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U.S. Department of State

Fill out Form DS-11 online

Application for a U.S. Passport

Form DS-11 is the State Department application for a U.S. passport book, passport card, or both, when you must apply in person. It is for people getting their first passport, children under 16, and people whose last passport was issued under age 16, issued more than 15 years ago, or was lost, stolen or damaged. You fill it in before your appointment and sign it only when the authorized agent asks you to.

Fill out Form DS-11Blank form from the State Department

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Edition
04-2025
Pages
6
Fillable fields
99
Checked against the State Department
November 8, 2026

GuruPDF is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State. This page explains the form in plain words; it is not legal or tax advice. Always check the official instructions before you file.

Who uses Form DS-11

  • People applying for their first U.S. passport book or card
  • Children under 16, who must apply in person with their parents or legal guardians
  • People whose previous passport was issued under age 16 or more than 15 years ago
  • People whose previous passport was lost, stolen or damaged
  • People who changed their name and are not eligible to use Form DS-82 or DS-5504

Before you start

  • Proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a U.S. birth certificate or a fully valid, undamaged U.S. passport (it may be expired), as an original or certified copy, plus a photocopy (Section D, item 1 lists what is accepted)
  • Your original photo ID, such as a driver's license (not a temporary or learner's permit), plus a photocopy of the front and back
  • One color photo, 2x2 inches, taken less than six months ago on a plain white or off-white background
  • Your Social Security number, if you have been issued one
  • Each parent's name at birth, date and place of birth, and the same details for your current or most recent spouse if you have ever married
  • For a child under 16: proof of the parental relationship, such as a birth certificate listing the parents, and the parents' government-issued photo ID with a front-and-back photocopy

How to fill out Form DS-11

  1. Choose the document you are applying for

    At the top of Application Page 1, mark U.S. Passport Book, U.S. Passport Card, or Both. For a book, the form also has boxes for Regular Book (Standard) and Large Book (Non-Standard). The form says the large book is for frequent international travelers who need more visa pages.

  2. Items 1 to 7: Your details

    Item 1 is the name to appear in the passport (last, first, middle); it should be consistent with your proof of citizenship and ID. Then give your date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY), sex (item 3, M or F, as the item 3 instructions describe), place of birth (city and state if in the U.S., or city and country as it is presently known), Social Security number, USCIS A-Number if you have one, and email. If you have never been issued a Social Security number, enter zeros in item 5 and attach the signed, dated statement described in the item 5 instructions.

  3. Items 8 and 9: Mailing address, phone and other names

    Item 8 is your mailing address. If you do not live at that address, use Address Line 2 for the name of the person who does and mark it "In Care Of"; for a child, write "In Care Of" the parent. Item 9 asks for your primary phone number and all other legal names you have used, such as a birth or maiden name. There is room for two names (A and B); attach a separate sheet for more.

  4. Skip the bottom of Application Page 1

    The instructions say to skip the Identifying Documents and Signature Blocks at the bottom of Application Page 1 and go on to Application Page 2. Do not sign until the authorized agent asks you to.

  5. Items 10 and 11: Parents and marriage

    At the top of Application Page 2, repeat your name and date of birth. Item 10 asks for each parent's first, middle and last name at the parent's birth, date and place of birth, sex, and whether the parent is a U.S. citizen. Item 11 asks whether you have ever married; if yes, give your current or most recent spouse's full name, date and place of birth, whether they are a U.S. citizen, the date of marriage, and whether you have ever been widowed or divorced, with the date.

  6. Items 12 to 20: Contact, description and travel

    Give an additional phone number (item 12), your occupation if you are 16 or older (13), your employer or school if any (14), and your height, hair color and eye color (15 to 17). Item 18 asks for departure and return dates and countries to be visited; if you have no travel plans, write "none". Item 19 is your permanent address, needed if your mailing address is a P.O. box or differs from where you live; do not list a P.O. box there. Item 20 is an emergency contact who is not traveling with you.

  7. Item 21: Your previous passport

    Say whether you have ever applied for or been issued a U.S. passport book or card. If yes, give the name printed on your most recent book and card and mark each one's status: submitting with application, stolen, lost, or in my possession (if expired). If it was lost or stolen, explain in the box: the book or card number, the date and place of the loss or theft if known, and whether you filed a police report (submit a copy if you have one). Do not write below the line marked for issuing office only.

After you fill it out

Print the form and bring it, unsigned, to your in-person appointment at an acceptance facility, a passport agency (by appointment only), or, if you are abroad, a U.S. embassy, consulate or consular agency. Bring the photo, your proof of citizenship and ID, and the photocopies. The authorized agent gives you the oath, watches you sign, and collects the fees; check current fees and payment methods on travel.state.gov, and note that the execution fee is paid separately to the acceptance facility. Supporting documents that are not damaged, altered or forged are returned to you, possibly in a separate mailing, and you can track the application at passportstatus.state.gov.

Signing: Do not sign when you fill in the form. The form says to sign only when the authorized agent asks you to; the agent gives you the oath and witnesses you signing the printed form by hand.

Watch out for

  • Do not sign the application before your appointment. The form says to sign only when requested by the authorized agent.
  • If you make an error on the printed form, the form says to complete a new one. Do not correct it or use white-out.
  • The passport card is not valid for international air travel. It is only for entry at land border crossings and seaports of entry when traveling from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
  • The form says passport fees are non-refundable by law.

Questions about Form DS-11

Can I mail Form DS-11?

No. The form says you must apply in person, at an acceptance facility, a passport agency by appointment, or a U.S. embassy, consulate or consular agency if you are abroad.

When do I sign Form DS-11?

Only at your appointment, when the authorized agent asks you to. The agent gives you the oath and witnesses your signature.

What if I have never had a Social Security number?

Enter zeros in item 5 and attach a signed, dated statement that includes the declaration given in the item 5 instructions. If you live abroad, you must also give the name of the foreign country where you live.

Do I have to fill in my parents' information if I am an adult or my parents have died?

Yes. The State Department's Passport Form Filler help page says you still need to fill in the parent sections, and that they are not only for minors.

How does a child under 16 apply?

The child must appear in person with the parents or legal guardians, who bring proof of the relationship and their government-issued photo ID with a front-and-back photocopy. If only one parent can come, Section D lists what else to submit, such as the other parent's notarized statement of consent or Form DS-3053, signed and notarized on the same day, no more than three months old, and with a front-and-back photocopy of that parent's photo ID.

Official information

Page text last reviewed November 7, 2026.

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