Hi, it's Tesh from The Form Filler. In this video I'm going to show you step by step how to apply for your very first US passport. I'll show you what website to go on, show you which form is correct for you and how to fill it in, show you what supporting documents you need to provide with your application as proof of your US citizenship, I'll show you what the accepted identification documents are, how to make sure you've got a perfect passport photo, how to calculate the fees and make sure you're always paying the correct amount, and how to book an appointment to submit your application. I really hope you find this video helpful.
Now, let's get started. So I'm currently on the official travel.state.gov website. I'll leave all of the links that I mentioned in this video in the description box below for you so you can navigate to them with ease. The first thing we're going to click on is get a US passport.
I'm then presented with more options. Here it says I need a passport. Because this video is about applying for a very first adult passport, I'm going to click on I'm an adult. It then opens up a new tab and when applying for your very first adult American passport, you must apply in person using form DS-11.
This is the process to follow if at least one of the following is true. You are applying for your first US passport, you are under age 16, your previous US passport was issued when you were under age 16, your previous US passport was lost, stolen or damaged. or your previous US passport was issued more than 15 years ago.
Scroll down a little bit more and go to how to apply and here step one is fill out form DS-11. Clicking on it expands and it says here DS-11 DS-11 application for a US passport. Now you have two options here two tabs form filler no relation or pdf.
By clicking on form filler it opens up an online version of the application form which you can complete. and then print out. But for the purpose of this video, I'm actually going to open up the PDF, which you can print and then fill in by hand if you prefer. It is worth noting that the form filler will select the correct form for you based on the information you input.
It may generate a different form from what you expect, regardless of what form you complete. Do not sign the application until instructed to do so by the acceptance agent. You must provide a social security number if you have been issued one. And if you do 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 never been issued a social security number by the Social Security Administration. And by filling out this form DS-11, you can apply for a passport book, a passport card or both documents. And you are also able to request a larger passport book with 52 pages.
at no additional cost by checking the large book box at the top of the form. So let's open up the form by clicking on PDF. It's a six page form with instructions included and straight away the first thing you want to look at if filling in this form by hand print in black ink to complete this form. Please make sure you're using black ink not any other color of pen and the eligibility is reiterated from what we just saw on the actual website and there is very much comprehensive instructions here in the form. Let's scroll down to the actual form and the good thing is out of the six pages only two are the actual application form.
So right here at the top it says again use black ink only and if you make an error complete a new form do not correct. So there's no point using things like whiteout in this occasion just get yourself a brand new form. Here it says select document or documents for which you are submitting fees. So you can either go for the US passport book, a US passport card or both. And if you're going for a US passport book, you can either get the regular book or large book for no additional cost.
And it's worth noting that the US passport card is not valid for international air travel. So if you're looking to fly internationally, you're going to need a US passport book. The passport card won't suffice.
And if you're debating whether to get a regular or large book, the large book is for frequent international travellers who need more visa pages. Typically, people that fly for business purposes go for the large book option. Right, so here in the first section it's about yourself, details about yourself, so name.
It will say here, enter the name to appear in the passport. The name to appear in the passport should be consistent with your proof of citizenship and identification. So your last name here, and then your first and middle name if you have one.
Then your date of birth is in the month, day, year order. Then we come to gender. The gender markers used are M for male, F for female, and X.
for unspecified or another gender identity. The gender marker that you check on this form will appear on your passport regardless of the gender markers on your previous passport. if you have one, or you're supporting evidence of citizenship and identity.
Next up, place of birth. Enter the name of the city and state, if in the United States, or city and country otherwise. And then your social security number, if it's been issued to you. Your email address. And if you do provide your email address, be advised that by providing it, you'll be consenting to be communicated with about your application via email.
And if you provide a primary contact phone number, you will be consenting to receiving calls. or text messages again about your application and then filling in your mailing address here. In section 9 it says list all other names you have used. So you should enter all legal names previously used to include maiden name, name changes and previous married names.
