Naturalized U.S. citizens must appear in person to file their first passport, on Form DS-11 at one of more than 7,500 acceptance facilities nationwide, and that requirement is not negotiable. The State Department needs to physically inspect the Certificate of Naturalization because it is classified as primary citizenship evidence, and inspection requires presence.
The in-person step is the single structural difference between a naturalization-based first passport and a born-citizen renewal. The form, the fee ($165 total: $130 application fee plus $35 facility fee), and the processing time are the same. What changes is where the package goes: not a mailbox, but a staffed facility that reviews the certificate before forwarding the full application to a State Department processing center. The original certificate is mailed back to you separately after processing.
The appointment itself takes less than 30 minutes once the document kit is assembled correctly. Getting the assembly right is where the process either flows or stalls.
A naturalized U.S. citizen applies for their first passport on Form DS-11, the in-person application form, at a passport acceptance facility. The State Department requires in-person review of the original Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship because those documents are classified as primary citizenship evidence. The total fee is $165: a $130 application fee paid to the State Department and a $35 execution fee paid to the acceptance facility. The State Department returns the original naturalization certificate by mail after processing is complete.
A naturalized citizen applying for a first U.S. passport must file Form DS-11, the in-person passport application, at a passport acceptance facility. This is because the State Department classifies the Certificate of Naturalization (and the Certificate of Citizenship for derivative citizens) as primary citizenship evidence, and primary citizenship evidence is reviewed in person by a passport acceptance agent.
The total fee is $165 for an adult passport book ($130 application fee paid to the State Department, plus a $35 facility acceptance fee paid to the facility). The State Department mails the original naturalization certificate back to the applicant in a separate envelope after processing.
A first U.S. passport always uses Form DS-11. Form DS-82, the renewal-by-mail application, only applies to people who already hold a recent, undamaged U.S. passport issued within the last 15 years and at age 16 or older. A naturalized citizen filing a first passport has no previous U.S. passport on file, so DS-82 does not apply by definition.
The deeper reason is procedural. The State Department accepts only a short list of documents as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship: a U.S. birth certificate with a city, county, or state seal; a fully valid U.S. passport book; a Consular Report of Birth Abroad; or a Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship. For naturalized citizens, the certificate is the proof. The State Department needs to physically inspect that document, which is why an in-person appointment at an acceptance facility is required.
If you ever come back for a renewal years from now, you will likely qualify for the by-mail or online path. For the first one, the in-person step is non-negotiable. If you want to see exactly how the form decision is made, GovPlus's DS-11 vs DS-82 routing guide walks through the criteria.
Form DS-11 is the State Department's application form for first-time U.S. passports and for any applicant who does not qualify for renewal by mail. You complete the form, gather your supporting documents, and bring everything to a passport acceptance facility. Do not sign the form in advance; the acceptance agent witnesses your signature.
The State Department lists more than 7,500 acceptance facilities nationwide, including post offices, clerks of court, public libraries, and other local government offices. Each facility verifies your identity, has you sign the application under oath, takes the original citizenship and identity documents, and ships the package to a State Department passport processing center. Some facilities take walk-ins; many require an appointment. Booking ahead is usually faster than dropping in.
Acceptance facilities only handle in-person applications on Form DS-11. They do not process Form DS-82 renewals by mail. If you want a primer on the broader passport workflow before you walk into a facility, GovPlus's passport renewal walkthrough covers the same form-and-documents pattern from a renewal angle.
The State Department accepts the original or a certified copy of the document the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued to you when you naturalized or otherwise acquired U.S. citizenship. The accepted documents are:
A Certificate of Naturalization is what most adults receive at the swearing-in ceremony after USCIS approves Form N-400, the Application for Naturalization. A Certificate of Citizenship is more common for people who acquired U.S. citizenship through a parent, often called derivative citizens, including those covered by the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.
A Permanent Resident Card (Green Card or Form I-551) is not primary citizenship evidence for a U.S. passport. If your only ID still shows your pre-naturalization name, bring proof of legal name change. Mismatches between the name on your certificate and the name on your photo ID are one of the most common reasons applications get held at the acceptance window. For more on the kinds of paperwork issues that hold up applications, see the most common passport renewal mistakes a filing service catches.
Identity is a separate requirement from citizenship. The acceptance facility wants a physical, government-issued photo ID. The State Department's primary photo ID list includes:
You will also bring a photocopy of the front and back of whichever ID you present, on standard 8.5 by 11 inch paper. Digital IDs and mobile driver licenses are not accepted; the State Department requires a physical document.
If your photo ID was issued in a different state from where you are applying, or it was issued less than six months ago, the State Department asks for a second ID. A common backup is an out-of-state driver's license, an employee work ID, or a Social Security card. The full secondary list includes student IDs, voter registration cards, and similar documents that show your name and signature. A practical note: even though the Certificate of Naturalization is technically a valid primary photo ID, you are also submitting it as your citizenship evidence, so most naturalized applicants bring a separate photo ID like a driver's license to keep the two roles cleanly split. If you are also picking up a passport photo at a pharmacy, GovPlus's passport photo guide covers the chain locations and price points.
The State Department does not keep the Certificate of Naturalization. It mails the original document back to you in a separate envelope after processing.
For an adult passport book, expect two separate mailings: the new passport book by trackable delivery, then the citizenship evidence (your naturalization or citizenship certificate) by First Class Mail up to four weeks later. If you applied for both a book and a card, your card and your citizenship evidence each arrive in their own envelopes, so a book + card application can result in three envelopes total. If your citizenship evidence has not arrived four weeks after your new passport, the State Department instructs applicants to call 1-877-487-2778 to report a missing document.
