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What steps are involved in the TDS U.S. Passport process?

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Apply Online

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Gather Documents

Gather Documents

About Requirements

Execute Documents

Execute Documents

About Execution

Ship Your Documents

Ship Documents

About Shipping

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Document Requirements

  • Your most recent passport is damaged or mutilated and cannot be renewed due to the extent of the damage.

When applying for a U.S. passport, evidence of U.S. citizenship must be submitted with along application form DS-11. All documentation submitted as citizenship evidence will be returned to you. 

Primary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship:

An original certified birth certificate issued by a U.S. city, county, or state, an original or certified “long form” birth certificate from the Office of Vital Statistics showing both parents’ full names, the certificate must have a raised seal.
Certified Birth Certificates missing both parents full names will not be acceptable as evidence of U.S. citizenship.
You can acquire a certified birth certificate from the Office of Vital Statistics in your state of birth or order it from.


Hospital issued birth certificates are not acceptable to apply for a U.S. Passport.

In Addition to these requirements, certified copies of birth certificates must also include the following information to be considered acceptable primary evidence of U.S citizenship.

*Full name of the applicant
*Date of birth
*Place of birth
*Raised, Embossed, impressed or multicolored seal of issuing authority
*Registrar's signature
*The date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office (must be within one year)

If you cannot obtain a birth certificate that meets these requirements, please see Secondary Evidence of U.S Citizenship.

When applying for a U.S. passport, acceptable identification must be presented at the time of application.

Primary Identification (One of the following):

Previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport
Naturalization Certificate
Valid Driver's License
Current Government ID (city, state or federal)
Current Military ID (military and dependents)

When you proceed to the Post Office or Court House the clerk will take your Driver's License or ID details. (Not the original) Click here to locate your nearest local acceptance agent.

One recent professional passport-type photograph

Passport Photo Guide - Click Here

Non-passport photograph type are not acceptable.

TravelDocs DIY Digital Photo Service

The State Department has extremely strict passport photo requirements — do not allow your application to be delayed due to an incorrectly formatted photo.

Use the TravelDocs digital visa photo service, snap a selfie using your camera, cell phone or tablet, and we will return a perfectly formatted passport photo by email within 1 business day.

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Click here to print the Authorization Letter

Letter MUST have an original signature; faxes, scans, photocopies, etc are NOT accepted by the United States Passport Agency.

Complete and sign TWO Authorization Letters. One letter will be placed inside your sealed envelope by the clerk, the other will be placed inside your Fed Ex package.

Note: You MUST hand write Travel Document Systems in the space labeled Courier Company Name on the Authorization Letter above.
You must include your mutilated passport, which is usually not returned to the applicant.
A letter signed by the applicant addressed to "Attn: U.S. Passport Agency.." explaining how the passport was damaged.

Proof of Departure from the USA can be any of the following:

A copy of your airline ticket or flight itinerary from your travel agent, airline, or online booking company. It is not required for the Proof of Departure to be purchased only that it will confirm your travel intentions. A print out of the confirmation email that you are emailed after booking a flight is ideal.

A signed letter detailing your business travel.
A signed letter detailing that your job requires you to travel frequently and with short notice.
Please follow this letter format.

A signed letter explaining that you will be driving to Canada and or Mexico.
Please follow this letter format.

Please include one copy inside the sealed envelope, a second copy will be placed inside your Fed Ex package.

Application Form for child under 16 years click here 


All minor children applying for passports are required to appear in person at the local acceptance agency.

DS-11: Application for New Passport. 


Print TWO copies of the completed DS-11 form. Do not sign the DS-11 until you are instructed to do so by the acceptance agent. Give one DS-11 to the acceptance agent to be placed inside the sealed envelope. The second DS-11 is to be placed inside your Fed Ex package to TDS.

The US Passport Agency has introduced an Online based application form, this Online style
application must be used in all expediting cases. Failure to use this Online application may cause
delays in processing times.
TIP: This Online application has replaced "Hand Written" applications, YOU ARE NOT APPLYING 
ONLINE you are only completing the questions by typing them onto the application.
The last page of the application is a Print summary page, please scroll to the bottom left corner of 
this page and CLICK CREATE FORM you will then be able to print and sign your application.
Note: The application Wizard will ask you to select fees, shipping and processing options. Select any options to complete the form, no payments will be made and options selected will have no effect on the actual service provided by Travel Document Systems. The Wizard is simply designed to assist the general public in calculating fees for traditional mail in applications. A correctly formatted application should have a BAR CODE on the top left corner, and DS-11 printed
on the bottom left of the application.

