U.S. Department of State · United States (federal)
Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport
Current revision: Edition 04-2025 (checked on travel.state.gov, Oct 15, 2026)
Fill in the State Department's DS-11 (04-2025) for a first or replacement passport. Type your answers, print it, and sign only in front of the agent.
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Form
DS-11
- Issued by
- U.S. Department of State
- Applies in
- United States (federal)
- Edition
- Edition 04-2025
Official source
PDFBetter is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for U.S. Department of State. We open the form from travel.state.gov, and you fill it in our editor. Check the issuer's instructions before you file.
What it is
What Form DS-11 is for
Form DS-11 is the application for a U.S. passport book or card that must be submitted in person — at an acceptance facility, a passport agency by appointment, or a U.S. embassy or consulate. You use it for a first passport, for children under 16, and when your previous passport was lost, stolen, damaged, issued more than 15 years ago or issued before age 16. You fill it in ahead of time but sign it only when the agent asks.
Fill it here
From eforms.state.gov to your filled copy
- 1
Fetched from eforms.state.gov
The agency's own, current PDF — not a retyped copy.
- 2
Opens in the editor
Fillable fields work as they are; on a flat page you type with text boxes.
- 3
Your filled copy
Download, print, sign or send it — the original stays untouched.
Who files it
- First-time adult applicants
- Children under 16 (with both parents or guardians, or required consent)
- Applicants whose previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago or before age 16
- Applicants whose previous passport was lost, stolen or damaged
- Anyone not eligible to renew by mail with DS-82 or to use DS-5504
What you need
- Proof of U.S. citizenship, original or certified copy, plus a photocopy
- Valid photo ID, plus a front-and-back photocopy
- One 2x2 inch color photo taken in the last six months
- Your Social Security number
- Parents' names, dates and places of birth
- Fees: application fee to the State Department and a separate execution fee to the facility
Line by line
How to fill out Form DS-11
- 1
Choose book, card or both
On application page 1, select a passport book, card or both, and a regular or large book. The card is only for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
- 2
Items 1–5 — Identity
Enter your name as it should appear (matching your citizenship and ID evidence), date of birth as MM/DD/YYYY, sex marker, place of birth and SSN. With no SSN, enter zeros and attach the signed statement the instructions require.
- 3
Items 6–9 — Contact and other names
Enter an A-Number if you have one, email, mailing address (with “In Care Of” if needed), phone, and up to two other names you have used.
- 4
Leave the bottom of page 1 blank
Skip the identifying-documents and signature blocks. Don't sign until the authorized agent tells you to.
- 5
Page 2 — Background and travel
Enter your parents' information, marriage history, height, hair and eye color, permanent address, occupation, emergency contact and any travel plans, plus details of any previous passport.
- 6
Print
Print the completed pages. The form says to use black ink only if you handwrite anything and not to correct or white out errors — start a new form instead.
Where to send it
Don't mail it. Book an appointment and bring the unsigned form, documents, photo and fees to a passport acceptance facility, a passport agency (appointment only), or a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. The agent administers the oath, watches you sign and collects the fees. Track the status at passportstatus.state.gov. Details: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/forms.html.
Filing rules change. Confirm the address or portal on travel.state.gov before you send.
Form DS-11: questions people ask
Can I sign the DS-11 before my appointment?
No. The form says not to sign until an authorized agent asks you to, because the agent must witness the signature under oath.
Can I type my answers?
Yes. The State Department's PDF has fillable fields. Print the result clearly; the form asks for black ink for anything you write by hand.
Should I use DS-82 instead?
If your most recent passport is undamaged, was issued when you were 16 or older and within the last 15 years, you may be able to renew by mail with DS-82. DS-11 says to use it only if one of its in-person conditions applies.
What if I don't have an SSN?
Enter zeros in the SSN field and attach a signed and dated statement with the exact wording given in the instructions declaring that you've never been issued one.
Will I get my birth certificate back?
Yes, undamaged citizenship evidence is returned, possibly in a separate mailing from your passport. Photocopies aren't returned.
Is it safe to save my DS-11 in PDFBetter?
It contains your SSN and family details. Keep the draft in your account, don't share it widely, and delete it once you've printed the final copy if you don't need it.