DS-82 vs DS-11: Which U.S. Passport Form Should You Use?
Use Form DS-82 if you're renewing an adult U.S. passport by mail — it requires that your most recent passport is undamaged, was issued within the last 15 years, was issued when you were 16 or older, and is in your current legal name.
Quick answer: Use Form DS-82 if you're renewing an adult U.S. passport by mail — it requires that your most recent passport is undamaged, was issued within the last 15 years, was issued when you were 16 or older, and is in your current legal name. Use Form DS-11 if any of those conditions aren't met, if your passport is lost, stolen, or damaged, if you're applying for the first time, or if you're a minor — DS-11 must be submitted in person at a passport acceptance facility, such as many post offices, clerk of court offices, and public libraries.
The Core Difference in One Line
DS-82 is a mail-in renewal form for straightforward cases; DS-11 is the in-person application form used for everyone else, including first-timers, minors, and anyone whose situation has changed since their last passport.
DS-82 vs DS-11 at a Glance
| Form DS-82 | Form DS-11 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Adult renewals meeting eligibility rules | First-time applicants, minors, lost/damaged/stolen passports, expired name mismatches |
| Submission method | By mail (or in person at a regional passport agency if traveling within 14 days) | In person only, at a passport acceptance facility |
| Appearance required | No | Yes |
| Old passport | Submitted with the application, undamaged | Not required in the same way; used as evidence if available |
| Typical use case | Renewing a passport that's still relatively recent and intact | New passport, badly damaged passport, or passport more than 15 years old |
Full DS-82 Eligibility Checklist
You can use DS-82 only if all of the following are true:
- Your most recent passport is undamaged and you can submit it with your application.
- You were 16 or older when that passport was issued.
- It was issued within the last 15 years.
- It's in your current legal name, or you can provide proper documentation (marriage certificate, court order) for a name change.
If even one of these doesn't apply — for example, your last passport was issued when you were a minor, or it's been more than 15 years — you don't qualify for mail renewal and need to use DS-11 instead.
When You Must Use DS-11
- You're applying for a U.S. passport for the first time.
- Your previous passport was lost, stolen, or significantly damaged.
- Your last passport was issued more than 15 years ago, or you were under 16 when it was issued.
- You need to change your name and don't have the legal documentation DS-82 requires.
- You are applying for a minor — anyone under 16 must always use DS-11, in person, regardless of any other circumstance.
Where Can I Get a Form DS-11?
DS-11 is available two ways:
- Download and print it from the U.S. Department of State's travel website, then bring the completed but unsigned form to your in-person appointment (you sign it in front of the acceptance agent, not beforehand).
- Pick up a blank copy in person at many passport acceptance facilities — this includes numerous U.S. Postal Service locations, county clerk offices, public libraries, and some regional passport agencies.
A common mistake is signing DS-11 before the appointment — it must be signed in the presence of the acceptance facility agent, unlike DS-82, which you sign before mailing.
Fees: What Changes Between the Two Forms
Both forms require the underlying passport book/card fee set by the Department of State, but DS-11 in-person applications also carry an additional execution fee (charged by the acceptance facility, separate from the passport fee itself), since a government employee has to witness your signature and verify your documents. DS-82 mail-in renewals skip that execution fee, since there's no in-person witnessing step — one of the practical reasons DS-82 tends to be the cheaper and more convenient option whenever someone qualifies for it.
Don't Forget the Photo Requirement — It's the Same for Both Forms
Regardless of which form you use, you'll need a 2x2 inch passport photo meeting the same compliance standards: plain light background, neutral expression, no glasses, and a face free of shadows or obstruction. This is one part of the process where DS-82 and DS-11 don't differ at all, and it's also one of the more common reasons an otherwise-correct application gets sent back. A tool like PhotoOmni can generate a compliant photo from a selfie — with both an AI check and human review before delivery — which is useful whether you're mailing a DS-82 renewal or walking into an acceptance facility with a completed DS-11.
Quick Decision Guide
- Passport in hand, undamaged, issued as an adult, within 15 years, same name? → DS-82, by mail.
- Anything else — first passport, damaged, expired too long ago, name mismatch without documentation, or applicant under 16? → DS-11, in person, with a properly compliant photo like one from PhotoOmni ready to go.
Picking the wrong form is one of the most common reasons passport applications bounce back and forth between applicants and the National Passport Information Center — running through this checklist before you fill anything out saves a step most people don't realize they can skip.