Applying for your first adult passport

Note: You must apply in person if....

You are applying for your first U.S. passport or
You are under age 16 or
Your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16 or
Your previous U.S. passport was lost, stolen, or damaged or
Your previous U.S. passport was issued more than 15 years ago or
Your name has changed since your U.S. passport was issued and you are unable to legally document your name change

STEP 1: Complete and Submit Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport

Complete Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport. To submit Form DS-11, you:

Must apply in person at an Acceptance Facility or Passport Agency
Must include the additional documentation required by Form DS-11 (See Steps 2-5)
Must not sign the application until instructed to do so by the Acceptance Agent
Must provide your SSN in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6039E

STEP 2: Submit Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

When applying for a U.S. passport in person, evidence of U.S. citizenship must be submitted with Form DS-11. All documentation submitted as citizenship evidence will be returned to you. These documents will be delivered with your newly issued U.S. passport or in a separate mailing.

Primary evidence of U.S. Citizenship includes one of the following:
Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport
Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state*
Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
Naturalization Certificate
Certificate of Citizenship

*A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar's signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth. Please note, some short (abstract) versions of birth certificates may not be acceptable for passport purposes.

STEP 3: Present Identification

When applying for a U.S. passport in person, acceptable identification must be presented at the time of application.

Primary Identification includes one of the following:
Previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport
Naturalization Certificate
Valid Driver's License
Current Government ID (city, state or federal)
Current Military ID (military and dependents)

STEP 4: Submit a Photocopy of the Identification Document Presented in STEP 3

The photocopy must be of the ID document that you will present when you apply.

Photocopy must be on plain white, 8 1/2 x 11" standard paper stock, showing the front and the back of your ID
Photocopy must contain images on only one-side of each page submitted.
If copies cannot be made on the same side of one page, you may present two separate pages; one displaying the front of the ID and the second displaying the back of the ID.
The paper should be free of other images and/or markings.
The 8 1/2 x 11" paper size cannot be substituted with a larger or smaller size paper, even if the alternative folds down to the 8 1/2 x 11" size.
You may enlarge the image of your ID on the 8 1/2 x 11" page, but you may not decrease the size of the image.

STEP 5: Pay the Applicable Fee

STEP 6: Provide Two Passport Photos

We can help you submit clear and correctly exposed passport photos the first time - especially when applying for the U.S. Passport Card. See Quality Requirements for Passport Book & Passport Card Photographs to avoid photo processing delays.

Your Photographs Must Be:

Identical
In color
2 x 2 inches in size
Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background
Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
Taken in normal street attire:
Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily
Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline
If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture
Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons (a medical certificate may be required

Information taken from http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html