Applying for a U.S. passport while outside the United States is a different process from applying for a U.S. passport while inside the United States. Although the application forms, supporting documentation, fees, and finished products are the same everywhere, each U.S. Embassy and Consulate has different procedures for submitting and processing your final documents. Listed below is information you should know when applying for a U.S. passport while outside the United States.
Give supporting documents verifying your citizenship and identity to your local consulate or embassy along with your application form. The required supporting documentation varies based on the application form used, so consult your form for more details.
The photo you submit for your application must meet all U.S. passport photo requirements. Be aware that photo requirements for a U.S. passport may vary from passport photo requirements of other countries. Click here for a full list of passport photo requirements.
While the specific fees for services are the same, local embassies and consulates can only accept your payment via cash in USD or local currency on site or in some cases via credit card. Unlike passport acceptance facilities located in the United States, they cannot accept personal checks. Do not send cash by mail. Please see the website of your embassy or consulate to see what forms of payment they are able to accept. Click here for a full list of fees.
Please note: Express Mail is not available for overseas applications.
Residing in Canada?
Adult renewal applicants residing in Canada may submit Form DS-82: U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals to the address listed on the form. Checks or money orders must draw on U.S. financial institutions based in the United States and be payable in USD. Passport fee payments drawing on non-U.S. financial institutions, even when payable in U.S. currency, cannot be accepted. Acceptable U.S. checks and money orders must have a 9-digit routing number.
If you are applying from a Canadian address via mail, your passport product will be returned to you via First Class mail.
Expedited processing is not available for passports when you apply from outside the United States. All passports requested from overseas are printed in the United States and sent to your embassy or consulate. In an emergency, embassies or consulates can issue limited validity passports. Contact them directly for more information.
No, the National Passport Information Center number is meant to answer questions for passport customers applying in the United States. If you have questions while you are outside the United States, your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate is the best source of information. Check the website of the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for instructions specific to that office. If you have questions about the application instructions on the embassy or consulate's website, contact the American Citizen Services unit in the Consular Section using the email address or phone number listed.
Yes, you can apply for a passport card while outside the United States at the same time you apply for a book, or separately, but the passport card is only valid for travel by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean region. The passport card is also valid for travel to Bermuda, which is not in the Caribbean. The passport card cannot be used for air travel.
If you are outside the U.S., your acceptance facility is usually your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate. On the passport form, the acceptance agent refers to a U.S. consulate official. If you are active duty military or a military dependent, check with your chain of command to find a military acceptance agent.
Yes, these requirements are the same no matter where you apply. You still need to provide acceptable evidence of U.S. citizenship and identity.
No, unlike acceptance facilities located in the United States, U.S. Embassies and Consulates cannot accept personal checks or money orders. They can only accept payment via cash on site (either in local currency or U.S. dollars) or in some cases via credit card. Please see the website of your embassy or consulate to see what forms of payment they are able to accept.
No. The passport is actually printed in the United States and sent abroad to your embassy or consulate. However, embassies and consulates can always issue a limited validity emergency passport if you have urgent travel needs.
No. That’s meant for customers in the United States applying at a passport acceptance facility (a clerk of the court or a post office, for example) and not one of our passport agencies. Outside the United States, you are applying at an embassy or consulate, which we consider to be a State Department facility.
While abroad, we will notify you via email to tell you when your passport is ready. Use the email address you are using while outside the United States.
If you are only temporarily residing outside of the U.S., you may put your permanent U.S. address here. If you are permanently residing outside the Unites States, and this address is the same as your mailing address, you can just write “same.”
No, it doesn’t have to be somebody in the United States, especially if you live permanently outside the United States. If that is the case, put down local addresses and phone numbers. We need this information in the event we have to reach someone in a hurry on your behalf. If you are outside the United States temporarily, it might be better to have a U.S.-based contact for us to reach on your behalf.
Delivery methods vary by embassy and consulate. Possible methods may include a self-paid courier, the mail service, or picking it up in person.