United States passport

Eligibility

United States passports are issuable only to persons who owe permanent allegiance to the United States – i.e., citizens and non-citizen nationals of the United States.

Citizens

Under the 14th amendment to the US Constitution, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States ..." Under this provision, "United States" means the 50 states and the District of Columbia only, but also technically includes the uninhabited Palmyra Atoll, an incorporated territory due to the Insular Cases.

By acts of Congress, every person born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands is a United States citizen by birth. Also, every person born in the former Panama Canal Zone whose father or mother (or both) was a citizen is a United States citizen by birth. Other acts of Congress provide for acquisition of citizenship by persons born abroad.

Non-citizen nationals

Every citizen is a national of the United States, but not every national is a citizen. The only current example of non-citizen US nationals are those born in American Samoa (including Swains Island). Unlike the other current US territories, people born in American Samoa are not automatically granted US citizenship by birth as the territory is not incorporated and an act of Congress granting it, similar to other US territories, has not yet been passed for American Samoa. The other historical groups of non-citizen US nationals include those of former US territories and during periods of time before the acts of Congress granting citizenship to those born in current territories.

Passport in lieu of certificate of non-citizenship nationality

Few requests for certificates of non-citizenship nationality are made to the Department of State, which are issuable by the department. Production of a limited number of certificates would be costly, which if produced would have to meet stringent security standards. Due to this, the Department of State chooses not to issue such certificates; instead, passports are issued to non-citizen nationals. The issued passport certifies the status of a non-citizen national. The certification is in the form of "U.S. National" instead of "USA" on the front of the passport card, or an endorsement in the passport book: "The bearer is a United States national and not a United States citizen."

Dual citizenship

United States law permits dual nationality. Consequently, it is permissible to have and use a foreign passport. However, U.S. citizens are required to use a U.S. passport when leaving or entering the United States. This requirement extends to a U.S. citizen who is a dual national.

Variants

Types

The United States began using distinct colors to differentiate passport types, such as blue for regular citizens, maroon for official government business, and black for diplomats, in 1961. Before this consolidation, the system was much more fragmented. In 1956, the Department of State consolidated 14 different categories of travel documents into the five main categories that are still in use today.

There are currently five main types of U.S. passport booklets, which are issued based on the identity of their holder and purpose. Unlike the practices of some other countries, the internal page designs of all types of U.S. passports are largely similar; consequently, the primary means of distinguishing them is based on the color of the cover and the text inscribed upon it.

The primary types are Regular (blue), Official (maroon), Diplomatic (black), Service (gray), and Emergency (purple), each type of passport may also has its own sub-types. Apart from regular and emergency passports which are mainly issued to civilians, other types of passports are generally issued by the Special Issuance Agency.

Second passport

More than one valid United States passport of the same type may not be held, except if authorized by the Department of State. It is routine for the Department of State to authorize a holder of a regular passport to hold, in addition, a diplomatic passport or an official passport or a no-fee passport.

One circumstance which may call for issuance of a second regular passport is a prolonged visa-processing delay. Another is safety or security, such as travel between Israel and a country which refuses to grant entry to a person with a passport that indicates travel to Israel. The period of validity of a second passport issued under either circumstance is generally four years from the date of issue.

Diplomatic couriers are usually issued multiple diplomatic passports to support the processing and possession of relevant visas for all the countries they may travel to.

Limited editions

The United States is one of the few countries that issues special-edition passports to commemorate significant events. These commemorative, limited passport editions are generally released to mark the anniversaries of national holidays or significant historical figures. These passports usually adopt the same inner pages as the standard-issue passports at the moment, whereas the cover and the attached first and last pages feature a specially designed, limited-edition format.

The first commemorative edition of the U.S. passport was issued in 1976, when the color of the cover was changed to blue, as part of the bicentennial celebration of American independence between 1975–1977. This was the first version of U.S. passport to use a blue cover; prior to this, American passports had green covers since 1941. This change subsequently influenced the cover color of the regular U.S. passport, hence all regular passports issued afterwards became blue and the blue design continued to remain afterwards until 1993.

From April 1993 to March 1994, the U.S. briefly issued passports with green covers instead of blue as a special tribute to Benjamin Franklin for the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Consular Service. This was the 2nd commemorative passport design ever introduced. After March 1994, regular passports with blue covers and pages showing U.S. state seals were reissued.

