U.S. Passport Application & Renewal 

To get a passport, you must have an original or certified copy of your long-form birth certificate or any equivalent document that proves your citizenship. You must have proof of ID, passport photos, and a complete DS-11 form, which can be printed out from Travel.State.gov.

You must apply in person if you respond “Yes” to at least one of the following statements:

·         I am applying for my first U.S. passport.

·         I am applying with my child who is under age 16.

·         My previous U.S. passport was issued when I was under age 16.

·         My previous U.S. passport was lost, stolen, or damaged.

·         My previous U.S. passport was issued more than 15 years ago.

Once you have printed and completed your application, bring it, along with supporting documents, photo, and fees, to an official in person at a passport acceptance facility.  A list of Rhode Island facilities is below.

You can upgrade your application from routine processing to ‘expedited processing’ for an additional $60. You may also choose to add a 1-2 delivery service of your completed passport book for an additional $19.53. One-to-two day delivery is not available for passport cards. We only send cards via First Class Mail.

If you applied in person or renewed by mail, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY) and ask to upgrade your application service type. You’ll need either your application number or your last name and date of birth. The National Passport Information Center will email you additional information about how to upgrade your application to expedited service or 1-2 day delivery.

If you renewed online, you can login to your MyTravelGov account and upgrade to expedited service or pay for 1-2 delivery service of your completed passport book. You can pay for these additional services in your account up until the time that your application is approved.

You can upgrade your application from routine processing to ‘expedited processing’ for an additional $60. You may also choose to add a 1-2 delivery service of your completed passport book for an additional $19.53. One-to-two day delivery is not available for passport cards. We only send cards via First Class Mail.

If you applied in person or renewed by mail, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY) and ask to upgrade your application service type. You’ll need either your application number or your last name and date of birth. The National Passport Information Center will email you additional information about how to upgrade your application to expedited service or 1-2 day delivery.

If you renewed online, you can login to your MyTravelGov account and upgrade to expedited service or pay for 1-2 delivery service of your completed passport book. You can pay for these additional services in your account up until the time that your application is approved.

Make an appointment at a Passport Agency or Center.  The closest one to Rhode Island is the Boston Passport Agency, located at the Thomas P. “Tip” O'Neill Federal Building (10 Causeway Street, Room 247 - Boston, MA 02222).

The State Department offers two types of appointments: Life-or-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.

·         You can only make an appointment by calling.

·         You cannot walk-in without an appointment.

·         The State Department does not charge a fee to make an appointment.

·         You cannot transfer your appointment to another customer.

·         The State Department will provide unique confirmation information that staff will verify on the day on your appointment.

Life-or-Death Emergency Service: State prioritizes customers who are traveling internationally in the next 3 business days due to a qualified life-or-death emergency. What number you call to make an appointment depends on the day of the week and time of day. Learn more at Travel.Senate.gov’s Life-or-Death Emergency page.

Urgent Travel Service: Schedule an appointment if you are traveling internationally within 14 calendar days or need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days. Call 1-877-487-2778 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, Mondays through Fridays, or Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. The call center is closed on federal holidays.

If you’re traveling abroad, the short answer is NO. If your passport is expired or is expiring within the next 6 months it means you need to renew your passport.

Passport expeditors, or courier companies, are private entities, some of which are registered at State Department passport agencies, and are allowed to submit expedited passport applications on behalf of customers. To learn more about passport and visa expeditor/courier companies, please visit Travel.State.gov’s Passport Expeditor/Courier page.  And please be sure to take proper precautions and never provide your sensitive personal information or financial information to a non-trusted source.

There are over 20 Rhode Island passport offices throughout the state -- located at either U.S. Post Offices or certified public libraries.  American citizens can apply for new passports for themselves and their children at these certified application acceptance facilities.  Or you can apply in another U.S. state if it is more convenient.  Please note that most application acceptance facilities maintain limited operating hours and require that you schedule an appointment before visiting. Call before you visit in order to avoid delays.