A US passport is the official travel document that proves your identity and citizenship, and it is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 16. A first-time adult passport book costs $165 ($130 plus a $35 acceptance fee), and routine processing takes 4 to 6 weeks plus mailing.
A US passport opens international travel, and it is also a key proof of your identity and citizenship. This guide is the starting point for everything about it: who can get one, the difference between the book and the card, what it costs, how long it takes, how to renew, what to do if it’s lost, and how to look after it. Each section links to a detailed guide when you need the full steps. Figures were checked against State Department pages updated between May and October 2026.
What Is a US Passport and Who Can Get One?
A US passport is issued by the State Department to US citizens and nationals, and you need proof of citizenship to get your first one. It lets you leave the country and re-enter, and foreign governments use it to confirm who you are.
Most people qualify through a US birth certificate. Others use a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Certificate of Naturalization or a Certificate of Citizenship. You also need a physical photo ID. An expired passport can still serve as proof of citizenship, so keep old ones in a safe place.
You can hold a US passport as a book, a card or both. Adults get a document valid for 10 years, and children under 16 get one valid for 5 years. The first application is always in person, and our passport application guide lists every document you need.
What Is the Difference Between a Passport Book and a Passport Card?
A passport book works for travel by air, sea and land, while a passport card works only for entering the US by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean destinations and Bermuda. The card is not valid for international air travel.
| Feature | Passport book | Passport card |
| International air travel | Yes | No |
| Land and sea travel | Yes | Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean destinations and Bermuda |
| Validity for adults | 10 years | 10 years |
| Validity for children under 16 | 5 years | 5 years |
| Size | 5 by 3 1/2 inches | Same as a credit card |
| Adult fee | $130 | $30 |
| Child fee | $100 | $15 |
If you plan to fly abroad, even once, buy the book. If you want both, the combined fee is $160 for an adult and $115 for a child, plus the acceptance fee on a first application. The card is a cheap backup for regular road trips, but it can’t replace the book for students and flyers.
How Much Does a US Passport Cost?
A first-time adult US passport book costs $165, an adult renewal costs $130, and a child’s first book costs $135. Optional services add to those totals.
- Adult book: $130, plus $35 acceptance fee on a first application.
- Adult card: $30. Book and card together: $160.
- Child book: $100. Child card: $15. Both: $115. Each plus the $35 acceptance fee.
- Expedited service: $60.
- 1 to 3 day return delivery: $26.87.
A first-time adult book with expedited service and faster delivery comes to $251.87. Our full breakdown of how much a passport costs includes examples for families, extra costs such as photos and notary fees, and ways to spend less. Pay by check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State, and note that online renewals accept a credit or debit card.
How Long Does It Take to Get a US Passport?
Routine processing takes 4 to 6 weeks and expedited processing takes 2 to 3 weeks, and mailing time is extra. Count up to 2 weeks to reach the State Department and up to 2 weeks to receive the passport.
That means a routine application can take about 10 weeks from the day you apply to the day the passport arrives, and an expedited one about 7 weeks. The State Department says processing may slow between late winter and summer, and that applying between October and December may help. Travel within 14 days calls for a passport agency appointment. Read our guide on how long it takes to get a passport for the full timeline and the emergency options.
What Are the US Passport Photo Rules?
Your photo must be 2 by 2 inches, in color, taken in the last 6 months, with a white or off-white background and no glasses. Your head must measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to top.
Photos that miss these rules are one of the top reasons applications are put on hold. Don’t wear a hat, uniform or camouflage, and don’t use filters or editing. For online renewal, the digital file must be between 54 KB and 10 MB. The details, exceptions and rejection fixes are in our guide to passport photo requirements.
How Do You Renew a US Passport?
You can renew a US passport online, by mail with Form DS-82, or in person, and an adult passport book renewal costs $130 with no acceptance fee. Most adults finish the form part in about 20 minutes, then wait 4 to 6 weeks for routine processing or 2 to 3 weeks for expedited processing, plus mailing time.