Semiquincentennial

A limited-edition variant with the portrait of president Donald Trump was firstly announced on April 28, 2026, as part of Semiquincentennial celebrations. The finalized passport design was unveiled subsequently on June 26 of the same year. This marks the third time the State Department has issued a special limited-edition passport, and the first time the portrait of a sitting president has been incorporated into the passport's design.

The cover of the variant features a gold-stamped Betsy Ross flag with the number 250 on the back, and on the front cover, the text "United States of America" has been capitalized and moved to the top, while "Passport" is positioned at the bottom, in a layout that complies with ICAO recommendations for passport cover design. The first page of the interior features a portrait of President Trump, while the final page displays an 1818 painting by John Trumbull depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Apart from the above, all other interior elements, from the request page to the visa pages, retain the existing NGP standards and design.

The Trump administration initially planned to print a total of 25,000 to 30,000 limited-edition passports, but later increased the figure to approximately 40,000 maximum. The variant is planned to be released only at the Washington Passport Agency starting from July 6, 2026 until supplies are exhausted; while all passports issued there will feature this design by default, applicants retain the right to choose the standard version. The vast majority of applicants remains unaffected by this adjustment, as applicants who submit their applications through USPS, embassies and consulates abroad, local libraries, or passport agencies outside of Washington, D.C., will not receive a limited edition passport.

Although the Washington Passport Agency currently only accepts applications from those with appointments and urgent short-term travel needs, the State Department has planned at least two "special passport application acceptance events" that will allow all eligible individuals to schedule appointments and apply at the agency.

Other travel documents

In addition to passports, several other types of travel documents are also issued by the U.S. government; these are issued to various groups of people depending on the circumstances, and their holders are not necessarily limited to U.S. citizens or nationals, as is the case with standard passports. (Generally, the State Department is responsible for issuing travel documents to U.S. nationals, whereas USCIS typically issues travel documents held by eligible foreign nationals in the U.S. )

U.S. passport card

Not a full passport, but a small ID card issued by the U.S. government for crossing land and sea borders with Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. All persons eligible for a regular passport book are eligible for a passport card. The card does not denote the bearer's official or diplomatic status, if any. The ID card is valid for 10 years for people 16 or older and 5 years for minors under 16. The passport card is not valid for international air travel. It is possible to hold the U.S. passport card in addition to a regular passport. These ID cards are WHTI and Real ID compliant, making them valid for domestic air travel, and have digitally-signed biometrics within an internal RFID chip, readable at a land or sea port of entry into or out of the United States.

Travel Documents issued by USCIS (green cover)

• Refugee Travel Document, cover titled "Travel Document": Although also known as "Refugee Passport", it is not a full passport, but issued to aliens who have been classified as refugees or asylees.
• Re-entry permit (green cover), cover titled "Travel Document": Not a full passport, but issued to a permanent resident alien in lieu of a passport. The re-entry permit guarantees them permission to re-enter the U.S. and is usually valid for a period of two years. A re-entry permit can also be used by permanent residents who are stateless or cannot get a passport for international travel, or who wish to visit a country they cannot on their passport.

Layout

Format

On the front cover, a representation of the Great Seal of the United States is at the center. "PASSPORT" (in all capital letters) appears above the representation of the Great Seal, and "United States of America" appears below (in Garamond italic on non-biometric passports, and Minion italic on post-biometric passports).

An official passport has "OFFICIAL" (in all capital letters) above "PASSPORT". The capital letters of "OFFICIAL" are somewhat smaller than the capital letters of "PASSPORT".

A diplomatic passport has "DIPLOMATIC" (in all capital letters) above "PASSPORT". The capital letters of "DIPLOMATIC" are somewhat smaller than the capital letters of "PASSPORT".

