What is Form DS-11?
Form DS-11 is the U.S. Department of State application for a passport book, a passport card, or both. It is the form used by first-time applicants and by anyone who cannot renew by mail.
The form itself is six pages: four pages of instructions and two pages you actually fill in. The State Department estimates it takes about 85 minutes. Filling it in here takes a few minutes, because the editor types directly onto the official PDF and checks your answers fit the printed boxes before you download.
One thing to understand before you start: DS-11 cannot be mailed or filed online. You fill it in, print it, and hand it over in person. That is a rule of the form, not a limitation of this editor.
Who needs to use DS-11
You must apply in person using Form DS-11 if any one of the following is true:
- You are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time
- You are under 16, or your most recent passport was issued when you were under 16
- Your previous passport was lost, stolen, or damaged
- Your previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago
- Your name has changed since your last passport and you cannot document the change
If all four of these are true instead, you do not need DS-11 — you can renew by mail using Form DS-82, which is faster and does not require an appointment:
- Your passport is undamaged and you can submit it with your application
- It was issued when you were 16 or older
- It was issued within the last 15 years
- It was issued in your current name, or you can document your name change
Some sites claim renewals never need DS-11. That is wrong, and it sends people to the wrong form. A renewal needs DS-11 whenever the previous passport was issued under age 16, is lost, stolen or damaged, or is more than 15 years old.
How to fill out Form DS-11
Choose book, card, or both
Tick the product you are paying for. The passport card is cheaper but is valid only for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda — it cannot be used for international air travel.
Enter your name, date of birth and place of birth
Use your full legal name exactly as it appears on your citizenship evidence. Place of birth is city and state if you were born in the United States, or city and country as it is known today if you were born abroad.
Add your Social Security number and contact details
Items 5 to 9 cover your Social Security number, USCIS A-Number if you have one, email, mailing address and phone. Add any other names you have used, such as a birth name or a previous married name.
Complete parental, marital and travel information
Page 2 asks for both parents as named at their own birth, your marital history, occupation, height, hair and eye colour, and your travel plans. If you have no trip booked, write none.
Download the PDF and print it single-sided
Print on plain white letter paper, single-sided. Do not sign it. Bring it unsigned to your appointment along with your citizenship evidence, photo ID and one passport photo.
Do not sign it yet
Do not sign Form DS-11 until the acceptance agent tells you to.
Your signature has to be witnessed. If you sign the form at home and bring it in, the agent will normally refuse it and you will have to fill in a new one at the counter. The form says the same thing across the middle of page 1, in capitals.
Our editor does include a signing tool, because it is part of the PDF editor these forms are built on. Do not use it on this form.
You submit the form at a passport acceptance facility — often a post office, a clerk of court, or a public library — or at a passport agency if you are travelling urgently. Many require an appointment. You can find your nearest facility on the State Department site.
Fees
There are always two payments: an application fee that goes to the Department of State, and a separate execution fee that goes to the facility accepting your application. They usually cannot be combined, so bring them separately.
| Fee | Age 16 and over | Under 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Passport book | $130 | $100 |
| Passport card | $30 | $15 |
| Book and card together | $160 | $115 |
| Execution fee (paid to the facility) | $35 | $35 |
| Expedited service (optional) | $60 | $60 |
Fees change. Confirm the current amounts on the State Department fee page before you write a check.
Processing times
Routine service typically takes several weeks, and expedited service shortens it for an extra fee. Processing time is counted from when your application is received, not from the day you hand it in, and mailing adds time at both ends.
Published times move around a lot depending on demand, so treat any figure you read on a third-party site — including this one — as out of date. Check the current processing times before you book travel, and do not book non-refundable travel until your passport is in your hand.
What to bring to your appointment
- Your completed DS-11, printed single-sided and left unsigned
- Original proof of U.S. citizenship — certified birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Naturalization, or Certificate of Citizenship
- A photocopy of that citizenship evidence, front and back, on plain white letter paper
- A valid photo ID such as a driver's license, plus a photocopy of it
- One 2x2 inch colour passport photo taken within the last six months
- Two separate payments: the application fee and the execution fee
Bring originals of your citizenship evidence. Photocopies alone are not accepted, and your original document is returned to you separately after processing.
Photo requirements
- 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), with your head between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from chin to crown
- Taken within the last six months, in colour, on matte or glossy photo paper
- Plain white or off-white background, with no shadows
- Full face, front view, eyes open, neutral expression or a natural smile
- No glasses. Hats and head coverings only for religious or medical reasons, with a signed statement
- Everyday clothing — no uniforms, and nothing resembling one
A rejected photo is one of the most common reasons an application is delayed. If you are unsure, most pharmacies and shipping stores take compliant passport photos for a few dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to fill out your DS-11?
Type straight onto the official form, check it reads correctly, and download a print-ready PDF.
Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal or immigration advice. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State or any government agency. Passport requirements, fees and processing times change — always confirm details with travel.state.gov before submitting your application.