U.S. Passports

Official Passports

First Time Passport & Official / No-Fee Passports

All first time passport applicants must appear in person at the Embassy and submit the following items. (see below for extensions)

Application Form: The application form you use depends on if you are applying for the first time, how old you were when you obtained your previous passport if you are renewing now, and how long it has been since you were issued a passport if you are renewing now.

Use form DS-11 if you are a first-time applicant or for any applicants less than age 16. The online versions of these forms include instructions on the back side written for use in the U.S. which do not apply to your application in Seoul. When completing a passport application, please include the city in the "Place of Birth" section. For persons born in the U.S., list the city and state of birth. For persons born outside the U.S., include the city and country of birth.
Or use form DS-82 if you are renewing a passport and you were at least 16 years old when you were issued your last passport and it has been less than 15 years since you were issued your last passport.

Proof of U.S. citizenship: Original U.S. birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Naturalization Certificate. If the submitted document is under a different name, you must provide original evidence of the change of name, such as a marriage certificate or a court order. All documents must be originals; no copies please.

Please Note: Hospitals in the U.S. sometimes issue a commemorative "certificate of birth" which often has the baby's footprints. This hospital-issued certificate is not proof of citizenship. Certified birth certificates are issued by the State or County government, not a hospital.

Proof of Identity: For example, a driver's license, military I.D., etc. Again, all documents must be originals; no copies please.

Children Age 15 and Younger: The State Department requires the consent of both parents for the issuance of a passport to U.S. citizens age 15 and younger. There are several special requirements. Please carefully review the information on this web site before you apply for a passport for a child age 15 and younger.

Passport Photographs: One photo, size 2" X 2" with a light background. The photo must be 2 inches by 2 inches with the face size as specified. Your browser may not display the graphic above as the correct size.

Additional Required Documentation for Official and No-Fee Passports

For All Applicants: All applications for an official or a no-fee passport must be accompanied with a typed, signed DD-1056. Please ensure that the DD-1056 includes your Date of Departure to a new assignment or TDY (Item 14), your Date of Return to the U.S. or duration of your TDY or PCS assignment (Item 15), the nature of your travel (Item 2, Branch of Service), Countries to be Visited (Item 11) and your Title and Grade (Item 7). The form must be typed; no hand-written copies please.

Official (no-fee) passports are issued to officials or employees of the U.S. Government (and their dependents) traveling abroad of official duties. An official passport is normally valid for five years. Official passports are normally issued by the Special Issuance Agency in Washington, D.C.

Please Note: Because official and no-fee passports are all issued by the State Department in Washington, we must forward applications to Washington for processing. Your finished passport is then returned to the Embassy and we notify you to drop by and pick it up. The processing time from the day your materials are sent off to Washington until the time your passport is delivered to the Embassy is approximately TWO MONTHS. It can take longer during the busy spring and summer transfer seasons. There is unfortunately no way to expedite the process, so it is crucial that you apply as early as possible, and make no unchangeable travel plans until your passport is actually in hand.

For Military Personnel Only: Assignment orders or a letter from the appropriate military authority showing purpose of travel and countries to be visited. Dependents must be included on the sponsor's travel authorization in order to be eligible for no-fee official passports.

Please also supply a Form DD-1056 (Authorization to Apply for a No-Fee Passport) for the military sponsor traveling to a country requiring an Official Passport.

For Civilian/DOD Federal Government Personnel Only: Please supply us with your current transportation agreement and initial travel orders assigning you and your dependents to the country of destination and which specify a point of hire.

Please also supply the following three forms: Form DD-1056 (Authorization to Apply for a No-Fee Passport), as described above, current DD-1614 (Request and Authorization for DOD Civilian Permanent Duty Travel) and current DD-1617 (Transportation Agreement - Overseas Employee).

For Civilian/DOD Teachers Only: Please also supply the following four forms: Form DD-1056 (Authorization to Apply for a No-Fee Passport), as described above, initial DD-1614 (Request and Authorization for DOD Civilian Permanent Duty Travel), current DD-1614 (Request and Authorization for DOD Civilian Permanent Duty Travel) and current DD-1616 (Transportation Agreement for Professional School Personnel covered by Public Law 86-91).

Extending an Existing Official or No-Fee Passport

Official (no-fee) passports are issued to officials or employees of the U.S. Government (and their dependents) traveling abroad of official duties. An official passport is normally valid for five years. Official passports are normally issued by the Special Issuance Agency in Washington, D.C.

For Military Personnel and Dependents Only
Please supply a copy of your assignment orders or letter from appropriate military authority showing your purpose of travel and the countries you'll visit, as well as the extension of your overseas duty.

For Civilian/DOD Federal Government Personnel Only
Please supply your travel orders extending your present tour of duty overseas or assigning you new duty in another country, along with a Certificate of Employment from your Personnel Office.

For Civilian/DOD Teachers Only
You'll also need a current DD-1616 (Transportation Agreement for Professional School Personnel covered by Public Law 86-91) or a letter from your Personnel Office with the same information carried on the DD-1616.

Processing Time
Official passports are issued in Washington, but you may apply for a new official passport overseas at the Embassy in Seoul. Processing time takes about 2~3 months.

For American Citizen Services (ACS) inquiries, please e-mail us at: seoul_acs@state.gov.
The basic information on American Citizen Services may also be obtained by calling 02-397-4114. Our FAX number is 02-397-4101.
The U.S. Embassy is closed on both U.S. and Korean holidays.
Updated April 18, 2008

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