You can enter up to two names, one in item A and one in item B and if only your last name has changed just enter your last name and if you need more space to write additional names please use a separate sheet of paper and attach it to this form. Now we've got to this big cautionary stop. Continue to page two. Do not sign application until requested to do so by authorized agent. Because you're going to be ultimately seeing an authorized agent in person this section here should not be completed by you.
When you do see that person at your appointment they will tell you when it's time for you to sign. And also a top tip here it says staple for the photo. Although you're going to provide a photo and I'll provide.
and I'll get into that later on, you're not going to staple it. This is for the authorised agent. Ignore stapling it, just provide the photo loose to the agent and then they can staple it when they need to. So then we'll head on down to the second and final page of the application.
And again it's fairly straightforward. So again name of applicant, so your last, first and middle name, again your date of birth. And then here it comes to parental information. So that's the mother and father or parents details go into this section here. And if you've ever been married.
an additional contact number, your occupation if you're 16 years old or over, or your employer or school if applicable, and then you add on your height, your hair colour and eye colour, and if you have any travel plans you can put them down here. If not just write none and then you'll put in your permanent address here if it's different from your mailing address. Then here you can provide your emergency contact and it's best to provide the information of a person who doesn't normally travel with you to be contacted in an event of an emergency. And then here you can answer have you ever applied for or been issued a US passport book or passport card?
And then that's it. Please do not write below this line. Again, it's for the issuing office.
So a fairly straightforward application form and plenty of instructions here that go into vast detail that you can peruse before you complete the application form as well. Heading back to the apply in person page. The next thing you need to do when attending your appointment, not only will you be taking your application form. but you also have to take some additional documentation. So step two is providing evidence of US citizenship.
Your evidence must be an original or certified physical copy. A certified copy is any document that has the seal or stamp of the official issuing authority. You must submit one of the following documents.
A full validity undamaged US passport and that includes expired passports. Full validity means the document is or was valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 16. A US birth certificate that meets the following requirements. Issued by the city, county or state of birth.
Lists your full name, date of birth and place of birth. Lists your parents' full names. Has the date filed with the registrar's office. And bear in mind it must be within one year of your birth.
Has the registrar's signature. And has the seal of the issuing authority. a consular report of birth abroad or certification of birth, a certificate of naturalization, or a certificate of citizenship. And please note you cannot submit digital evidence of US citizenship such as a mobile or electronic birth certificate. And this is key, you must submit physical evidence of US citizenship and a photocopy of the document.
This is absolutely paramount. When you go to the appointment for this section, you need to take two things. whether it's your us birth certificate or your certificate of naturalization you need to take both the original and a photocopy of the document it's a common mistake don't get caught out by it you'll need to take both the original and a photocopy and if you're wondering what the specifications of the photocopy must be it must be legible so make sure it's not fuzzy or poorly printed make sure it's on white paper 8.5 by 11 standard paper black and white and single-sided One thing it doesn't mention here is that the original proof of your US citizenship, whether it's your US birth certificate or certificate of naturalization or citizenship certificate, will be retained by the agent.
It's retained during the process and is then mailed back to you afterwards. It will not come in the same envelope as your US passport and it will be sent to you separately, but it is standard for the agent to retain your original evidence. Next up, presenting ID.
You must present one of the following identification documents to the acceptance agent. The ID must readily identify you. A valid or expired, undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card.
An in-state, fully valid driver's license or enhanced driver's license with photo. A certificate of naturalization. A certificate of citizenship. A government employee ID, whether it's city, county. state or federal, US military or military dependent ID, a current valid foreign passport, a Mexican consular ID, a green card, a trusted traveler ID which can include global entry, fast, century and nexus cards, enhanced tribal cards and Native American tribal photo IDs as well as other documents such as in-state fully valid learner's permit with photo, an in-state fully valid non-driver ID with photo, or a temporary driver's license with photo.
However, note you may be asked to present an additional ID when presenting one of these three documents. It's worth noting that some states now issue digital ID documents also known as mobile driver's licenses or mobile IDs. We cannot accept these digital IDs when you apply for your US passport. you must continue to submit your physical photo ID and a photocopy of the ID. And if you present an out-of-state ID, you again must present an additional ID.
