A passport is the one travel document almost every international trip depends on, and it is the document people most often leave until too late. A first passport, a renewal and a child’s passport all follow different rules, forms and timelines, and one wrong step can add weeks to the wait. This guide explains how to get a US passport in 2026, what it costs, how long it takes, and how the process differs in the UK, Australia and Canada. Every fee and time below was checked against the official government source on 12 November 2026.
Passport book or passport card: which one do you need?
The US Department of State issues two documents. A passport book is the standard document for international travel by air, land and sea — if you plan to fly abroad, you need the book. A passport card is wallet-sized and valid only for travel by land and sea to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean; it is not valid for international air travel. Many travellers get both. Adult passports are valid for ten years; children’s for five. Check your expiry date before planning anything, because many countries require validity for several months beyond your return date, and airlines can refuse boarding if it is not.
First-time applicants: Form DS-11, in person
If you have never had a US passport, or you do not qualify to renew, you must apply in person using Form DS-11. There is no online or mail-in route for a first passport. Complete Form DS-11 online at travel.state.gov and print it, or complete it by hand in black ink — but do not sign it until the acceptance agent tells you to. You need proof of US citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate, proof of identity, such as a valid driver’s licence, a recent passport photo, and payment. Then find an acceptance facility: there are more than 7,000 across the country, including post offices, libraries and county clerk offices, searchable at iafdb.travel.state.gov. Some take walk-ins and some need an appointment. The agent checks your documents, witnesses your signature and takes your payment. Keep the receipt, and check your status online at travel.state.gov or by calling 1-877-487-2778.
Renewing by mail: Form DS-82
Most adults renew by mail using Form DS-82, with no appointment. You qualify if your most recent passport was issued when you were 16 or older, within the last 15 years, is undamaged, is still in your possession, and is still in your current name — or you can document a name change legally. If any condition fails, apply in person with Form DS-11. To renew by mail, complete Form DS-82 online and print it, enclose your most recent passport, a new photo taken within the last six months, and payment by cheque or money order payable to the US Department of State. Do not send cash. Your old passport is returned separately, sometimes days apart.
Renewing online: who qualifies
The State Department offers online renewal for eligible citizens, and the only official place to do it is through travel.state.gov, at opr.travel.state.gov. Avoid unofficial sites that charge extra fees. Eligibility is narrower than renewal by mail: you must be 25 or older; the passport must have been valid for ten years and be expiring within one year or have expired less than five years ago; you must not be changing your name or other personal information; you must be in a US state or territory when you apply; you must not be travelling internationally for at least six weeks, because online renewal is routine service only; and the passport must be undamaged and not reported lost or stolen. You renew only the same type of document you hold. If you meet every condition, create a MyTravelGov account, upload a digital photo, pay by card and wait for delivery.
What a US passport costs in 2026
First-time, in-person applications have two fees: the application fee paid to the Department of State, and the acceptance fee paid to the facility. Renewals have no acceptance fee. Figures are from the State Department’s fee chart updated in October 2026, checked on 12 November 2026. A first-time adult book costs $130 plus the $35 acceptance fee — $165 in total. A first-time card costs $30 plus $35, a total of $65. Book and card together cost $160 plus $35, a total of $195. For renewals, the book costs $130, the card $30, and both $160. Expedited processing adds $60 and is available for mail and in-person applications, not online. Check the fee chart at travel.state.gov on the day you apply.
How long it takes, and urgent travel
The headline processing time is only part of the wait. The State Department’s official page, checked on 12 November 2026, sets out three stages: mailing your application can take up to two weeks; processing takes four to six weeks for routine service, or two to three weeks expedited; and receiving the passport after mailing can take up to two weeks more. Routine service can therefore take around eight to ten weeks door to door. If you travel within 14 calendar days — or 28 days if your destination needs a visa — you can request an urgent appointment at a regional passport agency by calling 1-877-487-2778, with proof of travel. For a life-or-death emergency, call the same number. Apply at least three months before travel if you can, and never book non-refundable flights until the passport is in your hand. Plan around busy periods with our Thanksgiving travel guide and check lighter rules for flights before you pack.
