport Services Office at the Department of State;
• A U.S. certificate of citizenship – for certified copies, please contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;
• A U.S. Naturalization Certificate – for certified copies, please contact the U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services;
• A passport of your U.S. citizen parent[s] in which you are included – for a copy of your parents’ passport records, please contact the Passport Services Office at the Department of State. 

Note: If you are applying for the first passport for a child under the age of 18 who was born overseas, you must first report the child's birth. You may apply for the child's first passport at the same time.

If you have never been issued one of the above listed documents but believe you have a claim to U.S. citizenship through your parents, please follow this link for information on how citizenship is acquired by children born outside the United States to American parent(s).

Application Requirements

Please bring the following to your appointment:

• Proof of U.S. citizenship:
  • a U.S. Birth Certificate; or
  • a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad; or
  • a U.S. Certification of Birth; or
  • a U.S. Certificate of Citizenship; or
  • a U.S. Naturalization Certificate; or
  • a passport of your U.S. citizen parent(s) in which you are included;
    
    
• Your original, long-form birth certificate: if your proof of citizenship is the U.S. passport of a parent in which you are included;
  
  
• Proof of identity:
  • a valid passport of any country; or
  • a valid driver's license with photograph; or
  • a valid U.S. or State government ID card; or
  • a U.S. military ID card.
  • Any foreign passport that you may currently hold;
    
    
  • Your foreign (non U.S.) naturalization certificate: if you have acquired another nationality through naturalization or registration since the issuance of your proof of citizenship;
    
    
  • Name change documentation: If you have changed your name since your proof of citizenship was issued, you will be required to furnish name change documentation.
    
    

• You may complete either version of form DS-11:

  DS-11 Application for U.S. Passport or Registrations (Fillable) [1001 Kb]. This form should be filled in online and printed on white A4 or letter-size paper, with each page on a separate sheet of paper.

  DS-11 Application for U.S. Passport or Registrations (Non-Fillable) [ 743 Kb]. This form should be downloaded and printed on white A4 or letter-size paper, with each page on a separate sheet of paper.  Complete in Block Letters.
  (Please ignore pages one and two of the instructions pages of this form, as they do not apply when applying for your passport outside the United States.  Instead, please follow the instructions on this page). 
   

• Two identical passport color photographs. The Embassy will reject any photographs that do not meet the specified requirements. Vending machine photographs and photographs printed on a home computer are unacceptable;

• Fees: The application fee for a child under the age of 16 is U.S. $85.00; aged 16 and over 16 is $100.00.  Accepted payment methods are:

  • the fee may be paid by credit card (we cannot accept Laser cards);
  • in cash, U.S. dollars or equivalent in Euro;
  • by U.S. dollar bank draft made payable to "U.S. Embassy".  The bank draft must be the exact U.S. Dollar amount of the fee payable.  We cannot give change if the amount of the draft you present is greater than the correct amount of the fee. 
    
    The Embassy is not authorized to accept personal checks for payment of passport fees.
    
• Include a stamped self-addressed envelope, size 6in x 9 1/2in approx., for the return of your passport.  Please affix to the envelope a €5.50 regular postage stamp or a combination of stamps to the value of €5.50.  We will return your passport to you by Express Post mail. 

Additional documents may be required depending upon the circumstances of your case.

If applying for a child under the age of 16, you will also be required to follow additional instructions.

Processing Time

An application for a full-validity (ten years for adults; five years for children under age 16) passport will be sent to the United States for printing with a secure, photo-digitized image of the bearer. You should allow three to four weeks for your application to be processed and returned to you.