Scrolling down to section 5, bring a photocopy of ID. Submit a photocopy of the front and back if there is printed information of each ID that you present when you apply. So that's commonly with things such as a driving license or state ID.
And again, photocopies must be legible and on white. 8.5 by 11 standard paper, black and white and single sided. And the next piece of additional documentation you're going to provide is a photo. So you must provide one photo with your application and to avoid processing delays be sure your photo meets all photo requirements and you can actually click on photo requirements.
It's going to open a new tab for you and it's going to give you much more information on how an acceptable photo should look. And the basics of it are you need to submit a color photo. taken in the last six months. It should be a clear image of your face and not be using any filters commonly used on social media.
It cannot be a selfie. Make sure someone else has taken your photo. Make sure you take off your eyeglasses for your photo and for the background make sure it's white or off-white background with no shadows, texture or lines. And as it says here do not attach or staple your photo to the form. The acceptance agent or passport employee accepting your form will review the photo and staple it.
And places where you can get a passport photo commonly are CVS for example. Some passport acceptance facilities will provide photo services for an additional fee as well. So you should be able to get your photo taken at the same time as your appointment. And next up is the all-important fees.
So step eight, calculating fees. So here it expands and it shows you all the different fees for the type of service that you're looking for. For this example, The passport book is $130 for the actual passport and then there is a $35 execution fee.
And it's worth noting that the application fee and the execution fee are paid separately. And there's a handy diagram here of how to fill in your check. If you're not 100% sure about the fee, I would recommend leaving it blank and completing it when you see the agent and confirm the amount that you owe. It's really worthwhile taking your checkbook with you. Just in case an error occurs, you can always just write another check out.
Whilst we're here let's check out the passport fee calculator. We're going to click on the see passport fees link here and it says here find your fee in one of three ways. The fee calculator, the fee chart pdf or the fee charts below. So here let's go to the fee calculator and we can just answer some simple questions and it's going to tell us exactly how much we're going to owe. So we reside in the United States.
Date of birth is just a random date of birth for an adult and then have you had a US passport so we'll do no. Click on next and then it says here to calculate the total cost of your new passport select the passport types and the method of processing you would like to use. Please note the application cost is non-refundable and is retained by the Department of State whether or not the passport is issued and we accept different forms of payment depending on where you apply. You need to check with your acceptance facility to learn what form of payments they will accept before you apply and when applying at an acceptance facility you will need to pay two fees. The first execution fee is payable to the facility.
while the second application fee is payable to the US Department of State. So from the information that I provided, the costs here are a passport book is $130, and that's valid for all international travel by air, land and sea. A passport card is $30, but that's valid only for return to the US by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean, not by air. And then you can get a bundle, which is the passport book. and card for $160.
So here I'll click on passport book and then next it says processing method. So the time of recording I've got three options here. The standard processing method is no additional fees.
It takes six to nine weeks currently. Processing time to begin the day we receive your application at a passport agency or center not the day you mail your application or apply in person. And then there's an expedited option.
An additional $60 and the processing is three to five weeks. And finally expedited at agency processing. Again $60 but there are restrictions and you must have international travel in the next 14 calendar days to apply at an agency or center.
I'm just going to select standard and then expands here where I have options for the delivery of the passport and document. So here we have standard delivery, no additional fees, delivery by USPS priority mail for new passport book whilst documents may be returned by first class mail. which is your proof of US citizenship.
And if you want it quicker you can get the one to two day delivery method for $18.32. But this is delivery costs for the new passport book only. Again your supporting documents may be returned by first class mail. Again for this I'll just select standard delivery and then click on calculate.
And here we have it. The passport book is $130 that's standard processing with standard delivery at no additional cost. The total payable to Department of State is $130 and don't forget that second portion of the fee, the execution fee, payable to the acceptance facility is $35.
So all in with standard processing and standard delivery a passport walk for me is going to be $165. Now it's time to schedule an appointment. Let's click on section 9 find location to apply and submit your completed application. When you're inside the United States you must submit your completed application. supporting documents, photo and fees in person at a passport acceptance facility, which is generally a public library or post office.
