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Order Copies of Passport Records
Passport Services maintains United States passport records from 1925 to the present. Passport records may consist of applications submitted for the issuance of a passport or other records such as a Consular Report of Birth, a Certificate of Witness to Marriage, a Certificate of Loss of Nationality, or a Consular Report of Death. These records are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a. Passport records do not include evidence of travel such as entrance/exit stamps, visas, residence permits, etc.
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- Obtaining Passport Records for Issuances 1925 to Present
- Obtaining Passport Records for Issuances Prior to 1925
Obtaining Passport Records for Issuances 1925 to Present
A. Seeking a copy of (A) your passport records; (B) the passport records of your minor child or an incompetent person as to whom you are a legal guardian; or (C) the passport records of someone for whom you have their specific written authorization. This is considered a Privacy Act request.
Passport Services maintains United States passport records for passports issued from 1925 to the present. These records normally consist of applications for United States passports and supporting evidence of United States citizenship, and they are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. § 552a. Passport records do not include evidence of travel such as entrance/exit stamps, visas, residence permits, etc., since this information is entered into the passport book after it is issued.
The Privacy Act allows you to obtain copies of records in your own name and the name(s) of your minor children or an incompetent person for whom you are authorized to act as a guardian, as well as records in the name of any person who has properly authorized you to obtain them. To request these records, please submit a typed or clearly printed request that provides:
- The full name at birth and any subsequent name changes of the individual whose records you are requesting, and if you are requesting records for your children or using an authorization, provide your full name as well.
- Evidence of legal authorization if you are requesting records about anyone other than yourself, evidence of the parental relationship if you are requesting records about your minor child(ren), and evidence of the guardian relationship if you are requesting records about someone as to whom you are a legal guardian;
- The date and place of birth of the individual whose records you are requesting;
- Your current mailing address;
- Your current daytime telephone number;
- Your current e-mail address, if available;
- The date or estimated date the passport(s) was issued;
- The passport number of the person whose records you are seeking, if known, and any other information that will help us locate the records; and
- A clear copy of both sides of your valid Government-issued photo identification (e.g., a driver’s license).
The request must be signed and notarized or made under penalty of perjury pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1746. If you are making the request on behalf of another as an authorized representative, you may use DS-4240, the Department’s Certification of Identity form, to provide proof of authorization.
Please note that privacy act records requests that are not notarized or do not include a copy of the requester’s valid government issued photo ID will be returned. The processing time for copies of passport records generally takes 8 to 12 weeks.
There are no fees to request a regular copy of your passport records, those of your minor children or an incompetent person for whom you act as a guardian, or as an authorized representative for another individual U.S. citizen. If you wish to obtain certified copies of these records, the certification fee is $50.00. If you plan to use these records in a country that is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, you may obtain an apostilled copy for $8.00. Checks or money orders should be made payable to “Department of State” and mailed with the request above to the address below. If you would like a certified copy of a passport record, send requests for your passport records directly to Passport’s Office of Legal Affairs and Law Enforcement Liaison, Law Enforcement Liaison Division, at the address below:
U.S. Department of State
Office of Law Enforcement Liaison
44132 Mercure Cir
P.O. Box 1227
Sterling, VA 20166
B. Seeking passport related information or seeking a copy of someone else’s passport records without an authorization from that individual. These are considered FOIA requests.
All requests for information or passport records of a third party, other than individuals described in Part A, are processed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). These records may be requested by mail at:
U.S. Department of State
Office of Law Enforcement Liaison
FOIA Officer
44132 Mercure Cir
P.O. Box 1227
Sterling, VA 20166
Obtaining Passport Records for Issuances Prior to 1925
The National Archives and Records Administration maintain records for passport issuances prior to 1925. You may contact them at the following address:
National Archives and Records Administration
Archives 1
Reference Branch 8th & Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20408
Telephone: 1-866-325-7208 or 202-357-5411
Email: inquire@nara.gov
Revised February 2016
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