Get My Application Status

Enroll in email updates so you know when your application status changes. Updates may not be available in the first 2 weeks after you submit your application. During these 2 weeks before your application arrives at a passport agency or center, your application goes to a mailing facility and an intake facility where your payment is processed. 

Use the following information to check your status: 

  1. Last Name
    • Include suffixes (ex. Jones III, Patton Jr, etc.)
    • If you have a hyphen in your name, enter it with and without the hyphen if you cannot find a status update on the first try. (ex. Jackson-Smith, Jackson Smith, or JacksonSmith)
  2. Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)
  3. Last Four Digits of Social Security Number
 

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What Your Status Means

Applied In Person or Renewed by Mail

  1. Use the Online Passport Status System to subscribe to enroll in email updates about your application. 
  2. Your processing times may be delayed if you receive a letter and/or email from us requesting more information.

What each application status means

Application Status Description
Not Available

This update may mean your application is:

  1. In transit to a passport agency: It may take up to 2 weeks from the day you apply until your application status is "In Process" at one of our passport agencies and centers. During this time, your application is delivered to a mail facility and your payment is processed at an intake facility. When your tracking number says "Arrived," your application has reached the mail facility. When your payment is processed and check has cashed, your application has reached the intake facility but your status will be "Not Available." In some cases, it may take longer than 2 weeks if our intake facility finds a problem with your application. We will contact you if we need more information. 
  2. In our system, but we are experiencing technical issues: If you see "Not Available" after 2 weeks, we may be experiencing a temporary, technical issue. Wait several hours and try to check your status again. 
  3. In our system, but you need to re-enter your name: If you have a hyphen in your name, enter it with and without the hyphen. Enter all suffixes in your name.
In Process Your application is being reviewed at one of our agencies or centers. The length of time your application remains In Process depends on the service you selected and our current processing times
Approved  We have finished reviewing your application and will begin printing your completed passport.
Passport Mailed  We are sending your passport to the address you provided on your application. Check our Online Passport Status System for the tracking number if you applied for a passport book. Save or write down your tracking number now. Future status updates will not display your tracking number. 
Supporting Documents Mailed We sent your supporting documents via First Class Mail to the mailing address you provided on your application. Supporting documents may not be sent until 8 weeks after we send your new passport. These documents include a previous passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or other citizenship and identity documents.

I got a letter and/or email requesting more information

Application Status Description
Additional Information Needed

We sent you a letter and/or email requesting you provide additional information to complete your application. Your application is on hold, and your processing times may be delayed. Follow the instructions in the letter and/or email. You must respond within 90 days of the date on the letter and/or email. Use the tips and reminders on the How to Respond to a Letter or Email webpage

Information Received, In Process Again We received the additional information we asked you to provide, and your application is being reviewed again at one of our agencies or centers. Your processing times may be delayed because your application was on hold while you sent us the information. 
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Help! What Should I Do If:

My passport was "Mailed" but I have not received it.

If you have waited over two weeks since the date we updated your application status to "Mailed" and you have not received your passport, contact the National Passport Information Center. Customer service representatives will help you complete a special form (known as the DS-86 form) which is a signed statement that you didn't receive your U.S. passport.

You have 90 days from the date your passport was issued to complete the DS-86 form. After 90 days, you must reapply and pay all fees.

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I need my passport sooner than I thought.

Upgrade your application from routine processing to expedited processing for an additional $60. You may also choose to add 1-2 delivery of your completed passport book for an additional $19.53. One-to-two day delivery is not available for passport cards. We only send cards via First Class Mail.

If you applied in person or renewed by mail, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY) and ask to upgrade your application service type. You’ll need either your application number or your last name and date of birth. The National Passport Information Center will email you additional information about how to upgrade your application to expedited service or 1-2 day delivery.

 

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I changed my mailing address.

If you applied in person or renewed by mail, contact the National Passport Information Center. You do not need to contact us if your address changed after you received your passport.

When completing your child's passport application, we recommend you add your name in the “In Care Of” part of the Mailing Address section on Form DS-11. 

Passports can be delivered only if your name is connected to your address. If you want to receive your passport at an address other than your own, or an address where you are not registered, the passport must be sent “In Care Of” someone else. 

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I got a letter and/or email requesting more information.

Follow the instructions in the letter and/or email. You must respond within 90 days of the date on the letter and/or email. Our Respond to a Letter or Email webpage has tips and reminders on how to respond. 

If your status update is "Additional Information Needed" and you have not received a letter and/or email within one week of the date in the status update, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. Check the junk or spam folder of your email account before contacting us. 

Contacting Us If You Have Urgent Travel

We encourage customers who have already applied to check their application status online and sign up for updates via email. How our contact center can help you depends on your travel date, and if you have applied or not yet applied...

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I have already applied and do not have my passport

I'm traveling in 5 days or less. I'm traveling in 6-14 days. I'm traveling in more than 14 days.
Call 1-877-487-2778. You must have an appointment to go to a passport agency or center. We cannot guarantee an appointment will be available. Call 1-877-487-2778. We will notify the agency processing your application of your date of travel. Processing times for routine applications are 6-8 weeks, and expedited applications are 2-3 weeks. 
Call only if you are changing your mailing address, or want expedited service or 1-2 day delivery of your completed passport. Subscribe to email updates about your application status. 

