Passport Acceptance Facility

Passport Acceptance Facility: Where a First Passport Is Filed

A passport acceptance facility is a location designated by the U.S. Department of State to accept passport applications in person. There are thousands nationwide, most of them post offices, but also clerks of court, public libraries and county and municipal offices. Staff there are authorised to witness your oath, verify your identity documents, and forward the application to the State Department.

The facility does not decide anything. It does not issue, approve or refuse a passport — it confirms that the person applying is the person in the documents, then sends the package on.

When You Must Use One

In-person filing is required if you are applying for the first time, if you are under 16, if your previous passport was issued before you turned 16, or if it was lost, stolen or damaged. Anyone in those categories files Form DS-11 at an acceptance facility rather than by mail.

What to Bring

• The completed but unsigned DS-11 — you sign in front of the acceptance agent
• Proof of citizenship: a certified long-form birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a naturalisation certificate
• A photocopy of that proof
• Government-issued photo identification, plus a photocopy
• One compliant passport photo
• Two payments: the State Department fee and the facility’s separate execution fee

The proof of citizenship is submitted as an original certified copy, not a photocopy, and it is returned to you separately from the passport.

Acceptance Facility, Passport Agency, and Renewal by Mail

Three different routes are easy to confuse. An acceptance facility handles routine in-person applications and requires an appointment at most locations. A passport agency is one of a limited number of regional State Department offices that serve travellers with urgent, documented travel inside two weeks. Renewal by mail on Form DS-82 involves neither, and is available only if you still hold a qualifying previous passport.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an appointment?

Usually yes, and availability varies sharply by location and season. Some facilities accept walk-ins; check before travelling to one.

Why are there two fees?

The application fee goes to the State Department; the execution fee is what the facility charges for witnessing and forwarding your application. They are frequently paid by different methods.

Can they tell me whether my birth certificate is acceptable?

They will check it against the requirements and flag an obvious problem, such as an abstract or a hospital souvenir certificate. The final decision rests with the State Department.

Will they keep my birth certificate?

It travels with the application and is mailed back to you, generally separately from and later than the passport. Order a spare certified copy if you need one in the meantime.

Related Terms

Form DS-11, Form DS-82, U.S. Passport, Long-Form Birth Certificate, Proof of Citizenship