Who Can Renew a US Passport?
You can renew online or by mail if your current passport meets all of these conditions:
- It was issued within the last 15 years.
- It was issued when you were age 16 or older.
- It is in your current name, or you have legal proof of your name change.
- It is undamaged and you can submit it with your application.
- It is not a limited-validity passport.
If any condition fails, you apply in person with Form DS-11 instead. Passports for children under 16 can never be renewed, even by mail: the child applies in person again and gets a new 5-year passport.
How to Renew a US Passport Online
Online is the fastest route if you qualify. You must be 25 or older, your 10-year passport must expire within 1 year or have expired less than 5 years ago, you are not changing your name or other printed details, your passport is not lost, stolen, damaged or limited, and you have no travel planned for at least 6 weeks.
- Sign in to the State Department online renewal system and enter your current passport details.
- Upload a recent digital photo that meets the passport photo rules (file size between 54 KB and 10 MB).
- Pay the $130 fee with a credit or debit card.
- Submit the application. You keep your old passport book at home, and the State Department cancels it when your new passport is issued, so do not travel on the old book after you apply.
- Watch your email for status updates, and allow 4 to 6 weeks for routine processing plus mailing.
Our step-by-step guide to renew passport online walks through each screen of the online system.
How to Renew by Mail With Form DS-82
- Fill in Form DS-82 with the online form filler or by hand in black ink, printed single-sided, and sign it.
- Put your current passport in the envelope. Add the original legal document if your name has changed, such as a marriage certificate or court order.
- Add one passport photo, stapled carefully to the form.
- Pay by check or money order to the U.S. Department of State: $130 for a book, $30 for a card, or $160 for both. Add $60 if you want expedited service.
- Mail everything in a padded envelope to the processing address printed on the form for the service you chose, and use a trackable mail service.
US Passport Renewal Costs and Times
| What you renew | Fee | Routine | Expedited |
| Passport book | $130 | 4 to 6 weeks | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Passport card | $30 | 4 to 6 weeks | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Book and card | $160 | 4 to 6 weeks | 2 to 3 weeks |
Expedited service adds $60 to any renewal, and faster 1 to 3 day return delivery adds $26.87. Mailing time is extra in both directions.
Special Cases: Name Change, Damage and Living Abroad
If your name changed since your passport was issued, renew by mail and send the original marriage certificate or court order with Form DS-82, and the new passport is printed in your new name. If your passport is damaged or was lost or stolen, you cannot renew it: apply in person with Form DS-11 and proof of citizenship, as covered in the lost passport section below. If you live outside the US and Canada, you renew through the nearest US embassy or consulate, and many posts accept renewal by mail or courier. If you have international travel within 14 days, skip renewal by mail and book a passport agency appointment instead.
For a comparison of all three routes side by side, see our full passport renewal guide.
How Do You Get a US Passport for a Child?
A child under 16 applies in person with Form DS-11, and both parents or guardians attend or one signs Form DS-3053 before a notary. The child’s passport is valid for 5 years and can’t be renewed.
A child’s book costs $100 plus the $35 acceptance fee, and the child needs a passport photo that follows the same rules as an adult photo. Applicants aged 16 and 17 apply in person too, with a lighter parental-awareness rule, and receive a 10-year passport. Because a child’s passport expires sooner, plan to repeat the full process every 5 years.
What If Your US Passport Is Lost or Stolen?
Report a valid lost or stolen passport right away, then apply in person for a replacement, because reporting cancels the passport but does not replace it. Don’t report an expired passport as lost or stolen.
You have three ways to report it:
- Online with the State Department form filler. The passport is canceled within 1 business day and you get a confirmation email.
- By mail with Form DS-64, printed, signed and sent with a photocopy of the front and back of a photo ID. Cancellation can take several weeks.
- On Form DS-11 while applying for the new passport, with details of where and when it was lost and a police report if you filed one.
