US Passport Book and Card in the United States

Researched from official sources · May 29, 2026

A US passport is the federal travel and citizenship document issued by the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs.

It comes as a book valid for international travel and a wallet-sized card valid only for land and sea entry from Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean destinations, and Bermuda. A first passport is filed on Form DS-11 in person at an authorized acceptance facility and is issued only to US citizens and non-citizen US nationals.

Estimated time

Filling out Form DS-11 and assembling documents takes about an hour; the in-person appointment is short. Routine processing runs 4 to 6 weeks, plus up to two weeks of mailing in each direction; expedited processing is 2-3 weeks for an extra fee.

Cost

$65-$195 depending on book, card, or both, including the separate facility acceptance fee; expedited and faster delivery cost more

What You Need

Tap to check off items as you gather them

Step-by-Step

  1. 1

    Decide between the book, the card, or both

    1. Choose the passport book for international travel by air, sea, or land
    2. Choose the card only if travel is limited to land and sea crossings from Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean destinations, or Bermuda
    3. Apply for both if you want a wallet-sized card for land and sea crossings and a book for air travel

    💡 Tip: The card cannot be used for international air travel. If there is any chance you will fly abroad, get the book or apply for both.

  2. 2

    Complete Form DS-11 but do not sign it

    DS-11

    1. Fill out the form using the Form Filler tool at pptform.state.gov, or download the PDF from eforms.state.gov
    2. Print the completed form single-sided
    3. Leave the signature blank; the acceptance agent will direct you to sign in person at the appointment

    💡 Tip: The Department of State instructs: "Print the form but do not sign it until we ask you to do so." A DS-11 signed in advance is not accepted.

  3. 3

    Gather citizenship evidence, photo ID, photocopies, and a passport photo

    1. Assemble the original citizenship document, for example a Certificate of Naturalization or a certified birth certificate
    2. Bring a valid photo ID and single-sided 8.5" x 11" photocopies of both the citizenship evidence and the front and back of the photo ID
    3. Bring one passport photo meeting Department of State standards, loose and unattached to the form

    💡 Tip: Facilities frequently turn applicants away for missing photocopies, so prepare both copies before you arrive.

  4. 4

    Locate an authorized passport acceptance facility

    1. First-time applications must be submitted in person; they cannot be filed fully by mail or online
    2. Acceptance facilities are often a post office, library, or clerk-of-court office
    3. Use the acceptance-facility locator reachable from the Department of State application pages, and check whether the facility requires an appointment

    ⚠️ Watch out: If no nearby facility has availability and you have urgent international travel within 14 calendar days, make an appointment at a passport agency and bring proof of your travel.

  5. 5

    Submit the application, documents, and fees in person

    1. Present the unsigned DS-11 and sign it when the acceptance agent instructs
    2. Hand over the citizenship evidence, photo ID, photocopies, and passport photo
    3. Pay the application fee to the Department of State and the separate facility acceptance fee to the acceptance facility

    💡 Tip: The application fee and the facility acceptance fee are paid separately, often by different methods. Bringing only one payment can delay the appointment.

  6. 6

    Choose routine or expedited service and optional faster delivery

    1. Elect routine processing or expedited processing, which adds a fee and shortens the timeline
    2. Optionally add 1-3 day return delivery for an additional charge to speed the return mailing
    3. Note that faster return delivery speeds only the return leg, not the processing itself
  7. 7

    Wait for processing and mailing, then track the application

    1. Track the application status online while it is reviewed and returned
    2. Expect routine processing of 4 to 6 weeks, or 2-3 weeks with expedited service
    3. Allow up to two weeks for the application to arrive by mail and up to two weeks for the passport to be mailed back, on top of processing

    💡 Tip: The original citizenship document is mailed back separately from the new passport, so the two items may arrive at different times.

Local Tips from the Community

  • A passport is generally a later-stage need: it is obtained once citizenship or citizen-child status is already established and the household is planning to travel abroad or wants a federally issued identity credential, not a document required on arrival.
  • The passport card is wallet-sized and works only for land and sea entry from Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean destinations, and Bermuda. It cannot be used for international air travel, so anyone who may fly abroad should choose the book or apply for both.
  • Both the book and the card can be used for domestic air travel as an alternative to a REAL ID-compliant licence.
  • A naturalized citizen uses the Certificate of Naturalization as evidence of citizenship; a US-citizen child born abroad uses the Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Citizenship. The original document is mailed in with the application and returned separately.
  • The application fee is paid to the Department of State, while the facility acceptance fee is paid directly to the acceptance facility, often by a different method. Bring both payments to the appointment.

What Could Go Wrong

Complete Form DS-11 but do not sign it: The form was signed in advance, before the appointment

Recovery: Bring a fresh, unsigned copy of Form DS-11. The form must be signed in front of the acceptance agent, so a pre-signed form will not be accepted.

Gather citizenship evidence, photo ID, photocopies, and a passport photo: Citizenship evidence cannot be located

Recovery: The Department of State can conduct a file search of its records for a file search fee. Allow extra time, as the search adds to the overall timeline.

Submit the application, documents, and fees in person: Only one payment was brought to the appointment

Recovery: Return with both payments. The Department of State application fee and the facility acceptance fee are collected separately, often by different methods, so both must be ready at submission.