To view a correctly formatted application form please Click Here

If you are applying for a regular U.S. passport book only, please mark the box on your passport application next to "Passport Book". If you also want to apply for a U.S. Passport Card you should also mark the box next "Passport Card". There is an additional $55.00 (Adults) $40.00 (Minors) U.S. government fee for the Passport Card.



The U.S. Passport Card increases speed and efficiency to meet the new travel requirements for land and sea border crossings of nearby countries.

An extra form of official government ID which will conveniently fit in your wallet.
     Use your Passport Card to travel by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, Bahamas
  and the Caribbean without your bulky Passport Book.
   The passport card is valid for 10 years.
Same Day Processing "OMG! I Gotta Go" is by appointment only.
Please call Traveldocs to check the availability of this option, so we can schedule an appointment with the U.S. Passport Agency on your behalf. (A personal appearance at the U.S. Passport Agency or Traveldocs is not required).. Call Now 866-797-2600

Passport Execution Process

Once you have gathered together all the documents required to apply to replace a damaged or mutilated U.S. passport, you must now proceed to a local passport acceptance agent to have your documents signed, executed, witnessed and sealed into an envelope by the acceptance agent. This process is referred to as the "Passport Execution Process" or "Sealed Application Procedure". Your local passport acceptance agent is usually a Post Office or County Court House.

The acceptance agent has to:
Witness the signing of the passport application
Verify applicants proof of citizenship
Verify applicants ID
Verify photos are of the applicant
Administer the passport oath
Seal all documents into a sealed envelope
Collect government passport fees

U.S. Passport Agency Government Fees:

While at the local Post Office or Court House the following government fees will be collected.

Pay the agent the U.S. government passport fee, including rush fee, and execution fees. Be prepared to write two checks for the total amount, as the clerk will retain $35.00 execution fee.
 
$170.00 passport fee + $35.00 execution fee = $205.00 for adults, 
$140.00 passport fee + $35.00 execution fee = $175.00 for children 15 years old and under.

Please ask the clerk NOT to include the cost of USPS EXPRESS MAIL return postage in your payment of passport fees, doing so will cause a delay in processing.

Please write your name and date of birth on the check or money order.

When your application has been Executed and Sealed it must be submitted to the US Passport Agency within 5 business days. If not submitted within 5 business days the documents will expire and will have to be Re-Executed. 

Please Note: DO NOT send your documents to Travel Document Systems until you have had your documents executed by your local acceptance agent.

Need to find a local acceptance agent?

Locate Agent

Summary Of Documents

Please be sure to make separate photocopies of: 
Your Application Form DS-11 
Your Letter of Authorization 
Your Proof of Departure (Itinerary)

The following items must be placed inside the sealed envelope executed by the Passport Clerk at the Post Office or County Court, then all documents should be placed inside a FedEx envelope for shipping to Travel Document Systems, Inc:

Your Proof of U.S. Citizenship 
The Application Form DS-11, the photograph and the appropriate Government fees 
The Letter of Authorization 
The Proof of Departure (Itinerary)
Any other required documents

The following items must be placed inside your Fed Ex package to TDS:

The second copy of the Application Form DS-11 (unsigned)
The second copy of the Letter of Authorization (must be signed)
The photocopy of the Proof of Departure (Itinerary)

Copy Online TDS Order Form

Shipping Instructions

Please forward a printed copy of your order confirmation and all required documents to:

Travel Document Systems, Inc.
5444 Westheimer road
Suite #1000
Houston, TX 77056

Local Phone Number: 866-797-2600

Urgent applications should be shipped to TDS using only the FedEx Company.

Please use FedEx Priority Overnight. Do NOT ship "First Overnight." This will delay the delivery of your package.

Once your order is complete, your Passport will be returned to you via FedEx Overnight.

FedEx Return ShippingFedEx Logo
Continental USA Only Price
Next Business Day - up to 3 passports $36.00
Next Business Day - 4 or more passports $39.00
Saturday Delivery $41.00
Alaska, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, USVI Price
Next Day Letter (No Saturday Delivery) $39.00
International Price
Call for a quote. Call.

STEP Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

By connecting on the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, the US State Department will be able to assist you better in the case of an emergency, such as if you lose your passport or it is stolen while you are abroad.

Enroll Today