Apply For a Passport 

Which Form Should You Use?  

U.S. citizens living in Canada must apply in person using Form DS-11 if at least one of the following is true:

• You are applying for your first U.S. passport
• You are under age 16
• Your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16
• Your previous U.S. passport was lost, stolen, or damaged
• Your previous U.S. passport was issued more than 15 years ago

If none of the above statements apply to you, you may be eligible to renew using Form DS 82 (see Adult Renewals below).  If one of the above statements applies to you, please review our Consular Operations webpage to schedule an appointment at your nearest Consular Section.

Please bring a pre-paid, self-addressed Canada Post Express envelope to your appointment so that we can mail your passport to you when it is ready.

Note: If you were born in Canada, please visit our page on citizenship claims to determine if you qualify for a U.S. passport.

Adult Renewals:

U.S. citizens living in Canada may apply using Form DS 82 if the following is true:

• You are in possession of your prior passport.
• Your prior passport must be undamaged (other than normal wear and tear).
• You received your last passport when you were 16 or older.
• You received your last passport within the last 15 years.
• You received your last passport under your current name, or you can document your name change.

If you qualify to use Form DS 82, the following options are recommended based upon your upcoming travel:

• Travel plans are more than 12 weeks away:  Consider mailing your application directly to the National Passport Processing Center in the United States.  To do this, please following the below steps:
  • Fill out the DS-82 application,
  • Pay via U.S. check or cashier check made payable to the U.S. Department of State.  The payment must be drawn from a U.S. bank (Note: most Canadian banks can issue a cashier check drawn from a U.S. bank in U.S. currency).  The National Passport Processing Center does not accept Pay.Gov payment, and
  • Send the application to the National Passport Processing Center with:
    • The dated and signed DS-82 application,
    • A compliant photo,
    • Your payment,
    • Your current (or expired within the past 5 years) passport, and
    • Proof of name change (if applicable).
  • Note: The Department of State’s DS-82 form is incorrect in stating that U.S. citizens residing abroad cannot submit their renewal application by mail, and that Passport Services will not mail a passport to a private address outside the United States, as an exception is made for residents of Canada. You may write a Canadian mailing address on the DS-82 form and Passport Services will mail your new passport to that address.

• Travel plans are between 4 to 12 weeks away: Direct mail your application to the U.S. Embassy Ottawa or closest U.S. Consulate General.  To do this please follow the below steps:
  • Fill out, print, sign, and date the DS-82 application,
  • Pay the required fee at Pay.Gov and print the payment verification page,
  • Address the package “Care of the ACS Unit,” and
  • Send the application to the mailing address for the closest consular section in Canada.   The package MUST include the following items:
    • The dated and signed DS-82 application,
    • A compliant photo,
    • Copy of the Pay.Gov payment verification page,
    • Your current (or expired within the past 5 years) passport,
    • A self-addressed Canada Post XpressPost envelope, and
    • Proof of name change (if applicable).
  • More information about Pay.Gov is available here.

• Travel plans are within 4 weeks: 
  • Review our Consular Operations webpage to schedule an appointment at your nearest Consular Section and fill out the appropriate form.
  • Bring a pre-paid, self-addressed Canada Post Express envelope to your appointment so that we can mail your passport to you when it is ready.

Returning to the United States on an Expired U.S. Passport:

You may not use your expired U.S. passport to return to the United States.  If your passport has expired, please get in touch with your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for a U.S. passport.

If You Are in The United States:

If you are in the United States, you can apply for your passport at a passport acceptance facility. To locate the closest facility, please visit the State Department website.

Lost or Stolen Passports:

If your passport was lost or stolen, please follow the instructions below.

Minor Children:

Please see the information below to apply for a passport for minor children, for renewals, etc.

To enhance the accurate identification of passport applicants and aid in the prevention of international child abduction and trafficking, the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs requires the personal presence of all minors applying for U.S. passports. This applies to all regular, official and diplomatic passports for children under the age of 16, even if the child has previously been issued a passport.

When applying for a U.S. passport for minors, parents are required to have their child present and submit documentation of parental relationship and consent.

Required documents:

• Documentation of parental relationship (e.g. the child’s original birth certificate, report of birth abroad, or adoption decree)
• Documents that prove U.S. citizenship (birth certificate or report of birth abroad)

Application forms:

• Complete DS-11 online and print.
• DS-3053 (PDF 29KB) (Notarized Statement of Consent and a certified copy of the other non-applying parent’s ID document – if a parent cannot be present for the appointment). The non-applying parent must sign and date Form DS-3053 in the presence of the certified notary public.
• One recent, color photograph 2×2 inches (5×5 cm)
• In case of passport renewals, if the child’s physical appearance has changed significantly since the last passport photograph, the Embassy/Consulate may request transitional photos as proof of identification.
• Social Security Number
• Fee

Note: Effective October 1, 2016, you must provide your Social Security number, if you have been issued one, on your application for a U.S. passport, in accordance with 22 U.S.C. 2714a and 22 C.F.R 51.60(f).

If you or your child does not have a Social Security number, you must submit a statement, signed and dated, that includes the phrase, “I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the following is true and correct: I have/(Child’s full name) has never been issued a Social Security number by the Social Security Administration.”

