US Passport 2027: How to Get or Renew Yours (3 Ways to Apply)
There are three ways to get a U.S. passport in 2027, and each one has its own rules. Pick the wrong one and your application comes back, sometimes weeks later. This guide sorts you into the right path, lists what to bring or mail, and shows the real cost and the real wait under the State Department’s October 2026 fee chart.
How to get a US passport in 2027: the key facts
- A first adult passport book costs $165: $130 to the State Department plus a $35 acceptance fee.
- Renewing a book costs $130, online or by mail, with no acceptance fee.
- Routine processing is 4 to 6 weeks and expedited is 2 to 3 weeks. Neither counts mailing time.
- Plan on up to 10 weeks door to door for routine service.
- Traveling abroad within 14 days? You need an urgent appointment at a passport agency.
- First passports cannot be done online yet. The State Department says that is coming in 2027, with no start date.
Passport book or passport card?
The passport book is the document for every international flight, and it also works as ID at airport security. The passport card is wallet-sized and cheaper ($30 for an adult), but it is not valid for international air travel. It only covers land and sea crossings from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. You can apply for both at once.
Demand runs highest from late winter into summer, according to the State Department. Applying in the fall or early winter is the simplest way to avoid paying to expedite.
Path 1: apply in person on Form DS-11
You must apply in person if this is your first passport, if you are under 16, if your last passport was issued when you were under 16 or more than 15 years ago, or if it was lost, stolen, or damaged.
- Fill out Form DS-11, but do not sign it. The acceptance agent gives you an oath and watches you sign.
- Bring proof of citizenship (usually a certified U.S. birth certificate) plus a photocopy, your photo ID plus a front and back photocopy, and one photo.
- Find an acceptance facility at iafdb.travel.state.gov. Post offices, county clerk offices, and libraries run by a city or county are common. Many nonprofit libraries stopped accepting applications as of February 13, 2026.
- Bring two separate payments: the application fee to the U.S. Department of State, and the $35 acceptance fee to the facility.
Path 2: renew your passport online
Every one of these must be true: you are 25 or older, your last passport was a 10-year passport, it expires within a year or expired less than 5 years ago, you are not changing your name or sex marker, you are in a U.S. state or territory, and you are not traveling abroad for at least 6 weeks. The only official site is opr.travel.state.gov, and you sign in with Login.gov. Your old passport is canceled once you submit, so you cannot travel on it while the new one is in process.
Path 3: renew by mail on Form DS-82
You can renew by mail if you can send in your most recent passport, you were at least 16 when it was issued, it was issued less than 15 years ago, and it was never reported lost or stolen or damaged beyond normal wear. A name change is fine with a certified marriage certificate or court order. Mail the signed DS-82, your old passport, one photo, and a check to the U.S. Department of State, and use a mail service with tracking. Our free guide lists the current mailing addresses.
Passport photo rules
Every path needs a color photo taken in the last 6 months on a plain white or off-white background, printed 2 by 2 inches for paper applications. No glasses unless a signed doctor’s note explains why. The State Department does not accept photos changed with software, filters, or artificial intelligence tools. When you renew online, you may crop or reposition the photo, and nothing else.
What a passport costs in 2027
| Applying for | Cost |
|---|---|
| First adult book (DS-11) | $130 + $35 = $165 |
| Adult book renewal (online or DS-82) | $130 |
| Adult passport card | $30 (+ $35 if first time) |
| Child book, under 16 | $100 + $35 = $135 |
| Expedited service | + $60 |
| 1 to 3 day return delivery (books only) | + $26.87 |
A first adult book, expedited with fast return delivery, comes to $251.87.
Mistakes that cost the most
- Paying a look-alike website. Every passport form is free from travel.state.gov.
- Checking only the expiration date. Some countries require six months of validity past your trip.
- Bringing one parent for a child’s passport. Children under 16 need both parents or guardians, or the absent parent’s notarized Form DS-3053.
- Waiting for the new online system. It has no start date. Apply the way it works today.
Related guides: Passport Name Change 2026, What to Do If Your Passport Is Lost or Stolen, and Mobile Passport Control vs Global Entry. Browse all of our free government guides.
Download the Free Guide
Our free 17-page guide has the full fee tables, the DS-82 mailing addresses, the rules for children, a count-back planner for your trip, and a checklist for each path. Free, no email required.