Passport message

Passports of many countries contain a message, nominally from the official who is in charge of passport issuance (e.g., secretary of state, minister of foreign affairs), addressed to authorities of other countries. The message identifies the bearer as a citizen of the issuing country, requests permission for the bearer to enter and pass through the other country, and requests further that, when necessary, the bearer be given help consistent with international norms. In American passports, the message is in English, French, and Spanish. The message reads:

In English:

The Secretary of State of the United States of America hereby requests all whom it may concern to permit the citizen/national of the United States named herein to pass without delay or hindrance and in case of need to give all lawful aid and protection.

in French:

Le Secrétaire d'Etat des Etats-Unis d'Amérique prie par les présentes toutes autorités compétentes de laisser passer le citoyen ou ressortissant des Etats-Unis titulaire du présent passeport, sans délai ni difficulté et, en cas de besoin, de lui accorder toute aide et protection légitimes.

and in Spanish:

El Secretario de Estado de los Estados Unidos de América por el presente solicita a las autoridades competentes permitir el paso del ciudadano o nacional de los Estados Unidos aquí nombrado, sin demora ni dificultades, y en caso de necesidad, prestarle toda la ayuda y protección lícitas.

The term "citizen/national" and its equivalent terms ("citoyen ou ressortissant"; "ciudadano o nacional") are used in the message as some people born in American Samoa, including Swains Island, are nationals but not citizens of the United States.

The masculine inflections of "Le Secrétaire d'Etat" and "El Secretario de Estado" are used in all passports, regardless of the sex of the secretary of state at the time of issue.

Languages

At a League of Nations conference in 1920 about passports and through-train travel, a recommendation was that passports be written in French (historically, the language of diplomacy) and one other language.

English, the de facto national language of the United States, has always been used in U.S. passports. At some point after 1920, English and French were used in passports. Spanish was added during the second term of the Clinton administration.

The field names on the data page, the passport message, the field names and emergency instructions on the “personal data and emergency contact” page, and the designations of the amendments-and-endorsements pages, are printed in English, French, and Spanish.

Data page

Each passport has a data page and a signature page.

A data page is a page containing information about the passport holder. It is the only page in a U.S. passport laminated in plastic to prevent tampering. A data page has a visual zone and a machine-readable zone. The visual zone has a digitized photograph of the passport holder, data about the passport, and data about the passport holder:

• Photograph
• Type [of document, which is "P" for "passport"]
• Code [of the issuing country, which is "USA" for "United States of America"]
• Passport Number
• Surname
• Given Name
• Nationality (United States of America)
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth (see below)
• Sex (F or M, as determined by Executive Order 14168)
• Date of Issue
• Date of Expiration
• Authority (United States Department of State)
• Endorsements

The machine-readable zone is present at the bottom of the page.

Genders

In June 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that an option for American passport holders to select a third gender category on their passports was planned but would take time to implement. Additionally, applicants changing their gender would no longer be required to provide external documentation like a court order or medical certification. Dana Zzyym, who had sued the Department of State for not issuing a passport with a non-binary gender marker in 2015, was reportedly issued the first US passport with an "X" gender designation in October 2021. "X" was added as a gender option for all applicants on April 11, 2022. Issuance of passports with the "X" marker was suspended in January 2025 after the second Trump administration declared the federal government would only recognize binary sex assigned at "conception" [sic] via an executive order.

Place of birth

Place of birth was first added to U.S. passports in 1917. The standards for the names of places of birth that appear in passports are listed in volume 8 of the Foreign Affairs Manual, published by the Department of State. A request to list no place of birth in a passport is never accepted.

U.S. birthplaces

For birthplaces within the United States and its territories, it contains the name of the state or territory followed by "U.S.A." (e.g. North Carolina, U.S.A), except for the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa which are listed alone. Passports may also indicate the city of applicants born in U.S. states, but are not required. For persons born in Washington State or the District of Columbia, passports indicate "Washington, U.S.A." or "Washington, D.C., U.S.A.", respectively, as the place of birth.

Foreign birthplaces

For an American whose birthplace is outside the United States, only the country or dependent territory is mentioned. The name of the country is the current name of the country that presently controls the place of birth, regardless of what the name was at the time of birth. For example, Americans born before 1991 in the former Soviet Union (including the Baltic states, whose annexation by the Soviet Union was never recognized by the U.S.) would have the post-Soviet country name listed as the place of birth, e.g. Armenia instead of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union. Another example is that for Americans born in the former Panama Canal Zone, "Panama" is listed as the place of birth for people born on or after October 1, 1979; people born before October 1 can choose to designate the city of place of birth. A citizen born outside the United States who objects to the standard country name may be allowed to have the municipality of birth entered on the passport. However, if a foreign country denies a visa or entry because of the place-of-birth designation, the Department of State will issue a replacement passport at normal fees, and will not facilitate entry into the foreign country.

