General Questions
Q.)Do I need an appointment?
A.) Yes. You can make an appointment here. Please make sure you make an appointment for every applicant that needs a passport. 4 applicants? Please choose 4 on the dropdown menu.
Q.)What methods of payment are accepted?
A.)For the application fee (cost of passport) payment has to be made on personal check, bank check, money order, or a cashier’s check. The Processing fee to the City of Federal Way, we can take Visa/Mastercard, cash, or check/money order.
Q.) Can I use a photocopy of my documents? –
A.) Generally, no. First time applicants, applicants replacing a lost or stolen passport, applicants changing their name, applicants supplying a court order, all need original documents. The exception would be for children who have prior passports, we can use a copy of their birth certificate if they have their most recent passport with them.
Q.)Do you take walk-ins?
A.)Not at this time. Please make an appointment here if you need to submit a DS 11.
Q.)What if I can’t make my appointment? –
A.) Please cancel as soon as you know you cannot make it or if you were seen elsewhere sooner. Our policy states to cancel at least 24 hours in advance. Please do not no show/no call without notice. If you cannot make it, it frees up a spot for others that may need one.
Q.)Is there parking?
A.) Yes! The City of Federal Way has their own parking lot, which it is free to park in. It can at times be busy, please arrange to arrive a few minutes early to ensure you are able to park and make it to the appointment on time.
Q.) What is the difference between as passport book and a passport card?
A.) A passport book will work for all modes of travel. The main benefit of a passport book is it is the only document you can use to fly internationally. You can also fly domestically, drive into Canada and Mexico, take trains internationally, or use on cruises. A passport card works for Real ID purposes, so you can fly domestically, drive or take a train into Canada or Mexico. Some cruise lines allow passport cards. Check with your cruise line to make sure. Note: The passport card has the same benefits as a Washington State enhanced driver’s license.
Children’s Passport Questions
Q.) Can my child renew with a DS-82 form?
A.) No. DS-82 forms are only for applicants who were over the age of 16 when they applied for their most recent passport.
Q.) Do both parents have to be present?
A.) Ideally. This is the best way to ensure both parents give consent. If one parent cannot make it, they can sign and have notarized a DS 3053 form and provide a front/back copy of their ID with the form. Please make sure it is fully filled out correctly. (Note: Once they are notarized, they must be used within 90 days.) If one parent has a parenting plan stating they alone can obtain a passport for a child, or that the parents have forfeited their rights, a parent can use that. If there was a death of one parent, an original death certificate must be submitted.
Passport Photo Questions
Q.) Do my ears have to show in passport photos?
A.) No, not specifically. Your entire face must show without shadows from hairline to chin. Hair cannot cover eyebrows or eyes. If taking your own photo, please follow Department of State guidelines listed here.
Q.) Can I smile in passport photos?
A.) A good rule of thumb is to not show teeth. A gentle, natural smile is fine. A large smile that would distort your features would not be useable.
Q.) Can I use the photo from my last passport again?
A.) No. Every time you apply for a new passport/renew you will need a new photo that is less than 6 months old.
Adult renewal Questions
Q.) Can I renew with a DS-82 form if I have a passport older than 15 years?
A.) No. If your passport has been expired for more than 5 years, you will need an appointment and apply using a DS-11 application.
Q.) Will I get a new passport number?
A.) Yes. Every time you get a new passport, it will have a new book or card number.
Q.) Can I turn my DS 82 form in to your office?
A.) No. We cannot accept adult renewal forms. They must be sent directly to the US Department of state using one of the addresses on the form. (Depending if you choose Routine or Expedited processing)
Payment Questions
Q.) What methods of payment can I use?
A.) For the Application fee (Fee for the passport and additional add-ons) must be made in the form of a check, money order, or cashier’s check; made payable to US Department of State. The processing fee to the city, we can take Visa/Mastercard, cash, or check/money orders.
Q.) Why can’t I use my credit card to pay for my passport at your acceptance facility?
A.) We send all applications to a Department of State lock-box, where they receive all application packets. The department of State will then cash your check or money order. We cannot take credit card payments for another facility, only for our own.
Q.)Can I pay online?
A.) There is no way to pay online for a DS-11 application passport. The only passport you can pay for online is the adult renewal, if applying online at travel.state.gov. If the website does not say travel.state.gov, we do not recommend using them as you may just be paying for a form-filler, which the Department of State has for free on their own website. There are a lot of third-party websites that will rely on you not reading the fine print.
Passport Forms
Q.) Do passport forms come in other languages?
A.) No, they do not. Official passport forms are only printed in English. Staff cannot write on your forms for you. Please have a friend or family member help you to make sure your information is complete and accurate. Forms must be completed before your appointment
Q.) Where can I find passport forms? –
A.) We carry passport forms for different needs here in the office, or you can download them online from the Department of State’s website here.
Q.) I messed up my form. Can I use white-out?
A.) No. You cannot use white-out or corrective tape on passport applications. If you make a mistake, it is recommended that you start over.
Circumstances
Q.) I do not have my proof of citizenship for a lost passport. What are my options?
A.) There is the option of a “file search”. Please understand, this is not guaranteed. If your first recorded U.S. Passport was created after 1994, this search is free. If the record was created prior to 1994, there is a $150 fee, that is in addition to the application fee, to use this service.
Q.) I have a life or death passport need. How do I get my passport faster?
A.) If you can prove life-or-death need, or you have travel plans in less than 2 weeks, you can make an appointment with the Seattle Passport Agency and they can print your pass passport either same or next day in most cases. Call 1-877-487-2778 to make an appointment.
Q.) I have international travel plans next week and I forgot to renew my passport! What do I do?
A.) Make an appointment with the Seattle Passport Agency. Call 1-877-487-2778 to make an appointment in Seattle.
Q.) My dog ate my passport! What do I do?
A.) This does happen. All damaged passports, either by means of pet, going through washer/dryer, or any other means need to be turned in to the department of state when you apply for a new one. You will need an appointment, a DS 11 application, the damaged passport, original proof of citizenship, a new photo and a written statement explaining what happened. Unfortunately, you also do need to pay for a new passport.
Miscellaneous
Q.) Can I add more people to my appointment?
A.) No. Each appointment takes 15 minutes, which is the amount of time needed for one person. If you have more than one person, please choose the amount of people needing to apply on the drop-down menu. If additional appointments are needed, please make more appointments the same way the original was made.
Q.) How can I check the status of my passport?
A.) You can check your status online at travel.state.gov
Q.) How does my application packet get sent?
A.) We send applications by Priority Mail through USPS.
Q.) Is “Rush My Passport” hand-carry processes really faster?
A.) No. You pay a lot of fees for a process that is not faster. You do need an appointment to be seen by a passport agent anyway, and you can expedite for a 2-3 week processing time without the hundreds of dollars in extra fees. You would pay the same $60 expedite fee that you would also have to include in a hand-carry packet. The Department of State does not recommend using third party carriers, as they are not faster, they are extremely costly, and they cannot say for sure the legitimacy of given third parties. They often do not also tell you that you need a consent to release form as well as proof of travel within 2 weeks of applying.
Q.) Where can I get an original certified birth certificate?
A.) If you were born in the state of Washington, you can go to any vital records office in the state (located in some health departments) and have them print you a new certified copy. The closest one to us here in Federal Way is Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. If born outside Washington, you can order one online at VitalChek.com.