Quick answer
For a new, child, lost, stolen or damaged passport, you need an original document that proves U.S. citizenship, most often a certified U.S. birth certificate, plus a photocopy of it. Photocopies alone, notarized copies and hospital certificates aren't accepted. The original is returned to you.
What counts
- A certified U.S. birth certificate issued by the city, county or state of birth. It shows your full name, date and place of birth, your parents' full names, the registrar's signature, a raised or multicolored seal, and the date it was filed.
- A previous U.S. passport that isn't damaged. It can be expired.
- A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240), for U.S. citizens born outside the country.
- A Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship.
What doesn't
- Photocopies, scans or notarized copies on their own.
- Hospital birth certificates or souvenir certificates.
- A short "abstract" certificate that's missing details, such as your parents' names.
- A damaged previous passport.
The photocopy we need
A clear copy of the front and back, on standard 8.5 x 11 inch white paper, single-sided. Send it with the original.
Common mistakes
- Sending a hospital certificate instead of the official one.
- A birth certificate that was filed more than a year after birth. The passport agency may then ask for extra evidence, such as early public records.
- No photocopy, or a copy of the front only.
Need a certified copy fast? Every state page explains where to order one and how long it takes. See our guide, Birth certificates for a passport.
Official rules: State Department page on citizenship evidence.