This is the question naturalized citizens ask most. The agent at the acceptance facility takes the original certificate, hands you a receipt, and ships it with your application. The State Department reviews it, makes a copy for the file, and mails it back. The certificate stays a permanent record you keep at home. If you want a deeper read on photo specs that often slow these mailings down at the agency, how to take a passport photo at home is the State Department's own checklist in plain language.
A naturalized adult applicant's first U.S. passport book costs $165: a $130 application fee paid to the U.S. Department of State, plus a $35 facility acceptance fee paid to the facility. The fees are paid separately because they go to different recipients.
The application fee is paid by check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of State. The facility fee is paid by whatever method the acceptance facility accepts (cash, card, check, or money order, depending on the facility). Passport cards are mailed via First Class Mail and are not eligible for 1 to 3 Day Delivery, so the $22.05 add-on only applies if you are getting the book. For the routing logic that explains why a missing or expired prior passport also forces DS-11 (separate from the naturalization-citizen rule), passport expired over 5 years ago, why DS-11 covers the related case.
The State Department's current stated processing time is 4 to 6 weeks for routine service and 2 to 3 weeks for expedited service. These windows are processing time only and do not include mailing time. The agency notes that mailing can add up to two weeks in each direction, so total time from drop-off at the acceptance facility to your new passport in hand is realistically several weeks longer than the headline processing window.
A first-time naturalized citizen with international travel inside 14 calendar days has one additional option: an in-person appointment at a passport agency or center, which the State Department maintains for urgent travel situations. Proof of imminent international travel (a flight booking) is required, and appointments are limited. For travel further out, expedited service by mail is the more practical lane.
Plan the calendar from the back: count back from the trip date, add two weeks for return mailing, add the State Department's stated processing window, add a buffer for the acceptance-facility appointment booking. If the math is uncomfortable, expediting is worth the $60. If the math is comfortable, routine service saves the $60 with no real downside. For a detailed look at how processing-time choices interact with your travel calendar, see passport renewal processing times in 2026.
GOV+ prepares the DS-11 application before the acceptance-facility appointment so you walk in with a clean, complete package. Start the application online, and GOV+ will send you:
You take the kit to the acceptance facility, sign the form in front of the agent, hand over the original certificate and your photo ID, and pay the two State Department fees there. The State Department mails the new passport, and separately mails your original Certificate of Naturalization back to you, after processing.
Working with GOV+ helps ensure your passport application doesn’t get rejected. We’ll help watch for common issues like photo, signature, ID, and name-mismatch issues that send naturalized-citizen applications back to the queue.
GOV+ simplifies every step, so there's no guesswork or rejected applications.
And applying through GOV+ sets you up for every government application you may need from now on. Our autofill technology stores your information and automatically pre-fills future forms, so you never have to start from scratch again.
Apply for your passport today.
Yes, for the first one. A first U.S. passport always uses Form DS-11, which is filed in person at an acceptance facility, because the Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship that proves your U.S. citizenship has to be reviewed in person. Future renewals may qualify for the by-mail (Form DS-82) or online renewal paths if your prior passport meets the State Department's renewal eligibility rules.
These are the USCIS form numbers for the citizenship certificates issued to U.S. citizens who were not born in the United States. Form N-550 is the Certificate of Naturalization, issued at the swearing-in ceremony after Form N-400 is approved. Form N-570 is the replacement Certificate of Naturalization. Form N-560 is the Certificate of Citizenship, typically issued to people who acquired U.S. citizenship through a parent. Form N-561 is the replacement Certificate of Citizenship. All four are accepted by the State Department as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship for a passport application.
No. The State Department reviews your original certificate, makes a copy for the application file, and mails the original back to you in a separate envelope after processing. For a passport book, the certificate typically arrives by First Class Mail up to four weeks after your new passport. If it has not arrived four weeks after the passport, the State Department asks applicants to call 1-877-487-2778.
The Certificate of Naturalization is on the State Department's primary photo ID list, so technically yes. In practice, most naturalized applicants bring a separate photo ID such as a driver's license. The certificate is being submitted as citizenship evidence, and bringing a separate photo ID keeps the two requirements cleanly split and reduces the chance of follow-up questions at the acceptance window.
The State Department's current stated processing time is 4 to 6 weeks for routine service and 2 to 3 weeks for expedited service. Mailing time is separate and can add up to two weeks in each direction. For travelers with international travel inside 14 calendar days, the State Department offers in-person appointments at passport agencies and centers; proof of imminent international travel is required.
Last updated: May 8, 2026. All fees, form numbers, and processing times verified against travel.state.gov and uscis.gov on the date of original publication (May 4, 2026).
1,500,000+
© 2026 EIN Plus LLC DBA GovPlus. All rights reserved. GovPlus® is a registered trademark of EIN Plus LLC.
GovPlus® is a private online software technology company not affiliated nor endorsed by any Government or State agency. GovPlus® is authorized by the U.S. Department of State, through its subsidiary Premier Passports LLC as a registered passport courier, by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as an authorized e-file provider, by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) provider. We do not charge for any forms; however, we charge for the use of our software to assist you in completing forms. GovPlus® is not a federal or state agency, financial institution, accounting firm, or law firm, and we do not provide legal or financial advice. You can apply directly for government services at their official websites at no cost beyond government fees.
Terms and conditions, features, support, pricing, and service options subject to change without notice.
