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Form DS-82 (04-2025)

Form DS-82, item by item

As of October 26, 2026, Form DS-82 is the U.S. passport renewal application: two pages in black ink, signed and dated, mailed with your old passport and one 2x2 photo (per travel.state.gov, checked on Oct 26, 2026).

The DS-82 is filled in legibly with black ink only, and a mistake means starting again on a new form instead of correcting or whiting it out.

Each application page is printed on its own sheet, and the four instruction pages are not mailed.

Updated Rules checked against eforms.state.govHow we check

Form DS-82 at a glance

Pages to mail
Application Pages 1 and 2, each on its own sheeteforms.state.gov
Ink
Black only; a mistake means a new formeforms.state.gov
Paper
8.5 x 11 in, single-sidedtravel.state.gov
Dates
MM/DD/YYYYeforms.state.gov
No Social Security number
Zeros in item 5 + a signed statementeforms.state.gov
Photo
One 2 x 2 in, 4 staples in the cornerseforms.state.gov
Signature
Application Page 1, below item 11eforms.state.gov
No travel plans
Write “none” in item 20eforms.state.gov

What each item asks

ItemOn the formWhat to write
Top of page 1Passport book, card or both; regular or large bookThe card is not valid for international air travel. The large book costs nothing extra.
1Name: last, first, middleAs it should print in the new passport.
2Date of birthMM/DD/YYYY.
3SexTwo boxes: M and F.
4Place of birthCity and state, or city and country as it is named today.
5Social Security numberZeros and a signed statement if you were never issued one.
6 and 7Email and primary contact phoneUsed for status updates.
8Mailing addressLine 2 for an apartment, or “In Care Of” and a name.
9Other names you have usedUp to two, such as a maiden name.
10Your most recent passportName as printed, and the number and issue date of the book and/or card.
11Name changeBy marriage or court order, with the place and date.
SignatureSignature and dateOn Application Page 1, after you print it, in black ink.
12 to 16Height, hair and eye color, occupation, employer or school
17Additional contact phone numbersHome, cell or work.
18Permanent addressOnly if your mail goes to a PO box or another address.
19Emergency contactSomeone who is not traveling with you.
20Travel plansDeparture, return and countries, or “none”.

Source: the form and its instructions, eforms.state.gov

The five steps on the form

  1. Complete Form DS-82 and sign it.
  2. Attach one 2 x 2 inch color photo, your previous passport and any supporting documents.
  3. Mail the application and attachments to the address in Section E of the instructions.
  4. Track the application at passportstatus.state.gov.
  5. Receive the new passport and the original documents you sent.

Source: eforms.state.gov

Questions people ask

How do you fill out Form DS-82, item by item?

Items 1 to 7 are about you: the name as it should print in the new passport, date of birth in MM/DD/YYYY, sex, city and state (or country) of birth, Social Security number, email and phone. Item 8 is the mailing address, with line 2 for an apartment or an “In Care Of” name.

Item 9 lists up to two earlier names. Item 10 copies the name, number and issue date from your most recent book or card, and item 11 records a name change by marriage or court order. Page 2 adds height, hair and eye color, occupation, extra phone numbers, a permanent address if you get mail at a PO box, an emergency contact and travel plans, or “none”.

Sources: eforms.state.gov (pages 1, 2)

What if you don’t have a Social Security number?

Write zeros in item 5 and include a signed, dated statement that you have never been issued a Social Security number, using the sentence printed in the DS-82 instructions. Anyone who has a number must enter it: the instructions say that leaving it out can get the application denied and draw an IRS penalty.

Source: eforms.state.gov

How should Form DS-82 be printed and signed?

Print the two application pages single-sided, each on its own sheet of 8.5 by 11 inch paper, in portrait. Leave the four instruction pages out of the envelope.

Sign and date Application Page 1 in black ink, in the box under item 11. If anything on the form is wrong, print a new copy instead of correcting it.

Sources: eforms.state.gov · travel.state.gov

Every instruction, with its source

Who can renew by mail

  • Section A of the DS-82 is a list of statements about the passport being renewed, and the form is only for people who can answer yes to all of them. eforms.state.gov
  • One of those statements is that the applicant was at least 16 when the most recent passport book or card was issued. eforms.state.gov
  • A valid passport that cannot be presented with the new application, because it was lost or stolen, rules out the DS-82: the replacement goes on Form DS-11. eforms.state.gov

Renewing online instead

  • The Passport Forms page points eligible citizens to online renewal and keeps the printed DS-82 for those who cannot renew online. travel.state.gov

