General Passport Information

New! New Passport Fee Schedule Starting February 1, 2008

New!  On February 1, 2008, a new passport regulation goes into effect that changes the current provisions for passports for minors.  Please read the information on FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE page.

Effective September 26, 2005, U.S. passports can no longer be amended to change items appearing on the data page (Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Gender, Date of Issuance, Date of Expiration). Additional visa pages may still be attached to existing passports. The Final Rule regarding the no amendment policy was published in the Federal Register on September 13, 2005, Vol. 70, No. 176, pages 53922-53925.

Eliminating amendments is intended to improve passport security by having current personal information on the passport data page.

Qualified passport applicants who want to have their passports changed within one year of issuance to show a name change or to have incorrect data corrected may receive replacement passports without charge (form DS-5504).  The replacement passport will be issued without charge, will have a new number, issue date, and expiration date.  The new passport will be valid for 10 years for an adult, five years for a minor under the age of 16. Those wishing to amend their passports after one year from the date of issuance will have to pay for a new passport.

Qualified passport applicants who want to extend limited emergency passports within one year of passport issuance may receive replacement passports without charge.

For further information, please go to http://travel.state.gov/news/info/press/press_2643.html.

The new passports are usually ready between four to ten business days. Please note that all minor passport applicants, including children under the age of 16, need to appear at the consulate in person.