• China, Taiwan, Hong Kong/Macau SARs: Special provisions exist to deal with the complexities of American passport holders born in the Greater China Region. Per the One-China policy, the United States recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, while considering the status of Taiwan to be undetermined. However, Americans born in Taiwan can choose to have either "Taiwan", "China", or their city of birth listed as place of birth. Americans born in Hong Kong or Macau would have their place of birth as "Hong Kong SAR" or "Macau SAR", but the option of listing the city of birth only (e.g. "Hong Kong" or "Macau" without "SAR") is not available. As Tibet is recognized as part of China, the place of birth for Americans born in Tibet is written as "China", with the option of listing only the city of birth.

• Israel and the Palestinian territories: Special provisions are in place for Americans born in Israel and the Palestinian territories. For births in places other than Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, "Israel", "West Bank", or "Gaza Strip" is used. If born before 1948 or in other cases, "Palestine" may be used. For births in the Golan Heights, "Israel" has been used since March 2019 when the US recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel; previously "Syria" was used regardless of date of birth. Prior to October 2020, due to the legal uncertainty of the status of Jerusalem, "Jerusalem" was used for births in Jerusalem within its 1948 municipal borders regardless of date of birth. In 2002, Congress passed legislation that said that American citizens born in Jerusalem may list "Israel" as their country of birth, although Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama did not allow it. A federal appeals court declared the 2002 law invalid on July 23, 2013, and the Supreme Court upheld that decision on June 8, 2015. In October 2020, the Department of State announced that it had changed its policy and stated that Americans born in Jerusalem would be permitted to have either "Jerusalem" or "Israel" designated as their place of birth. However, for those who were born before 1948 in areas outside of Jerusalem's 1948 municipal limits but now are included within Jerusalem, their place of birth is listed as "Palestine" or the area's name as known before the expansion of Jerusalem. Those born after 1948 in these areas may choose to have the area's name listed as their place of birth, but not as "Jordan" or "West Bank".

In all cases, the city or town of birth may be used in place of the standard designations.

Born in the air or at sea

For an American born aboard an aircraft or ship, if the birth occurs in an area where no country has sovereignty (i.e. in or over international waters), the place of birth is listed as "in the air" or "at sea" where appropriate.

Endorsement and signature page

The endorsement page is used to record supplementary personal information related to the passport holder. In general, endorsements are made in connection with passport renewal upon expiration, or to record information concerning the loss or damage of a previous passport. This page may not be used for the placement of visas or for entry and exit stamps.

In the 2007 passport design, this section originally consisted of two pages located after the visa pages. However, in the 2021 design update, the standalone endorsement page was discontinued and replaced by a merged endorsement and signature page located on the page immediately facing the data page for easier visibility. Furthermore, all endorsements in the 2021 redesign are pre-printed at the time of issuance and cannot be altered. As a result, any change to an endorsement requires the issuance of a new passport.

In the integrated endorsement page of NGP, a color photograph of the passport holder is also included in addition to the holder’s signature field and the endorsement itself, serving as a supplement the black-and-white photograph displayed on the polycarbonate data page.

Signature

A signature page has a line for the signature of a passport holder. A passport is not valid until it is signed by the passport holder in black or blue ink. If a holder is unable to sign their passport, it is to be signed by a person who has legal authority to sign on the holder's behalf.

Endorsements

Endorsements generally concern information pertaining either to the passport or to the passport holder, and may be classified into the following categories:

• Replacement Status: Indicates the passport is a replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged book.
• Limited Validity: Notes that the passport expires on a specific date and cannot be extended, often used for emergency travel.
• Name Information: Provides the full legal name if it was too long to fit on the data page, or lists a widely recognized pseudonym/stage name.
• Identity: Identifies the bearer as a diplomat, member of Congress, Peace Corps volunteer, as well as other government official on active duty, or alternatively, to denote that the holder is a non-citizen US national in cases where the holder was born in certain United States overseas territories (e.g., American Samoa) .
• Legal Restrictions: Notes if the bearer is a covered sex offender or if the document is only valid for return to the United States.

