How to Get a Passport in Missouri

The process for getting a U.S. passport in Missouri is the same as it is in any U.S. state. You'll need to fill out the paperwork, assemble your documentation and have your picture taken before you head to a passport office to complete your application. Plan ahead, because the process can take as long as eight weeks.

Passport services are offered at a range of locations in Missouri, and throughout the U.S., like public libraries, post offices, passport acceptance facilities, and online at travel.state.gov. These passports show the U.S. Department of State that you are a valid resident, and they include passport processing, passport appointments, passport fees, passport agencies, passport information, and processing times. Application forms will be essential in this process, as well as items like money orders, credit card or debit card statement info, name changes, and any other form of identification.

U.S. citizens who are applying for a passport for the first time must provide proof of identity and proof of citizenship. An original or certified copy of your birth certificate or a certificate of naturalization proves citizenship. A driver’s license, government or military ID or a current foreign passport establish your identity. You must also have a Social Security number or be willing to swear that you’ve never been issued one.

Fill out form DS-11, available at the State Department website as a form you can fill out online or print and fill out offline. The form is straightforward, asking for basic information such as name and address along with identifying info like height and hair color. If you want an expanded passport because you expect to need extra room for visas or stamps, check the “52 page” box. Don’t sign the application until you’re at the passport office in front of an agent.

The application fee for a standard passport book is $110. A passport card, usable for re-entry to the U.S. from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean, is $30. The fee for both is $140. First-time applicants also pay a $25 processing fee.

If you already have a passport that’s less than 15 years old and hasn’t been damaged, you can renew by mail. You must have been at least 16 when the passport was issued, and if your name has changed, you’ll need to provide legal documentation, such as a divorce decree or marriage license, with your application.

Fill out form DS-82, available online or at a passport office, and mail it with your old passport, a photo and the fee to the processing center in Philadelphia or Texas. Your new passport will typically arrive by priority mail in two to six weeks, but it might take as long as eight weeks under some conditions.

Check the State Department website for its very specific passport photo requirements. Generally, the photo must have been taken in the past six months. It should be full-face, in color and measure 2 inches by 2 inches.

Children under the age of 16 must apply for a passport in person. Fill out form DS-11 and provide one proof of U.S. citizenship. These include a previously-issued passport, original birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or a consular report of birth abroad. Bring the original and a photocopy when you apply for the child’s passport. You must also prove that you’re the child’s parent by showing a valid document listing you, such as the birth certificate or an adoption decree, and you’ll need to provide parental consent. Have your valid ID and a photocopy of the ID in hand, and provide a photo of the child that meets State Department requirements.

Young people aged 16 and 17 generally follow the same rules as adults when applying for a passport. The State Department strongly recommends that applicants in this age group show parental awareness of the application, even if they have valid ID. Without ID, at least one parent must be aware.

The fee for a minor’s passport is $80 for a passport book, $15 for a passport card and $95 for both. There is also a $25 execution fee.