Filling in and printing Form DS-82

  • The DS-82 is filled in legibly with black ink only, and a mistake means starting again on a new form instead of correcting or whiting it out. eforms.state.gov
  • Item 1 holds the name to be printed in the new passport, and it should be consistent with the previous passport unless a name change is documented. eforms.state.gov
  • Item 2 takes the date of birth as month, day and year: MM/DD/YYYY. eforms.state.gov
  • Item 4 asks for the city and state of a U.S. birthplace, or the city and the present-day name of the country for a birth abroad. eforms.state.gov
  • Item 5 needs the Social Security number of every applicant who has one; the instructions warn that leaving it out can lead to a denied application and an IRS penalty. eforms.state.gov
  • Applicants who were never issued a Social Security number write zeros in item 5 and attach a signed, dated statement saying so. eforms.state.gov
  • The second line of item 8 is for an apartment or suite, or for an “In Care Of” name when the mail goes to someone else’s address. eforms.state.gov
  • Item 9 has room for two earlier names, such as a maiden name; when only the surname changed, the old surname alone is enough. eforms.state.gov
  • Item 18, the permanent address, is filled in when the mailing address is a PO box or not where the applicant lives, and it cannot be a PO box itself. eforms.state.gov
  • Item 20 covers upcoming trips; with no travel planned, the applicant writes “none”. eforms.state.gov
  • The signature block sits under item 11 on Application Page 1, and the applicant signs it before moving on to Application Page 2. eforms.state.gov
  • Each application page is printed on its own sheet, and the four instruction pages are not mailed. eforms.state.gov
  • The passport card has space for at most 24 letters of first and middle names, so longer given names must be shortened in item 1. eforms.state.gov
  • Forms are printed on one side of 8.5 by 11 inch letter paper; the State Department refuses double-sided copies. travel.state.gov
  • Printing sideways causes delays: the page goes out in vertical, portrait format. travel.state.gov
  • On a form printed from the Form Filler, the original signature and the date are the only handwriting the State Department accepts. travel.state.gov

What goes in the envelope

  • The DS-82 asks for a single passport photo, 2 by 2 inches in size. eforms.state.gov
  • The photo is held by 4 staples placed vertically in its corners, as near the outer edges as possible, and must not be bent. eforms.state.gov
  • Proof of a new name is a certified marriage certificate, a divorce decree or the original court order showing the change. eforms.state.gov
  • Original documents mailed with the application come back unless they are damaged, altered or forged; photocopies are kept. eforms.state.gov

Fees

  • The DS-82 instructions warn against mailing cash, which the State Department will not answer for. eforms.state.gov

Expedited service and faster delivery

  • Expedited service on the DS-82 is only for passports mailed in the United States and Canada, and the word “Expedite” goes on the outer envelope. eforms.state.gov
  • The 04-2025 edition of the form still calls faster return shipping “1-2 Day Delivery” and offers it for passport books only, never cards. eforms.state.gov

Where to mail it

  • Section E of the form lists the Irving, Texas box for routine applications from CA, FL, IL, MN, NY and TX. eforms.state.gov

How long it takes

  • Once mailed, the application can be followed online at passportstatus.state.gov. eforms.state.gov
  • Someone renewing both a book and a card may receive three envelopes: the returned documents, the new book and the new card. eforms.state.gov
  • Every newly issued book or card carries a passport number different from the old one. eforms.state.gov

FAQ

Where do I get Form DS-82?

From the U.S. Department of State: fill it in with the Form Filler and print it, or download the PDF from the Passport Forms page if the Form Filler gives you trouble. Source: official page "Passport Forms", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Can I fill out Form DS-82 by hand?

The PDF can be completed legibly in black ink. A form printed from the Form Filler is different: there, only your signature and the date may be handwritten. Source: official pages "Form DS-82 (04-2025), U.S. Passport Renewal Application › Instructions" and "Passport Forms", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Do I mail the instruction pages?

No. Only Application Pages 1 and 2 go in the envelope, each printed on a separate sheet. Source: official page "Form DS-82 (04-2025), U.S. Passport Renewal Application › Instructions", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Can I print Form DS-82 on both sides of one sheet?

No. The State Department does not accept double-sided forms: print each page single-sided on letter paper, in portrait. Source: official page "Passport Forms", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Is Form DS-82 free?

Yes. The State Department offers the form and its Form Filler for free at travel.state.gov. SelfieToPassport’s kit ($4.95) is an optional service that fills it in from your answers, in your browser.

Is SelfieToPassport the State Department?

No. SelfieToPassport is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State or any government agency. Each instruction on this page links to the State Department document it comes from.

Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from a page published by the U.S. Department of State, read on the date shown. We rewrite each rule in plain words and link to the page it came from. Each rule has a review deadline; one that passes it without a new check comes off the page.

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