Sex offenders

In November 2017, pursuant to the International Megan's Law, the Department of State announced that passports of US citizens previously convicted of sex crimes against minors would be endorsed with the message, "The bearer was convicted of a sex offense against a minor, and is a covered sex offender pursuant to [U.S. law]."

Emergency Contact

Until early production runs of the Next Generation Passport (NGP), booklets continued to include a page intended for the passport holder to handwrite personal and emergency contact information for use in emergency situations. However, as of 2024, this page has been removed from the most recently produced passport batches. Instead, An “Important Travel and Safety Data” page featuring a QR code linking to the U.S. Department of State’s official website has been added to replace it, encouraging all holders to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

Application

An application is required for the issuance of a passport. If a fugitive being extradited to the United States refuses to sign a passport application, the consular officer can sign it "without recourse."

An application for a United States passport made abroad is forwarded by a U.S. embassy or consulate to Passport Services for processing in the United States. The resulting passport is sent to the embassy or consulate for issuance to the applicant. An emergency passport is issuable by the embassy or consulate. As per Haig v. Agee, the presidential administration may deny or revoke passports for foreign policy or national security reasons at any time.

Places where a U.S. passport may be applied for include some post offices and libraries. Some passports can be renewed online. As of October 2024, the processing time for a regular application is four to six weeks, not including shipping times. Previously, a processing time of six to eight weeks was the norm before the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused passport applications to take as long as 18 weeks to be processed in 2021.

Administration

Authority for issuing passports is conferred on the secretary of state by the Passport Act of 1926, subject to such rules as the President of the United States may prescribe. The Department of State has issued regulations governing such passports, and its internal policy concerning issuance of passports, passport waivers, and travel letters is contained in the Foreign Affairs Manual.

Passport Services, a unit of the Bureau of Consular Affairs within the Department of State, is responsible for passport issuance. It operates 26 regional passport agencies that are open to the general public. They are located in Atlanta; Boston; Buffalo; Chicago; Colorado; Dallas; Detroit; El Paso; Honolulu; Hot Springs; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; Minneapolis; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; New Orleans; New York City; Philadelphia; San Diego; San Francisco; San Juan; Seattle; St. Albans; Stamford; Tucson; and Washington, D.C. Future passport agencies are planned at Salt Lake City; Orlando; Cincinnati; Kansas City, Missouri; San Antonio; and Charlotte. Two additional passport agencies are not open to the general public: one in Charleston, and the Special Issuance Agency in Washington, D.C., which issues official, diplomatic, and no-fee U.S. Passports for U.S. government employees, high-ranking officials, and Peace Corps volunteers.

There are about 9,000 passport acceptance facilities in the United States, designated by Passport Services, at which routine passport applications may be filed. These facilities include United States courts, state courts, post offices, public libraries, county offices, and city offices. In fiscal year 2024, the Department of State issued 24,515,786 passports (including 1,741,527 passport cards) and there were 143,116,633 valid U.S. passports in circulation. The passport possession rate of the U.S. was approximately 48% of the population in June 2024, rising from 5% in 1990.

Forms and requirements

First time application

Form DS11 Standard

• The applicant has never been issued a U.S. passport
• The applicant is over age 16
• The applicant was under age 16 when upon the issuance of the applicant's previous passport
• The applicant's recent U.S. passport was issued more than 15 years ago
• The applicant's most recent U.S. passport was lost or stolen
• The applicant's name has changed since the applicant's U.S. passport was issued and the applicant is unable to legally document the change of name

All applicants using a form DS-11 must appear in person, and pay an additional $35 execution fee, in addition to the cost of their passport book and/or card.

Renewal or Lost

Form DS82 Renewal

The applicant's most recent U.S. passport:

• Is undamaged and can be submitted with the application
• Was issued when the applicant was age 16 or older
• Was issued within the last 15 years
• Was issued in the applicant's current name or the applicant can legally document a change of name

The advantage of the DS-82 passport renewal form is a traveler can mail in the form on their own, and they also do not have to pay the $35 processing fee associated with a DS-11 passport application.

