How to Apply for a US Passport After Naturalization

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.

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As a United States citizen, you will need a valid U.S. passport in order to travel internationally. The Certificate of Naturalization that you received is insufficient personal identification to allow you to re-enter the country. Accordingly, you will want to get a U.S. passport as soon as possible after you are naturalized as a U.S. citizen.

Preparing to Apply

• Unless you only travel regularly to and from the countries listed on the passport card, you should probably get a passport book.

• You may also use the passport wizard at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/apply.html. You will be asked a series of questions and the computer program will tell you how much it will cost and what forms to fill out.
• You can also download the form and accompanying instructions at https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF.

• Your original Certificate of Naturalization will be returned to you 1-2 weeks after you receive your passport.

• The photograph must afford a full frontal view of your face and be printed on quality paper with a white or off-white background. Do not wear hats, dark glasses, or head coverings unless you submit a signed statement that the attire is worn for religious reasons (or a doctor submits that the item is worn for medical purposes). [5] X Research source
• Do not retouch the photograph in any way.

Applying for the Passport

• The search results will also list the hours in which the facility accepts passport applications.
• You can refine your search to find facilities that take photos on site.

• If you have questions, you should call 1-877-487-2778 or email NPIC@state.gov. Someone will be available to assist you Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 10:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. [8] X Research source
• Once you have completed the application, you should make a copy for your records.

• You will receive your expedited passport in 2-3 weeks typically. If you choose expedited processing at selected government agencies, then you can get the passport in five business days. [9] X Research source

• There is a separate “execution fee” of $25 charged by the acceptance facility you use. You must pay this fee separately. [10] X Research source If you pay by check, you will have to write two checks.
• You may pay using a check, money order, major credit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express, or Discover), bank draft or cashier’s check. You can make your check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State.” [11] X Research source
• Most, but not all, facilities accept credit cards. Call ahead to find out.

• You should fill out the emergency information page in pencil. By using pencil, you can change the information at a later date.

Expert Q&A

If for some reason your Certificate of Naturalization is not returned to you, then you should immediately contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to complain.

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1. ↑http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/apply.html
2. ↑http://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/naturalization-ceremonies
3. ↑https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
4. ↑https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
5. ↑https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
6. ↑https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/
7. ↑https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
8. ↑https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
9. ↑http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/apply.html

1. ↑https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
2. ↑https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF

About this article

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. This article has been viewed 109,484 times.

Once you’ve been naturalized, you’ll still need a U.S. passport to leave and re-enter the country while traveling. Applying for one usually takes between 4-6 weeks and costs 110 dollars. To start, download the U.S. passport application from the government travel website. You’ll also need to get photocopies of your original Certificate of Naturalization as proof of your citizenship. Additionally, you’ll need recent 2 by 2-inch photographs of yourself, which can be taken at a local photo center, like CVS. Once you have your materials, bring them to a passport acceptance facility. To find a facility near you, use the locator on the government travel website. To learn how to get a new passport faster, read on!

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