U.S. Passports
The City of Foster City became a passport acceptance agency and began accepting U.S. Passport applications on November 3, 2003.
IMPORTANT CHANGE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Beginning on January 23, 2007, all persons - including U.S. citizens - traveling by AIR from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to have a passport (unless traveling with a U.S. Permanent Resident Card, asylee or refugee document, Merchant Mariner's Document, or NEXUS Air card) to enter the United States.
As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by LAND OR SEA (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or other documents for land/sea entries.
For more information, please visit www.travel.state.gov or www.dhs.gov.
When and where to apply in Foster City
- When: Monday through Friday
- From: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. by Appointment Only; Call 650-286-3200
- At: City Hall, 610 Foster City Boulevard, Foster City, CA
Fees for U.S. Passports
| First-Time Passport Services | 16 Years and Over | Under Age 16 |
| DS-11 Application Fee plus Security Surcharge (payable to Dept. of State) | $55.00 plus $12.00 Security Surcharge | $40.00 plus $12.00 Security Surcharge |
| Processing Fee (payable to City of Foster City) | $30.00 | $30.00 |
| Total fees | $97.00 | $82.00 |
| Additional services | | |
| Expedited Service (payable to Dept. of State) -- see below | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Federal Express to U.S. Passport Services (payable to City of Foster City) | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| USPS Express Mail Service from U.S. Passport Services to Applicant (payable to Dept. of State) | $14.40 ($16.25 as of 4/28/07) | $14.40 ($16.25 as of 4/28/07) |
| Passport Renewals by Mail | | |
| DS-82 Passport Renewal by Mail plus Security Surcharge (payable to Dept. of State) | $55.00 plus $12.00 security surcharge | $55.00 plus $12.00 surcharge |
Items listed as "payable to Dept. of State" above are payable BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER ONLY.
Items listed as "payable to City of Foster City" are payable BY CASH, CHECK, MONEY ORDER, OR CREDIT CARD ONLY.
Expedited Service -- assures processing within 3 business days from receipt of completed applications by passport agencies - cuts processing time down to 3 weeks.
How to apply for a U.S. Passport?
You must apply in person for a U.S. passport if you meet any of the following descriptions:
- You are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time.
- Your previous U.S. passport was lost or stolen.
- Your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago.
- You are the parent or guardian of a child 14 and under. If applying for a child 14 and under, the child needs to appear in person. See information below regarding Parental Consent for Children 14 and under.
Applying in Person for a New U.S. Passport
To apply for a U.S. passport, the following steps must be completed:
- Completed Application Form
- Present Proof of U.S. Citizenship
- Proof of Identity
- Two Passport Color Photographs
- The Applicable Fees
1. Completed Application Form
Application forms can be obtained at City Hall, 610 Foster City Boulevard, Foster City or on the Internet at the .
Please do not sign the application form until instructed to do so by an authorized Passport Agent.
2. Present Proof of U.S. Citizenship (one of these)
- Previous U.S. Passport
- Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state (a certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office.) You can order your birth certificate online order through the Vital Check Network.
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- Naturalization Certificate
- Certificate of Citizenship
3. Proof of Identity (one of these)
- Previous U.S. Passport
- Naturalization Certificate
- Certificate of Citizenship
- Current, valid Driver's License
- Government ID: city, state or federal
- Military ID: military and dependents
- Aircraft Pilot's License issued by the Dept. of Transportation, FAA
- Student ID: must be currently enrolled (Please note that Student ID is not a legal form of identification. Passport agents reserve the right to require other documentation if circumstances so indicate.)
4. Two Passport Photographs
Two identical passport-sized photographs 2x2 inches in size taken within the past six (6) months. The image size from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head should be between 1 inch and 1-3/8 inch. They must be in color. They must be full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background.
Photographs should be taken in normal street attire, without a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline. Uniforms should not be worn in photographs with the exception of religious attire which is worn daily.
If prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles are normally and consistently worn, they should be worn when the picture is taken. Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless required for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required to support the wearing of such glasses in photographs. Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable photographs.
5. Pay the applicable fees.
Passport Renewals
The City Clerk's department will assist applicants needing to renew their passports. However, renewal applications are mailed by the applicant on the proper renewal application. All applications and forms are available at City Hall.
To renew by mail, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- You are able to submit your most recent passport.
- You were at least 16 years old when your most recent passport was issued.
- Your most recent passport was issued less than 15 years ago.
- You are using the same name OR you can submit documentation of a name change.
If you are eligible to apply by mail, please drop by City Hall to pick up a passport renewal application, or visit the to download the form.
Processing Time
Normal processing time for your passport is six weeks. If travel is less than six weeks, it is recommended that the application be expedited for an additional fee of $60, which will cut the processing time down to three weeks. Further, applicants can pay an additional overnight express fee to have their applications sent faster from the U.S. Passport Agency.
For travel in less than two weeks, it is recommended that you call the San Francisco Passport Agency's automated appointment system at (415) 538-2700. The office is located at 95 Hawthorne Street and is open by appointment only. Only customers who are traveling within two weeks are allowed to schedule an appointment. You must have proof that you are leaving the country within the next 14 days (e.g., airline ticket, cruise ship itinerary, or letter from employer if you are traveling on business.) All other requirements listed under "Applying in Person for a New U.S. Passport" apply.
Requirements for Children 14 and Under
Both parents are required to appear before an authorized passport agent, show valid personal identification and sign the application form for children under age 14. If the second parent is not available to sign, the appearing parent must present evidence that he/she has sole legal custody of the child, or have written consent of the other parent for the issuance of the passport, or provide a written statement explaining why the non-applying parent's consent cannot be obtained.
The "Statement of Consent" form is available at City Hall or can be downloaded at .
How to Check on the Processing of Your Passport
Call the National Passport Information Center for toll-free service to check on the processing of your passport. The number is 1-877-487-2778. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, excluding federal holidays. Automated information is available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. E-mail access is available at npic@state.gov.
Check the status of your application online at http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html to find out:
- Whether an application has been received (at a Passport Agency/Center) and is being processed; and
- If the passport has been finalized, the system will give an estimated receipt date based on whether it is being sent via Priority Mail or overnight delivery.
Customers should wait one week for expedited applications and 4 weeks for routine applications before checking their status online. Otherwise you will receive a message saying that your application was not found, which may cause alarm and create unnecessary attempts to contact Passport Services.
Travel VISAs, Forms and Further Information
For information on obtaining travel VISAs and to download forms, please see the National Passport Information Center website.
For further information regarding passports, call City Hall at 650-286-3200.
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