DS64 Lost

Lost or stolen passport requires DS64 in addition to DS11 only if the lost passport is valid due to the second passport rule:

Online Renewal

The Biden administration issued an executive order in December 2021 requiring the creation of an online passport renewal system. The State Department launched a pilot program in 2022 which received over 500,000 applications before its closure in March 2023. Although the Department found the program successful, some legislators in Congress criticized the technical issues that some customers experienced. Another online renewal pilot was launched in June 2024 and became available to the general public in September. The 2024 pilot addressed key issues from the earlier release, including photo upload errors, made improvements based on ongoing public feedback, and released updates in phases.

In 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported that the online passport renewal program has processed over three million renewals with high user satisfaction handling roughly half of all renewals. This represents a major success in federal digital modernization efforts.

Application document requirements for Form DS-11

• Proof of identity (such as a valid state ID)
  • If applying out-of-state, another piece of proof of identity is required.
• Proof of U.S. nationality (such as a previous U.S. passport, birth certificate from a state or US territory, Certificate of Naturalization / Citizenship, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad)
  • If the applicant has been issued a U.S. passport or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and is unable or unwilling to submit them, they can request the State Department to perform a "file search". If the aforementioned document was issued prior to 1994, the applicant needs to pay a $150 file search fee for the State Department to manually search the paper records.
• 2 in × 2 in photograph

Passport photograph

Passport photo requirements are very specific. Official State Department photographic guidelines are available online.

• 2 in × 2 in (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm)
• The height of the head (top of hair to bottom of chin) should measure 1 to 1+3⁄8 inches (25 to 35 mm)
• Eye height is between 1+1⁄8 to 1+3⁄8 inches (29 to 35 mm) from the bottom of the photo
• Front view, full face, open eyes, closed mouth, and neutral expression
• Full head from the top of the hair to the shoulders
• Plain white or off-white background
• No shadows on the face or in the background
• No sunglasses (unless medically necessary). As of November 1, 2016, the wearing of eyeglasses in U.S. passport photos is not allowed.
• No hat or head covering (unless for religious purposes; religious head covering must not obscure hairline)
• Normal contrast and lighting

Fees

Fees for applying vary based on whether or not an applicant is applying for a new passport or they are renewing an expiring passport. Fees also vary depending on whether an applicant is under the age of 16.

Price history

A passport fee was first levied in 1856 at one dollar, and over the years remained at or under $10 (including a $1 execution fee introduced in 1920) through 1932. In 1983, the State Department declared that the existing passport fee of $10 was insufficient to cover costs, so the fee was raised from $10 to $35, and new passports were changed to be valid for a decade instead of for five years. The fee for individuals under 18 years of age was also raised from $10 to $20 for a five-year passport. Until that year, passport fees had only been raised by one dollar since 1932. In a 2004 USPS Passport Services publication, "Fees total $85 for adults (16 years and older), with separate payments of $30 to the U.S. Postal Service® for its processing fee and $55 to the Department of State for its passport application fee. For those under 16, the total cost is $70, with separate payments of $30 to the U.S. Postal Service for its processing fee and $40 to the Department of State for its passport application fee."

Prices were again increased in 2010. Fees for a brand-new passport went from $100 to $135 (from $85 to $105 for those under 16), and renewal fees climbed from $75 to $110. Passport cards also saw new and increased fees: $55 for adults and $40 for children. The State Department raised these and other fees after conducting "an exhaustive study of the true cost of providing consular services." In 2018, first-time adult applicants were charged $110 per passport book and $30 per passport card. Additionally, a $35 execution fee was also charged for every first time applications.

First-time applications

As of December 27, 2021, first-time adult applicants are charged $130 per passport book and $30 per passport card. Additionally, a $35 execution fee is charged per transaction, but only for first applications and not for renewals. This means people applying for the passport book and card simultaneously on the same application pay only one execution fee.

All minor applicants are considered first-time applicants until they reach age 16. Minor applicants pay a $100 application fee for the passport book and a $15 application fee for the passport card. The same $35 execution fee is charged per application.

Renewal applications

Adults wishing to renew their passports may do so up to five years after expiration at a cost of $130 for the passport book and $30 for the passport card. Passports for minors under age 16 cannot be renewed.

Special renewal rules

If a person is already in possession of a passport book and would like a passport card additionally (or vice versa), they may submit their currently valid passport book or card as evidence of citizenship and apply for a renewal to avoid paying a $35 execution fee. However, if the passport book or card holder is unable or unwilling to relinquish their currently valid passport for the duration of the processing, they may submit other primary evidence of citizenship, such as a U.S. birth certificate or naturalization certificate, and apply as a first time applicant, paying the execution fee and submitting a written explanation as to why they are applying in this manner.