A lost passport can’t go through mail or online renewal. You apply in person with Form DS-11, as a new applicant would. If you have a trip soon, ask about a passport agency appointment, which needs proof of travel within 14 days.
How Do You Take Care of Your US Passport?
Sign it, store it in a cool dry place, and check its dates before every trip. Adults sign their full name in blue or black ink inside the passport.
For children under 16, a parent prints the child’s name on the signature line, then signs next to it and writes the relationship, such as mother, father or guardian. The State Department also advises these habits:
- Keep the passport in a cool, dry place, away from bathrooms, sun, vents and radiators.
- Store it where pets and children can’t reach it.
- Don’t add unofficial or souvenir stamps, and don’t write on pages other than the signature or emergency contact pages.
- If you have Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI, update your account with the new passport number and dates.
- Visas in an old passport may not transfer, so ask the issuing embassy or consulate whether they stay usable.
Damage beyond normal wear can send you back to the in-person route, so treat the passport as a document, not a wallet item.
How Much Validity Does Your US Passport Need for Travel?
Many destinations require at least 6 months of validity beyond your trip dates, and some airlines may refuse boarding if you don’t meet it. A passport that expires in 5 months can be a valid document at home and unusable at the gate.
Check the entry rules for your destination before you book. Plan to renew at least 3 months before travel, since processing and mailing add up. If you also need a visa, remember that a visa application usually needs your passport first, so finish the passport before you start the visa. Our visa processing time calculator estimates the visa side, and the visa documents checklist tool helps you keep every paper in one place.
What Mistakes Delay a US Passport?
The most common mistakes are a photo that fails the rules, missing documents, the wrong payment and signing Form DS-11 too early. Each one can stop the file until you fix it.
- Bringing a digital copy of a birth certificate instead of the original or a certified copy.
- Printing the form on both sides instead of single-sided.
- Writing a check to the wrong payee or leaving off the name and date of birth.
- Choosing online renewal when you travel within 6 weeks.
- Missing the photocopy of the back of an ID.
Run through this list the night before your appointment, and keep your confirmation until the passport arrives.
Where Can You Apply for a US Passport?
Apply at a post office, library or local government office if you travel in more than 3 weeks, and at a passport agency or center if you travel in less than 3 weeks. Agency appointments open when you are within 14 days of international travel, or within 28 days of needing a foreign visa.
Appointment rules differ between locations, so confirm with the facility before you go. If you live outside the US and Canada, contact the nearest US embassy or consulate. For the official starting point, use the State Department’s passport pages.
FAQs
How much is a US passport?
A first-time adult passport book costs $165, which is $130 plus a $35 acceptance fee. A renewal costs $130, and a child’s first book costs $135.
How long is a US passport valid?
An adult passport is valid for 10 years. A passport issued to a child under 16 is valid for 5 years and can’t be renewed.
How long does it take to get a US passport?
Routine service takes 4 to 6 weeks and expedited takes 2 to 3 weeks. Mailing adds up to 2 weeks in each direction.
Can I fly with a passport card?
No. The passport card is not valid for international air travel. It works only for entering the US by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean destinations and Bermuda.
Can I get a US passport online?
Only renewals. Eligible adults can renew online, but first-time applicants must apply in person with Form DS-11.
What do I need for my first US passport?
You need Form DS-11, original proof of citizenship, a photo ID, photocopies of both, one passport photo and payment for the fees.
What should I do if my US passport is lost?
Report it online or on Form DS-64 to cancel it, then apply in person for a replacement. Reporting alone doesn’t get you a new passport.
Conclusion
A US passport costs $130 to $165 for an adult book, takes 4 to 6 weeks plus mailing, and lasts 10 years. Choose the book if you will ever fly abroad, apply well before your trip, and keep a compliant photo and complete paperwork ready. Use the linked guides above for the fee table, the timeline, the photo rules and the renewal steps.