Costs

Item Amount Payment Notes
Passport book (adult, first-time): application fee $130 — Paid to the US Department of State
Passport card (adult, first-time): application fee $30 — Paid to the US Department of State
Passport book and card together (adult): application fee $160 — Paid to the US Department of State
Facility acceptance fee (in-person applications) $35 — Paid separately, directly to the acceptance facility, using the payment methods that location accepts
Expedited service (Optional) $60 — Per application, added to the fees above; brings processing to 2-3 weeks
1-3 day return delivery (Optional) $22.05 — Speeds only the return mailing leg, not the processing time
File search (when citizenship evidence is unavailable) (Optional) $150 — The Department of State searches its records for evidence of a prior passport
Passport book (adult, first-time): application fee $130
Notes:
Paid to the US Department of State
Passport card (adult, first-time): application fee $30
Notes:
Paid to the US Department of State
Passport book and card together (adult): application fee $160
Notes:
Paid to the US Department of State
Facility acceptance fee (in-person applications) $35
Notes:
Paid separately, directly to the acceptance facility, using the payment methods that location accepts
Expedited service (Optional) $60
Notes:
Per application, added to the fees above; brings processing to 2-3 weeks
1-3 day return delivery (Optional) $22.05
Notes:
Speeds only the return mailing leg, not the processing time
File search (when citizenship evidence is unavailable) (Optional) $150
Notes:
The Department of State searches its records for evidence of a prior passport
Total: $355

FAQ

General

Can a green-card holder or other non-citizen get a US passport?

No. A US passport is issued only to US citizens and non-citizen US nationals. A non-citizen cannot obtain one.

Do I have to apply in person for my first passport?

Yes. A first-time passport is applied for in person on Form DS-11 at an authorized passport acceptance facility. It cannot be done fully by mail or online.

What does a first-time adult passport book cost?

The application fee is $130 plus a separate $35 facility acceptance fee, for a total of $165. The application fee is paid to the Department of State and the facility fee is paid directly to the acceptance facility.

How long does it take?

Routine service is 4 to 6 weeks of processing; expedited service is 2-3 weeks for an additional $60. Add up to two weeks of mailing in each direction on top of processing.

Should I get the book or the card?

Get the book for international travel by air, sea, or land. The card works only for land and sea entry from Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean destinations, and Bermuda, and is not valid for international air travel. Some applicants get both.

What citizenship document does a naturalized citizen use?

A Certificate of Naturalization is accepted as evidence of US citizenship. The original is mailed in with the application and returned separately.

Can I speed up the return mailing?

Yes. 1-3 day return delivery is available for $22.05. This speeds only the return leg, not the processing time.

What if I cannot find my citizenship evidence?

The Department of State can conduct a file search of its records for a $150 file search fee when citizenship evidence is unavailable.

After This Process

  • → Track the application status online and watch for the original citizenship document, which is mailed back separately from the new passport
  • → A Social Security Number or ITIN may be an adjacent identification or finance task for naturalized citizens managing federal records
  • → If urgent international travel arises within 14 calendar days, book an appointment at a passport agency and bring proof of travel

Sources

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More in United States

6 sources cited last accessed 2026-05-28

T1 official portal · T2 embassy/consulate · T3 news · T4 community — higher tier wins on conflict. methodology →

  1. T1
    US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs 2026-05-28

    The US passport is the federal travel and citizenship document issued by the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs (page footer identifies the Bureau of Consular Affairs), available as a book and a card, with routine processing summarized at 4 to 6 weeks. The Secretary of State's authority to grant and issue passports rests in federal passport statute at Title 22 of the United States Code (22 U.S.C.).

    travel.state.gov
  2. T1
    US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs 2026-05-28

    Fee schedule (page last updated March 19, 2026): adult first-time passport book application fee $130, passport card $30, book and card together $160; a separate $35 facility acceptance fee applies to in-person applications, giving published totals of $165, $65, and $195; expedited service $60 per application; 1-3 day return delivery $22.05; file search $150; child book $100/card $15/both $115. The dollar amounts of passport fees are set in the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services at 22 CFR 22.1.

    travel.state.gov
  3. T1
    US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs 2026-05-28

    A first-time adult application is filed on Form DS-11 and must be submitted in person at an authorized passport acceptance facility; it cannot be filed fully by mail or online. Required items are evidence of US citizenship (certified birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a valid undamaged passport book) with a single-sided 8.5 x 11 photocopy, a photo ID with a front-and-back photocopy, and one passport photo. A passport is issued only to US citizens and non-citizen US nationals.

    travel.state.gov
  4. T1
    US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs 2026-05-28

    Routine processing is 4 to 6 weeks and expedited processing is 2-3 weeks for an additional fee. Processing time refers to how long it takes to review the application at agencies or centers and excludes mailing; allow up to two weeks for the application to arrive by mail and up to two weeks for the passport to be mailed back. Urgent international travel within 14 calendar days requires a passport-agency appointment with proof of travel.

    travel.state.gov
  5. T1
    US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs 2026-05-28

    Form DS-11 is completed in advance but must not be signed until the acceptance agent asks: "Print the form but do not sign it until we ask you to do so." A recent, undamaged adult passport may be eligible to renew by mail on Form DS-82 rather than in person on DS-11; data or printing errors are corrected on Form DS-5504; a lost or stolen passport is reported on Form DS-64.

    travel.state.gov
  6. T1
    US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs 2026-05-28

    The passport card allows entry to the United States from Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean destinations, and Bermuda by land or sea and is not valid for international travel by air; both the book and card may be used for domestic air travel. The page lists the adult first-time book at $165 and the adult card at $65, and the child book at $135 and child card at $50, corroborating the fee schedule.

    travel.state.gov
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