Additional fees

• An expedite fee of $60 is charged when applicants request faster processing, regardless of age. This processing is currently 2–3 weeks when applying at an acceptance facility. The same fee is charged for expedited service when applying at a Passport Agency within 14 days of travel.
• In addition to the expedite fee, applicants may pay an additional $22.05 to receive their passport 1–2 days after it is mailed. This can be paid in combination with the application fee when applying, or added later by calling the National Passport Information Center. However, 1-2 day mail return is only available for the U.S. Passport Book. Passport cards may not be overnight mailed.
• As of January 1, 2016, passports may no longer have pages added to them. When applying for a new passport, applicants may apply for a 28-page or 52-page passport, with no additional cost for obtaining the 52-page passport.
• If an applicant requests a "file search" for a previously-issued U.S. passport or Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and if the said document was issued prior to 1994, then the applicant needs to pay $150 as the "file search fee".

Foreign travel

Restrictions

It is unlawful to enter or exit the United States without a valid passport or passport-replacement document compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), or without an exception or waiver.

The use of passports may be restricted for foreign policy reasons. In September 1939, in order to preserve the United States' neutrality in relation to the breakout of World War II, then secretary of state Cordell Hull issued regulations declaring that outstanding passports, together with passports issued thereafter, could not be used for travel to Europe without specific validation by the Department of State, and such validation could not last more than six months. Similar restrictions can still be invoked upon notice given in the Federal Register, and such notice was issued in 2017, so that passports were "declared invalid for travel to, in, or through the DPRK unless specially validated for such travel."

As confirmed in Haig v. Agee (1981), the administration may deny or revoke passports for foreign policy or national security reasons at any time, and for other reasons as prescribed by regulations. A notable example of enforcement of this was the 1948 denial of a passport to U.S. representative Leo Isacson, who sought to go to Paris to attend a conference as an observer for the American Council for a Democratic Greece, a Communist front organization, because of the group's role in opposing the Greek government in the Greek Civil War. Denial or revocation of a passport does not prevent the use of outstanding valid passports. The physical revocation of a passport is often difficult, and an apparently valid passport can be used for travel until officially taken by an arresting officer or by a court.

The lack of a valid passport (for whatever reason, including revocation) does not render the U.S. citizen either unable to leave the United States, or inadmissible into the United States. The United States is a signatory of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees residents of its signatories wide-ranging rights to enter or depart their own countries. In Nguyen v. INS, the Supreme Court stated that U.S. citizens are entitled "to the absolute right to enter its borders." Lower federal courts went as far as to declare that "the Government cannot say to its citizen, standing beyond its border, that his reentry into the land of his allegiance is a criminal offense; and this we conclude is a sound principle whether or not the citizen has a passport, and however wrongful may have been his conduct in effecting his departure." Therefore, even in the absence of a valid passport, U.S. citizens cannot be denied entry into the United States, though they may be delayed while the CBP attempts to verify their identity and citizenship status.

The U.S. does not exercise passport control on exit from the country, so an individual attempting to depart from the U.S. only needs to have valid documents granting the right to entry into the country of destination. In most cases, these are inspected at check-in before the individual can be issued a boarding pass by an airline or cruise operator/shipping company, or by immigration authorities at Canadian or Mexican ports of entry on land.

Travel of U.S. citizens and nationals around the United States and across its international borders is generally controlled by means other than passports, such as the No Fly List.

Visa requirements map

Visa requirements for United States citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the United States. As of June 2025, holders of a United States passport can visit 182 countries and territories without a visa or with a visa on arrival, ranking it tenth in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index. Additionally, Arton Capital's Passport Index ranked the United States passport fourth in the world in terms of travel freedom, with a visa-free score of 160 (tied with Belgium, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland), as of June 2025. The United States Passport is ranked 9th by the Global Passport Power Rank. The United States government has prohibited all U.S. nationals from traveling to North Korea without special permission, making all United States passports invalid for travel to, in, or through the country.

Foreign travel statistics

These are the numbers of visits by U.S. nationals to various countries in 2015 (unless otherwise noted):