When I apply for a US passport in person, do I still have to mail in my original documents?

I'm required to apply in person. I plan to bring my birth certificate, photo ID, etc., and photocopies of them, to a local post office that accepts US passport applications. Will I have to mail in the originals to apply, or will I just show them to someone there and mail in the photocopies only? If I do have to mail the originals (or certified copies), will they send them back weeks later when the passport is ready, or do they return them earlier?

I suppose from the mention of birth certificate that this is the DS-11 application rather than the DS-82, the so-called "renewal" application. Is that correct?

That's correct. This will be my first adult passport, and my child passport is expired. I wonder if I can use an expired child passport as a photo ID; that would be much easier to part with than my driver's license if I have to mail it in.

1 Answer 1

Will I have to mail in the originals to apply, or will I just show them to someone there and mail in the photocopies only?

You have to mail the originals and the copies of your proof of citizenship. You only have to mail the copy of your ID. (It would not be practical to deprive passport applicants of their driver's licenses.)

will they send them back weeks later when the passport is ready, or do they return them earlier?

They return the originals, according to the online instructions for form DS-11, at the end of the process:

After we print your passport, we will send it to you and return your supporting documents.

In a comment, you say

I wonder if I can use an expired child passport as a photo ID; that would be much easier to part with than my driver's license if I have to mail it in.

You can use your expired passport for both proof of citizenship and proof of identification if it was issued for the full five-year period of validity. From the HTML instructions, the list of primary citizenship evidence:

• Fully-valid, undamaged U.S. passport (may be expired)
• U.S. birth certificate that meets the following requirements: [omitted for brevity]
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
• Certificate of Naturalization
• Certificate of Citizenship

The list of acceptable identification:

• Valid or expired, undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card
• In-state, fully valid driver's license or enhanced driver's license with photo
• Certificate of Naturalization
• Certificate of Citizenship
• Government employee ID (city, county, state, or federal)
• U.S. military or military dependent ID
• Current (valid) foreign passport
• Matricula Consular (Mexican Consular ID) - commonly used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) - commonly used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• Trusted Traveler IDs (including valid Global Entry, FAST, SENTRI, and NEXUS cards)
• Enhanced Tribal Cards and Native American tribal photo IDs
• Other documents: 1) In-state, fully-valid learner's permit with photo, 2) In-state, fully-valid non-driver ID with photo, or 3) temporary driver's license with photo. Note: you may be asked to present an additional ID when presenting one of these three documents.

In fact, if your most recent passport is not yet expired, and it was not lost or stolen, you must submit it with the application. If it was lost or stolen and you haven't reported that, you must report it. From the instructions on form DS-11 itself:

If you cannot submit your valid or potentially valid U.S. passport book and/or passport card with this application and you have not previously submitted Form DS-64, Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen U.S. Passport, you are required to fill out and submit a DS-64 with this application.

Similarly, in the item that asks about the status of your most recent passport, you have four options:

• Submitting with application
• Stolen
• Lost
• In my possession (if expired)