I have not applied yet

I'm traveling in 14 days or less. I'm traveling in more than 14 days.
Make an appointment online to go to a passport agency or center. We cannot guarantee an appointment will be available. Make an appointment online if you need a foreign visa within the next 28 days. We cannot guarantee an appointment will be available. 

Reminders for Contacting Us

  • Representatives are available Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. We close on federal holidays.
  • Our primary number is 1-877-487-2778. Se habla español.
  • If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call 1-888-874-7793 for TDD/TTY teletype services.
  • Contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate if you are applying outside the United States.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions for Applying in Person or Renewing by Mail

Why does my status say "Not Available" after it was already "In Process"?

You will see this update if we are experiencing temporary, technical issues with our Online Status Passport System. We recommend you check your status on another web browser or check again in several hours. 

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You cashed my check. Why is my status still "Not Available"?

Still In Transit: Your application status is "Not Available" because your application is still in transit to a passport agency or center. After you apply, your application is:

  1. Delivered to a mail facility. Your tracking number may say that your application has "Arrived" at the mail facility. 
  2. Sent from the mail facility to a separate intake facility where your payment is processed (check is cashed). Note: If you are renewing by mail and your application is missing information, the intake facility may send you a letter asking you to resubmit your application.
  3. Sent by the intake facility to a passport agency or center. 

It may take up to 2 weeks from the day you apply until your application status is "In Process" at one of our passport agencies and centers. 

Problem with your Application: In some cases, it may take longer than 2 weeks if our intake facility finds a problem with your application. We will contact you if we need more information. 

Technical Issue: Another reason why your status is "Not Available" is we are experiencing a temporary, technical issue with our system. Please try again in several hours. 

Entering Your Last Name: If you cannot find a status update on the first try, make sure the name you enter is spelled the same as the name you provided on your passport form. If you have a hyphen in your name, try entering your name with and without the hyphen.

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Why does my status say "Mailed" if I just applied?

Your status may be "Mailed" if you recently received a new passport in the last 180 days, and you are re-applying for a new passport. For example, you may need to re-apply for a new passport using Form DS-5504 if you need to Change or Correct Your Passport. It may take 2 weeks after the date you apply on Form DS-5504 for your status to change to "In Process." 

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Why does my status say "In Process" after it was already "Approved"?

You may see this update if we discovered an error or problem we need to fix during our final quality control review of your passport. We are fixing the issue and preparing to print a new passport for you. 

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Will I receive my new passport and my documents back in one envelope?

Make sure to enroll in email updates about the status of your application and supporting document. You will likely receive multiple mailings depending on what document(s) you applied for:

Passport Book: You may receive your newly-issued passport and your citizenship documents (examples: previous passport or birth certificate) separately. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport before you receive a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We will return the passport book using a trackable delivery service.

Passport Card: You may receive your newly-issued passport card and your citizenship documents (examples: previous passport or birth certificate) separately. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport before you receive a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards using 1-2 day delivery services.

Both a Passport Book and Card: You may receive three separate mailings; one with your citizenship documents (examples: previous passport or birth certificate), one with your newly-issued passport book, and one with your newly-issued passport card. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport book before you receive a second and third mailing with your passport card and citizenship documents.

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I received my passport and have waited over 8 weeks but have not received my supporting documents. What should I do?

Make sure to register for email updates about the status of your application and supporting document. It may take 8 weeks after you receive your new passport for your supporting documents (e.g. birth certificate or previous passport) to arrive. If you have been waiting more than 8 weeks, contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to report that you have not received your documents. 

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How do I know which location is processing my application and has my documents?

The first two digits of your nine-digit passport application locator number allow you to know which agency or center is working on your application. You can find your application locator number by checking our Online Passport Status System. The unique digits for each of our agencies and centers are below.

 

 

Location First Two Digits of Application Locator Notes
Arkansas Passport Center 65  
Atlanta Passport Agency 74  
Boston Passport Agency 10, 73  
Buffalo Passport Agency 77  
Charleston Passport Center 34-39 This center reviews and processes passport applications but is not open to the public. You can contact this center by mail at: 44132 Mercure Circle, PO Box 1031, Sterling, VA, 20166-1031
Chicago Passport Agency 18  
Colorado Passport Agency 17  
Connecticut Passport Agency 14  
Dallas Passport Agency 55  
Detroit Passport Agency 56  
El Paso Passport Agency 78  
Honolulu Passport Agency 12  
Houston Passport Agency 79  
Los Angeles Passport Agency 50  
Miami Passport Agency 51  
Minneapolis Passport Agency 54  
National Passport Center 45, 71  
New Orleans Passport Center 40-42  
New York Passport Agency 11  
Philadelphia Passport Agency 58  
San Diego Passport Agency 76  
San Francisco Passport Agency 57  
San Juan Passport Agency 67  
Seattle Passport Agency 53  
Vermont Passport Agency 75  
Washington Passport Agency 19  
Western Passport Center 61-64  
Special Issuance Agency 80 Issues diplomatic, official, service, and no-fee regular passports, and facilitates visa processing for those traveling on behalf of the U.S. government. 
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What happens to my processing times if I receive a letter or email requesting more information?

If you receive a letter or email requesting more information to complete your application, respond as soon as possible.  If you receive this letter or email, it may take longer to get your passport. Follow the instructions in the letter or email, and go to our Respond to a Letter or Email page for more information.    

Last Updated: February 14, 2024