Getting Your US Passport After Naturalization

Right after the oath ceremony, you're handed a Certificate of Naturalization — and that single piece of paper is the reason a US passport is one of the fastest documents you'll ever apply for as a new citizen. Here's the actual process, step by step.

What You Need Before You Go

• 1
  Form DS-11Fill it out, but do not sign it — you sign in person, in front of the acceptance agent.
• 2
  Your Certificate of NaturalizationThe original (Form N-550 or N-570) that you were given at your oath ceremony.
• 3
  A valid photo IDDriver's license or state ID, separate from the naturalization certificate.
• 4
  One passport photo2x2 inches, taken within the last 6 months — most pharmacies and shipping stores print these on the spot.
• 5
  Payment for the fee$130 application fee to the State Department, plus a separate $35 execution fee to the facility itself.

Where to Actually Apply

As a first-time applicant, you must apply in person — there's no online option, even for renewals-in-spirit like this one. Passport acceptance facilities are more common than people expect: many post offices, public libraries, county clerk offices, and some courthouses process DS-11 applications. A quick search for "passport acceptance facility" plus your zip code on travel.state.gov will show the closest ones, and most take walk-ins or a same-week appointment.

How Long It Actually Takes

As of 2026, the State Department's stated processing time is 4 to 6 weeks for routine service, or 2 to 3 weeks if you pay the additional $60 expedite fee — plus mailing time in both directions, which can add another one to two weeks. If you have international travel booked within 14 days, there's a faster path: an in-person appointment at a regional passport agency, which requires proof of that imminent travel (a flight confirmation).

Book or Card — Which One

Form DS-11 lets you apply for a passport book (for all international travel, including by air), a passport card (cheaper, but only valid for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean — not flying), or both at once for one combined application. Most people who plan to visit family abroad by plane need the book; the card is really a budget add-on for land border trips.

What Else Changes Right Away

A few other things are worth handling in the same season, not years later: your green card is no longer needed and should not be used as ID once you're a citizen; you're now eligible to register to vote, which many states let you do the same day at the DMV or online; and if your home country requires notification or documentation when a citizen naturalizes elsewhere, that's worth confirming with that country's consulate — US law doesn't require you to give up other citizenships, but some other countries have their own rules about it.

• US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs — travel.state.gov/passport
• US Department of State, Passport Fee Schedule (February 2026 edition)
• US Department of State, "Apply in Person" and "Processing Times" guidance — travel.state.gov

Educational content only — not legal advice. Passport fees, processing times, and requirements are set by the US Department of State and can change; always confirm current details at travel.state.gov before applying.