So let's click on passport acceptance facility. We're taken to a new page here. So this site will allow you to find the nearest location to apply for a passport.
It is provided by the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs, which designates many post offices, clerks of court, public libraries and other state county township and municipal government offices to accept passport application on its behalf. So here we're just going to search by zip code and then also what we can do is add photo on site so if you remember earlier I mentioned that some facilities can take your passport photo on site so let's just select that as well as that could be quite handy and save us some time and then it lists the facilities from nearest to my zip code so let's click on the post officer So it gives the facilities details and what they provide. They provide the photo on site which is great and they have the hours when they accept passport applications.
But on this page you're not able to actually book an appointment. Let me show you how you can book an appointment for your passport. I'm at the usps.com website. Again the link for this is in the description box below for you. Step one is choose a service.
From the drop down box I have a couple of options new passport only or new passport with photo services. or photo services only and passport renewal. Let's select the new passport with photo services and when we select it does say please note that photo services are only available at selected USPS locations for a $15 fee and the number of applications is a one passport for an adult.
Step two is search by so we can search for appointments by location or date let's just keep it consistent and search via location. and we're going to use this to compare post offices that provide passport services again we'll punch in our zip code and it has a radius of 20 miles and it's already automatically selected passport photo locations because i did select this service new passport with photo services let's click on search and great here here are the locations and i can see this is the one that was mentioned on the us department of state page so here i can go ahead and select this location It's now going to generate the appointments available. Select the date you'd like to make your appointment. You can book appointments up to four weeks in advance.
Only available time slots will be displayed. So what we have to do is just click on this calendar icon and it opens up for me. The earliest appointment available for me is the 5th of January 2023. So let's select this date.
It says here confirms appointment date Thursday January 5th 2023. Let's click on select date and then we head on down to step three. Select a time. Select a time from the list of appointments available. If you don't see a time that works for you, check another location. Appointments take approximately 15 minutes per person and you should arrive 10 minutes before your appointment.
So scrolling down these appointment times have been taken 10 a.m to 12 p.m and these ones are actually available appointment available as you can see 15 minutes for one appointment so from 12 15 to 1 45. So I can just click on that and I've got the 12 15 pm 15 minute appointment for one and then here in step four you just provide your contact information to confirm this appointment you need to provide your contact information your first name your last name your phone number and an email address and then you can decide to opt in to receive updates via text message but you will have to tick the i have read understood and agree to the terms and condition box and then click on review appointment so just by putting in some arbitrary information to show you the final result we can then go ahead and click on review appointment and here it goes step 5 review and confirm appointment details review your information and click confirm details to schedule your appointment after you confirm the appointment you'll receive your final confirmation number So handily here everything is comprehensively laid out for us it says service type is new passport with photo services for one adult and then there's contact information which I've just made up to show you this process and again I'm reminded that I must arrive 10 minutes before my appointment time and I should not be wearing glasses, hats, headwear or headphones in the photo and here it reiterates the service charges so it's the passport acceptance or execution fee of $35 And then because I'm going to get the photo taken as well at the same time, it's $15, taking the fee on site to $50. Of course, I'm not going to click on confirm details because this was fictitious. I just wanted to show you the step-by-step process. And then make sure you attend your appointment on time with your completed application form and your supporting documents, which include your proof of US citizenship. So for example, your original US birth certificate or original certificate of naturalization, along with a photocopy and along with a form of ID and again a photocopy of that ID making sure you've got the front and back if for example it's a driver's license or state ID.
And then once you're at your appointment you'll submit your documentation, your photo and your IDs along with the fee to the agent. They will then instruct you to sign the application form and they will take on the form along with your original proof of US citizenship. And depending on if you've applied for the standard processing or expedited processing you'll receive two envelopes. one will be your new US passport and then the other will be the return of your original US proof of citizenship.
I hope you found this video helpful, if you did please do give it a like and consider subscribing. Why not share it with someone else you think may benefit from it? And if you have any questions or comments leave them for me below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Thanks again for watching and I'll see you in the next one.