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Passports

Ways We Can Help

  1. Contact the U.S. Passport Office on your behalf

  2. Facilitate citizens' applications for obtaining or replacing a passport, and under special circumstances, assist with expedited services

How do I obtain a passport?

You can apply for a new passport, renew your old one, replace a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, or add new pages to your existing book through your local passport acceptance agent, usually at the U.S. Post Office. If you are leaving on a trip, include your departure date on your application.

You'll need to apply in person if:

  • You are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time;
  • Your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession;
  • Your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago;
  • Your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under 16; or
  • Your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost or stolen.

How do I renew my passport?

You can renew by mail if:

  • Your most recent passport is available to submit and it is not damaged;
  • You received the passport within the past 15 years;
  • You were at least age 16 when it was issued; and
  • You still have the same name or can legally document your name change.

For more information on forms and fees, go to the State Department's how to apply for passport renewal webpage.

How do I expedite obtaining a passport?

Within a month of travel:

For a $60.00 fee--plus the cost of 2-way overnight mail--you can "expedite" this process and receive your passport in about two weeks. Clearly mark Expedited on the envelope.

Please note: Passport applications sent together or at the same time do not necessarily remain together. Passports will be mailed separately. For more information on expedited passport processing click here.

Within two weeks of travel:

The San Francisco Passport Agency serves customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. An appointment is required. Please contact them here:

San Francisco Passport Agency
95 Hawthorne Street, 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105-3901
Hours: M-F, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Automated Appointment Number: (877) 487-2778

Additional travel information?

Check the State Department website for travel warnings andconsular information sheets that provide very helpful information about the country you plan on visiting. Its services website also contains information on all the services provided by the State Department both stateside and abroad. This includes crisis assistance for U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad and various travel publications available on-line.

American Embassies and Consulates General: Many U.S. Diplomatic Missions abroad have information online. For those that don't, check the State Department's Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts for addresses, and phone and fax numbers for U.S. Embassies and Consulates throughout the world.

For travel information by country, including entry/exit requirements, safety information, updates on current events, you may access country-specific fact sheets on the Department of State website. Prior to your departure, check the fact sheets for any advisories that may affect your travel plans or preparation.

What do I do in case of a travel emergency?

If you have a travel emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center to speak to a Customer Service Representative. Customer Service Representatives and Operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.

  • Telephone Number: (877) 4USA-PPT
  • TDD/TTY: (888) 874-7793

Do I need to register with a U.S. Embassy when traveling?

Although voluntary, it is advisable to register at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the foreign country you are visiting in order to make your presence known in case it is necessary for a consular officer to contact you in an emergency. You may register in advance on-lineby visiting the Department of State website. Registration is particularly important for those who plan to stay in a country longer than one month, or who will travel to:

  • A country that is experiencing civil unrest, has an unstable political climate, or is undergoing a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or a hurricane.
  • A country where there are no U.S. officials. In such cases, you should register at the U.S. embassy or consulate in an adjacent country, leave an itinerary with the Consular Section, ask about conditions in the country that you will visit and ask about the third country that may represent U.S. interests there.

U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad also provide a wide variety of resources for U.S. citizen travelers:

  • If you are ill or injured, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for a list of local medical facilities. At your request, consular officers are also available to help you contact family or friends.
  • Should you find yourself in legal difficulty, contact a consular officer immediately. Although consular officers cannot serve as attorneys, they will visit you, advise you of your rights under local laws, provide a list of local attorneys who speak English, and ensure that you are held under humane conditions and are treated fairly under local law.
  • Consular officers are also available to assist you in replacing stolen passports, contacting family, friends, or employers, address emergency needs that arise as a result of crime, and obtain information about local resources to assist victims of local crime.

General Information

You can get information on passports from a Customer Service operator at the NPIC numbers listed above. Additionally, automated information is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you would like to email the National Passport Information Center for a general question regarding passports or if you have already applied for a U.S. passport and would like to know the status of your application by email at NPIC@state.gov.

Office Locations

503 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-2095
Fax: (202) 225-5609
4703 Lone Tree Way
Antioch, CA  94531
Phone: (925) 754-0716
Fax: (925) 754-0728
3100 Oak Road
Suite 110
Walnut Creek, CA  94597
Phone: (925) 933-2660
Fax: (925) 933-2677