How to Get a Passport in Greenville, SC: Docs, Costs, and Timing

To get a passport in Greenville, SC, book an appointment at a local passport acceptance facility (most are inside U.S. Post Office branches), bring Form DS-11, an original proof of U.S. citizenship, a photo ID, a 2×2 passport photo, and payment. A first-time adult passport book costs $165 total, and routine processing takes four to six weeks from the day the State Department receives your application.¹

Choose the Book, Not Just the Card

The U.S. issues two passport products, and the cheaper one has a trap. A passport book works for all international travel by air, land, or sea. A passport card is cheaper but covers only land and sea crossings to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. It will not get you on an international flight. If there is any chance you’ll fly abroad, get the book.

Adult passports (age 16 and up) are valid for 10 years. Passports issued to children under 16 are valid for only five.²

What to Bring to Your Appointment

First-time applicants of any age must apply in person using Form DS-11. Fill it out online at travel.state.gov or pick up a paper copy at the acceptance facility. Complete every field, but do not sign it. You’ll sign in front of the acceptance agent and take an oath.³⁴

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

Bring an original. The usual options are a certified birth certificate issued by a U.S. state or territory, a Certificate of Naturalization, a Certificate of Citizenship, or a previous undamaged U.S. passport. Hospital-issued birth certificates and birth announcements don’t count. Also bring a photocopy of the front and back, because the original is mailed to the State Department with your application and returned separately.

Proof of Identity

A valid South Carolina driver’s license or state-issued photo ID is the simplest option. A previous U.S. passport, military ID, or government employee ID also works. The ID must be current and undamaged. Bring a photocopy of both sides.

Passport Photo

Your photo must be 2×2 inches, in color, taken against a plain white or off-white background within the last six months. Keep a neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed. Remove all eyeglasses, including prescription glasses; the only exception is a signed doctor’s note explaining a medical reason you can’t.⁵ Religious head coverings are allowed as long as your full face is visible. Many Greenville post offices and pharmacies take passport photos on site.

Where to Apply in Greenville

Greenville has several passport acceptance facilities, most inside U.S. Post Office branches, including locations on Orchard Park Drive, Laurens Road, and North Pleasantburg Drive. Hours and availability change, so use the State Department’s facility finder at iafdb.travel.state.gov. Enter your ZIP code to see every authorized location nearby with contact information.⁶

Most USPS locations in Greenville require an appointment. Schedule one through the USPS appointment system at tools.usps.com. Appointments run about 15 minutes per applicant, so book a separate slot for each family member who needs a passport. Arrive about 10 minutes early with everything ready.

What It Costs

First-time applicants pay two separate fees at the appointment: an application fee to the U.S. Department of State and an execution (acceptance) fee to the facility.⁷

Adult passport book (first-time): $130 application fee plus $35 execution fee, $165 total
Adult passport card (first-time): $30 plus $35, $65 total
Both book and card together: $160 plus $35, $195 total
Expedited processing (optional add-on): $60

The application fee is typically paid by check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” The execution fee goes to the facility and can often be paid by credit card, debit card, money order, or cash depending on the location. Come prepared with two separate payments.⁸

How Long It Takes

Routine processing is four to six weeks from the day the State Department receives your application, and that window does not include mailing time on either end. Your documents travel from Greenville to a processing center, and the finished passport ships back. Add a couple of weeks on top to be safe.¹

Expedited service costs an extra $60 and cuts the timeline to two to three weeks. Request it when you submit your application. You can also pay for 1-2 day delivery to speed up the mailing on both ends.⁷ If your trip is less than six weeks away, expedited is worth the money.

Once your application has been in the system a few days, track it at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four of your Social Security number.⁹

Life-or-Death Emergencies

If you are traveling internationally within 14 days because of a life-or-death emergency involving an immediate family member abroad (parent, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent), you may qualify for an appointment at a regional passport agency. You’ll need documentation of the emergency, such as a hospital letter on letterhead signed by a doctor or a death certificate, plus proof of upcoming travel like a flight itinerary.¹⁰

Greenville does not have a regional passport agency. The nearest one is in Atlanta. Try booking online first. If that doesn’t work, call 1-877-487-2778 on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET. For after-hours or weekend emergencies, call 202-647-4000.¹⁰

Applying for a Child Under 16

Children’s applications come with an extra layer that trips up a lot of families. Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child and bring a valid photo ID. Facilities enforce this strictly as a child-safety measure.¹¹

If one parent cannot attend, that parent must complete Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) in front of a notary public and provide a photocopy of their ID. The attending parent submits the notarized form with the application.

If you have sole legal custody or are the only listed parent, you can apply without the other parent’s consent. Bring a court order granting sole custody, a birth certificate listing only one parent, or a certified death certificate of the other parent. If custody is shared but you genuinely cannot locate the other parent, submit Form DS-5525 (Statement of Special Family Circumstances) explaining the situation. The State Department may ask for additional documentation like a custody order or restraining order before issuing the passport.¹¹

Already Have a Passport?

If you’re renewing rather than applying for the first time, you may be able to skip the in-person appointment entirely and renew by mail with Form DS-82. You qualify if your most recent passport was issued within the last 15 years, was issued when you were 16 or older, is undamaged, is available to submit, was never reported lost or stolen, and was issued in your current name (or you can include a name-change document). Renewal by mail costs $130 for a book with no execution fee, because no acceptance facility is involved.¹²⁷ If you don’t meet every one of those conditions, you’ll apply in person with DS-11 just like a first-time applicant.

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U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
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USAGov. Apply for a New Adult Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status
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U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport if you Have a Life-or-Death Emergency
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail