Helpful Resources › First-Time Passport Checklist
Everything first-time U.S. passport applicants need to know — including the critical role your birth certificate plays, why alternative documents rarely work, and what home-birth applicants face.
What You Need
These are the requirements for all first-time U.S. passport applicants using Form DS-11. Items marked critical are the most common reasons applications are rejected or delayed.
This is your primary proof of U.S. citizenship. It must be an official certified copy issued by a state or county vital records office — not a hospital-issued souvenir birth certificate, not a photocopy, not a printout. The document must have a raised seal, registrar's signature, and be printed on security paper. See the birth certificate section below for critical details.
A valid, unexpired driver's license or state-issued ID. If you don't have one, a military ID or government employee ID works. Student IDs are generally not accepted. The ID must be valid — expired IDs are rejected. If your only ID is expired, you'll need a secondary ID combination. Ask us for guidance.
One compliant 2x2 inch color photo on white or off-white background. Plain expression, no glasses. Taken within the last 6 months. Fast Passport Center can guide you on photo specifications to avoid the most common rejection reasons — lighting, shadows, glasses, and head size are the top issues.
DS-11 is the application form for first-time passport applicants. Important: do NOT sign the DS-11 before you get to the acceptance facility. You must sign it in front of the acceptance agent who verifies your identity. Signing it beforehand invalidates the application and causes delays. Fast Passport Center helps you fill it out correctly.
The U.S. government fee is $130 for adults (16 and older). For minors under 16 it's $100. This fee is paid to the U.S. Department of State and is separate from Fast Passport Center's service fee. Fees can change — verify current amounts at travel.state.gov.
Acceptance facilities typically charge a separate execution fee (~$35) for processing the identity verification appointment. This fee goes to the facility, not the State Department. Fees vary by location.
First-time applicants must appear in person at an authorized passport acceptance facility (typically a post office, clerk of courts, or county office). You cannot skip this step. The acceptance agent verifies your identity, witnesses your DS-11 signature, and processes the application. Fast Passport Center will guide you to the right facility and tell you exactly what to bring.
Fast Passport Center Handles the Rest
Once you complete the in-person identity verification at the acceptance facility, Fast Passport Center's registered courier hand-delivers your application to the State Department passport agency. No waiting in a mail queue. Most clients receive their passport in 2–3 business days.
The Most Important Document
For first-time U.S. passport applicants, the certified birth certificate is the single most critical document. It is the primary — and in most cases the only — acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship. Here's everything you need to know.
The State Department accepts a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship. This document must:
The certified copy you can order today:
If you don't have a certified copy on hand, you can order one directly from the vital records office in the state or county where you were born. VitalChek is the most common third-party ordering service. Processing typically takes 2–4 weeks by mail, or sometimes faster with expedited options.
We frequently hear from applicants who say: "I can't find my certified birth certificate, but I have my immunization records / hospital birth record / old baptism certificate. Will that work?"
The honest answer: almost always no — and here's why.
The State Department has strict standards for what constitutes acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship. Immunization records, early medical records, hospital birth announcements, and similar documents are considered secondary evidence — meaning they may supplement a primary document but rarely replace it on their own. When these documents are submitted as primary citizenship evidence, they are subject to heavy scrutiny and are frequently rejected.
Immunization Records
Immunization records prove you received vaccines — they do not prove U.S. citizenship or U.S. birth. The State Department does not accept them as primary citizenship evidence. They are rarely accepted even as secondary evidence unless combined with a strong supporting package.
Hospital Birth Records
A hospital-issued record of birth (sometimes called a "baby record" or "birth announcement") is a keepsake document issued by the hospital at the time of birth. It is not a government-issued vital record and is not the same as a birth certificate. The State Department does not accept this as primary citizenship evidence.
Early Medical Records
Early pediatric records, doctor visit notes, or medical files from childhood can serve as secondary supporting evidence in special circumstances — but only as part of a larger package, and only after primary evidence has been addressed. On their own, they will not be accepted.
Religious Records (Baptism Certificates, etc.)
Baptism certificates, circumcision certificates, and early religious records are sometimes submitted. These may be considered secondary evidence when the applicant cannot obtain a government-issued birth record — but they are heavily scrutinized and require a sworn written statement explaining why no primary documentation exists.
What to do if you can't find your birth certificate:
Contact the vital records office in the state or county where you were born. Most states have online ordering. If no birth certificate was ever filed (common with very old records or unusual circumstances), the State Department has a process using a combination of secondary evidence — but this process takes significantly longer and requires assembling a full documentation package. Call us and we can advise you on the best path forward.
Home births are becoming more common, and they present unique challenges for passport applicants. If you were born at home, your citizenship documentation situation requires extra attention.
Was a birth certificate filed with the state?
In most U.S. states, home births must be registered with the state vital records office, and a birth certificate should be issued just like a hospital birth. If this was done properly, you should be able to obtain a certified copy the same way anyone else would — through the state vital records office.
What the State Department looks for in a home birth certificate
A birth certificate for a home birth is subject to the same standards as any other — it must be a certified copy from the vital records office with a seal, registrar signature, and security paper. However, State Department adjudicators are aware that home birth records can sometimes be filed late, filed incompletely, or contain less information than hospital-assisted births. If your home birth certificate lacks standard details (attending physician, hospital name — obviously), the adjudicator may request additional documentation.
Delayed or never-filed home birth registrations
Some home births — particularly those from several decades ago or in rural areas — were never registered with the state, or the registration was significantly delayed. In these cases, a birth certificate may not exist at all, or a "delayed birth certificate" may have been filed years later. The State Department scrutinizes delayed birth certificates very carefully. They will want to see documentation that was created around the time of birth to corroborate the delayed filing — such as the parent's affidavit, early census records, school enrollment records, religious records, or other contemporaneous documentation. The more of this supporting evidence you can provide, the stronger your application.
Home birth with a midwife or doula
If a licensed midwife attended your birth, they typically complete the birth registration paperwork. If the birth was unattended, the parents were responsible for registering the birth. In either case, what matters for the passport application is whether a certified birth certificate was issued — not the circumstances of the delivery itself.
| Document | Accepted as Primary? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certified U.S. birth certificate (state/county issued) | Yes | Standard. Must have seal, signature, security paper. |
| Certified copy from vital records | Yes | Same as above — this is what you order from the state. |
| Hospital-issued souvenir birth record | No | Keepsake only. Not a government document. |
| Immunization records | No | Medical, not citizenship documentation. |
| Early pediatric/medical records | No | Secondary evidence only, and only in special packages. |
| Baptism / religious records | No | Secondary only. Requires affidavit explaining missing primary docs. |
| Delayed birth certificate | Conditional | Accepted but heavily scrutinized. Supporting contemporaneous docs help. |
| Naturalization Certificate (N-550/N-570) | Yes | For naturalized citizens. Must be original or certified. |
| Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240/DS-1350) | Yes | For U.S. citizens born abroad to U.S. citizen parents. |
| Certificate of Citizenship (N-560/N-561) | Yes | Issued by USCIS. Accepted as citizenship evidence. |
Common Questions
The most common questions from people applying for a U.S. passport for the first time.
Ready to Apply?
First-time passport applications are the most common ones we handle. Once you have your certified birth certificate, we'll take care of everything else — DS-11 preparation, document review, courier submission, and delivery in 2–3 business days.
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