Damaged Passports

Passports that are damaged or in poor condition should be replaced, regardless of remaining validity. If a damaged passport is submitted for one of our by-mail/courier services, we will hold it at our office and contact the bearer to appear in person for its replacement.

For security reasons, damaged passports may be retained by this office.

Application Requirements

Please bring the following to your appointment:

• Proof of U.S. citizenship:
• a U.S. Birth Certificate; or
• a U.S. Naturalization Certificate; or
• a U.S. Certificate of Citizenship; or
• a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad; or
• an expired U.S. passport;



• Proof of identity:
• a valid passport of any country; or
• a valid driver's license with photograph; or
• a national identity card with photograph; or
• a valid U.S. or State government ID card; or
• a U.S. military ID card; or
• Identifying Witness: If you are unable to present photo identification as specified above, you should bring a relative, friend or traveling companion (preferably a family member) who has known you for over two years and who can present a valid, preferably U.S., passport, and who is able to submit a sworn statement confirming your identity.



• Passport application form DS-11: Applicants aged 16 and over must sign their own application. Please ignore pages one and two of the printed instruction pages, as they do not apply when applying for your passport in the United Kingdom. Follow the instructions on this page. Form DS-11 must be printed on separate sheets of paper; do NOT print this form on front and back of the same sheet. If you experience trouble with the Passport Application Wizard, click here for Form DS-11 [PDF]. For tips on completing the DS-11 [PDF], follow this link;



• Two identical passport photographs: The Embassy will reject any photographs that do not meet the specified requirements. Vending machine photographs and photographs printed on a home computer are unacceptable;



• Fees: The application fee for an applicant under the age of 16 is U.S. $85.00; aged 16 and over is $100.00. Accepted payment methods are:
• Cash - either dollars or sterling;
• Credit card - Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Diners Club;
• International Money Order to the exact U.S. dollar amount made payable to the "United States Disbursing Officer;" or
• Banker's Draft drawn in U.S. dollars only on a bank in the United States made payable to the "United States Disbursing Officer;"

Note: The Embassy is not authorized to accept personal checks. Money Orders or Banker's Drafts must have been issued within the last five months.




• A self-addressed, prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery envelope (available at any UK Post Office) in which to have your documents returned to you once processing is completed. Inquiries regarding Special Delivery Mail should be directed to your local Post Office. Alternatively, you also have the convenient option of using the Embassy's contracted courier, Secure Mail Services (SMS), whose service can be purchased from the SMS representative in the lobby of American Citizen Services on the day you visit the Embassy. For more information on SMS, please call 0870 950 1760.



• Your appointment confirmation sheet. Please see "Method of Application" below for more information on making an appointment;



• If applying for a child under the age of 16, you will also be required to follow additional instructions.

Method of Application

You are required to apply for the passport in person at this office. An appointment is necessary. To book an appointment, please follow this link.

Processing Time

An application for a full-validity (ten years for adults; five years for children under age 16) passport will be sent to the United States for printing with a secure, photo-digitized image of the bearer. You should allow 15 working days for your application to be processed.

If you are traveling within 15 working days and can provide evidence of this travel, you may be eligible for an emergency limited-validity passport.

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