Your passport application will be delayed or denied if you do not provide a Social Security number or a statement declaring that a Social Security number has not been issued to you. Contact the Social Security Administration for information about obtaining a new or replacement Social Security number and card.

To report the birth of a child born outside the U.S. (Consular Report of Birth Abroad) please visit our website here.

A child born outside the United States to a U.S. citizen parent or parents may be eligible for U.S. citizenship if the parent(s) meets the requirements for transmitting U.S. citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The CRBA application must be made before the child’s 18th birthday, and we strongly recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth.

Review our Consular Operations webpage to schedule an appointment at your nearest Consular Section.

 

Returning to the United States on an Expired U.S. Passport: You will not be permitted to use your expired U.S. passport to return to the United States after June 30, 2022.  If your passport has expired, please contact your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for a U.S. passport.

If you require an emergency passport due to a lost/stolen passport or you have emergency travel, make an appointment through the regular appointment system. Then please send an email to the American Citizens Services section at the closest U.S. embassy or consulate, explaining your situation and the date by which you need your passport. Please note that emergency passports are not issued outside of normal business hours.

We strongly recommend that you learn about your destination before you travel.  Pay close attention to entry and exit requirements.  Not all countries recognize an emergency limited validity U.S. passport as a valid travel document for visa-free travel so you may be refused boarding and/or entry by immigration officials.

Country specific information can be found on the Department of State website.

Documents required to apply for an emergency passport:

You must complete and bring Form DS-11 if any of the following are true:

• You have never had a U.S. passport,
• Your expired passport has been lost, stolen or damaged,
• You were under age 16 when your most recent passport was issued,
• Your most recent passport was issued more than 15 years ago.

 Documents required:

• Completed and printed form DS-11 online
• If your passport was lost or stolen, you will need to fill out a DS-64 (PDF – 785KB) and also bring:
  • Photo identification such as a driver license, if available.
  • Proof of citizenship, such as a U.S. birth certificate, Naturalization Certificate, or prior U.S. passport, if available.
  • A copy of your U.S. passport, if available.

• One recent, color photograph 2×2 inches (5×5 cm) on a white background.
• Social Security number
• You will have to pay a fee.

You must complete and bring Form DS-82 if all of the following are true of your most recent U.S. passport:

• Undamaged and can be submitted with your application,
• Issued when you were age 16 or older,
• Issued within the last 15 years, and
• Issued in your current name or you can legally document your name change.

Documents required:

• Completed and printed form DS-82 online
• One recent, color photograph  2×2 inches (5×5 cm) on a white background.
• Your U.S. passport
• Social Security number
• You will have to pay a fee.

Note: Effective October 1, 2016, you must provide your Social Security number, if you have been issued one, on your application for a U.S. passport, in accordance with 22 U.S.C. 2714a and 22 C.F.R 51.60(f).

If you or your child does not have a Social Security number, you must submit a statement, signed and dated, that includes the phrase, “I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the following is true and correct: I have/(Child’s full name) has never been issued a Social Security number by the Social Security Administration.”

Your passport application will be delayed or denied if you do not provide a Social Security number or a statement declaring that a Social Security number has not been issued to you. Contact the Social Security Administration for information about obtaining a new or replacement Social Security number and card.

If your passport has been lost or stolen, it should be reported immediately to help protect yourself against identity theft and to prevent someone else from using the passport.

Report Your Lost or Stolen Passport Online

You may now electronically submit form DS-64 to report your passport lost or stolen!

1. Simply click the following link to get started: https://pptform.state.gov/.
2. After clicking on the above link, you will be directed to a secure portal. Navigate to the tab labeled “Report Lost or Stolen” and click “Submit”. You will be asked to enter personal information and information regarding your lost or stolen passport.
3. Once you submit the form online, you will receive an email acknowledging the receipt of your request.  A couple days later, you will receive an email (or letter by mail, if you chose that option) confirming that your passport was entered into our Consular Lost and Stolen Database.

Department of State regulations do not allow applicants to request passport amendments to make any changes to the biometric page of your passport (including name change due to marriage or other legal change, corrections to sex, date and/or place of birth).

If any of this information has changed or is incorrect, you must apply for a new passport.

Effective January 1, 2016, the Department no longer adds extra visa page sections to U.S. passports. Instead, 52-page passport books are being issued at no extra cost to U.S. citizens applying from outside the United States. If your passport book is approaching the point of having no blank pages, you may want to consider renewing early to make sure you have enough blank pages to accommodate visa stamps from other countries. Some countries require two blank pages for entry and exit. You can visit the State Department website for general information on entry, exit, and foreign visa requirements.

For a list of the different fees for passport services, please visit the State Department’s website.

You may pay by:

• Cash in U.S. dollars or the equivalent in Canadian dollars. You may pay Canadian cash ONLY if applying in person at the Embassy or a U.S. consulate;
• Bank or money order, in U.S. dollars only, made payable to “U.S. Consulate General” or “U.S. Embassy”; or
• Credit Card. Credit card payments require the cardholder to be physically present.

Please note that we cannot accept personal checks or debit cards.