Passports for children and teenagers
Children under 16 must apply in person with Form DS-11, and both parents or guardians generally need to consent. Teenagers aged 16 and 17 also apply in person with Form DS-11, under a separate process the State Department publishes for their age group. A child’s passport is valid for five years and cannot be renewed — apply for a new one each time. Children’s fees differ from adult fees, so check the fee chart on travel.state.gov. Bring proof of citizenship, proof of the parental relationship, parents’ photo ID and a compliant photo of the child. If one parent cannot attend, a signed, notarised statement of consent is required.
What changed in 2026
The US passport itself had no fee rise in 2026: the adult book remains $130 plus the $35 acceptance fee, per the October 2026 fee chart. Online renewal, open to the public since September 2024, is now the established route for eligible adults, and the State Department still warns travellers to use only opr.travel.state.gov. The UK raised passport fees on 8 April 2026, and Canada raised most fees on 31 March 2026, its first increase since 2013. Canada also introduced a “30 days or free” guarantee from 1 April 2026 and expanded online renewal to all eligible adults on 29 July 2026. Australia’s fees are those in force from 1 January 2026.
The UK, Australia and Canada in brief
In the UK, apply through GOV.UK with HM Passport Office. An adult standard 34-page passport costs £102 online or £115.50 on paper; a child passport costs £66.50 online, after the 8 April 2026 rise. You will usually get it within three weeks of HM Passport Office receiving your documents. The 1 Week Fast Track service costs £192 for an adult and delivers about a week after your appointment; the 1 Day Premium service costs £239.50, is for adult renewals only, and is ready about four hours after the appointment. A first adult passport cannot be fast-tracked. In Australia, a ten-year adult passport costs A$422 and a five-year child passport A$213, under fees in force from 1 January 2026. Allow at least six weeks. Priority service adds A$308 for processing within two business days, and Fast Track adds A$107 for five business days, excluding postage. In Canada, fees are C$163.50 for a ten-year adult passport, C$122.50 for five years and C$58.50 for a child, after the 31 March 2026 rise; outside Canada, a ten-year adult passport costs C$266.25. Online renewal is now open to all eligible adults, in-person service takes 10 or 20 business days, and mail renewal takes 20 business days plus postage.
Mistakes that delay passports
Most delays are avoidable. The wrong photo is the most common: recent, within six months, on a plain white background, with no glasses or hat. Next is signing Form DS-11 before the appointment — wait for the agent. Then the wrong fee, or one cheque where two payments were needed. Never send cash by mail. Applying too late is the biggest mistake of all. And never trust a third-party site offering to file your application for a fee — the only official route is travel.state.gov. Start early, use the official forms, and keep copies of everything you send.
Sources
- US Department of State, travel.state.gov — U.S. Passports (4–6 weeks routine, expedited +$60, up to 2 weeks mailing each way; updated 4 May 2026), checked 12 Nov 2026: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html
- US Department of State — Passport Fees, October 2026 chart (book $130 + $35; card $30 + $35; both $160 + $35; renewals $130 / $30 / $160; expedited +$60): https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/tsg_aem/passports/documents/forms-fees/Passport_Fees_OCT_2026.pdf
- US Department of State — Renew Your Passport Online (25 or older; 10-year passport expiring within 1 year or expired under 5 years; routine only; opr.travel.state.gov): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html
- GOV.UK / HM Passport Office — passport fees (adult £102 online, £115.50 paper; child £66.50; rise 8 Apr 2026; usually within 3 weeks; Fast Track £192; Premium £239.50)
- Australian Passport Office — Fees (adult A$422; child A$213; from 1 Jan 2026) and Processing times (at least 6 weeks; Priority +A$308, 2 days; Fast Track +A$107, 5 days): https://www.passports.gov.au/help/fees
- Government of Canada — passport fees (in Canada: 10-year C$163.50, 5-year C$122.50, child C$58.50; outside Canada: 10-year C$266.25; rise 31 Mar 2026), “30 days or free” from 1 Apr 2026, online renewal expansion 29 Jul 2026: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/fees/fee-changes-passport.html