To get a passport in Madison, WI, you’ll fill out Form DS-11, gather proof of citizenship and a photo ID, and bring everything in person to an authorized acceptance facility such as the Madison Public Library, a local post office, or the Dane County Clerk of Courts. A first-time adult passport book costs $165 total, and you should plan on six to ten weeks from the day you submit to the day the passport lands in your mailbox.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Four things, and all four need to be in hand before you walk in. Showing up short on any of them is the most common reason people get turned away.
Proof of U.S. citizenship. An original or certified document: a U.S. birth certificate from a city, county, or state vital records office; a previous undamaged U.S. passport issued for full validity; a Consular Report of Birth Abroad; or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. If you’re using a birth certificate, it must show your full name, date and place of birth, both parents’ full names, the filing date (within one year of your birth), the registrar’s signature, and the seal of the issuing authority. Digital or electronic birth certificates are not accepted.1U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
Photo ID. A current, undamaged Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID works. Make sure you still reasonably look like the photo.
One passport photo. Color, 2×2 inches, taken within the past six months against a plain white or off-white background. Neutral expression, both eyes open, no glasses. If a medical condition prevents you from removing glasses, bring a signed note from your doctor.2U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos The Madison Public Library, many pharmacies, and shipping stores can take the photo for you.
Photocopies. Legible black-and-white copies of both sides of your citizenship document and both sides of your photo ID, printed on standard 8.5-by-11-inch white paper. The acceptance agent keeps these with your application.
Fill Out Form DS-11, But Don’t Sign It
Every first-time applicant uses Form DS-11, which you can download from the State Department website or pick up at any acceptance facility.3U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport DS-11 Complete it fully at home. Do not sign it. The acceptance agent must witness your signature in person and administer an oath, so a form signed in advance means starting over with a fresh one.
Where to Apply in Madison
You submit the application in person at an authorized acceptance facility. In Madison, the most commonly used options are the Madison Public Library, several U.S. Post Office branches around the area, and the Dane County Clerk of Courts. Most require appointments, so call ahead or check the facility’s website before you drive over. The State Department’s online locator at iafdb.travel.state.gov lists every nearby facility with hours and contact information.
At the appointment, the acceptance agent will review your documents, watch you sign Form DS-11, administer the oath, and seal the application packet to send to a passport processing center. You’ll leave without your birth certificate or other original citizenship document, which gets mailed back to you separately after processing.
What It Costs
Applying with Form DS-11 means two separate payments: the application fee to the U.S. Department of State and a $35 acceptance fee to the facility. Here’s what first-time applicants pay:
- Adult passport book: $130 + $35 = $165
- Adult passport card: $30 + $35 = $65
- Adult book and card together: $160 + $35 = $195
- Child (under 16) passport book: $100 + $35 = $135
- Child (under 16) passport card: $15 + $35 = $50
Pay the application fee by check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State,” with the applicant’s name and date of birth in the memo line. The $35 acceptance fee is paid separately to the facility, and accepted payment methods vary by location, so confirm before you go.4U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees Both fees are nonrefundable even if the passport isn’t issued.
A quick word on which document to get: the passport book works for all international travel. The passport card is cheaper but only valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean nations. You cannot board an international flight with just the card.5U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport Card If you’re only getting one, get the book.
How Long It Takes
Routine processing is four to six weeks from the time the processing center receives your application. Expedited processing cuts that to two to three weeks for an extra $60.6U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passports Those windows only count the agency’s work. They don’t include mail time, which can add up to two weeks for the application to reach the center and another one to three weeks for the finished passport to come back.
You can speed up the return trip by paying $22.05 for 1-to-3-day Priority Mail Express delivery of the completed passport. Include that amount in your check or money order to the State Department. Do not include a prepaid return envelope.7U.S. Department of State. How to Get my U.S. Passport Fast The acceptance facility can also sell you Priority Mail Express for the outbound trip, with pricing that varies by location.
Realistic planning: routine processing with standard shipping on both ends runs eight to ten weeks. Expedited with faster shipping both ways can arrive in three to four weeks. Book travel accordingly.
Applying for a Child
Children under 16 must appear in person, and both parents or legal guardians must be there with valid photo ID to sign the application. The child’s birth certificate covers both proof of citizenship and the parental relationship.8U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Childs Passport Under 16
If one parent cannot attend, the absent parent must complete a notarized Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent and provide a photocopy of the front and back of their valid photo ID.9U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child This is where family applications stall most often, because parents don’t realize the form is required until they’re standing at the counter. Get it notarized ahead of time if there’s any doubt both parents can be there.
Passports for children under 16 are valid for five years and cannot be renewed; when they expire, you repeat the full in-person process with Form DS-11.10USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
Applicants aged 16 or 17 can apply on their own with their own ID, but a parent must either attend the appointment or provide a signed statement acknowledging the application. Their passports are valid for ten years, same as adults.
Already Have a Passport?
Form DS-11 and the in-person appointment are for first-time applicants. If your prior passport was issued when you were 16 or older, within the last 15 years, is undamaged, and is in your current name (or you can document a name change), you can usually renew by mail using Form DS-82 instead, skipping the acceptance facility entirely.11U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail The State Department also runs an online renewal portal at opr.travel.state.gov for eligible applicants who want routine service; it’s the only authorized site, so steer clear of third-party sites charging extra to do the same thing.12U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online
Traveling Internationally in the Next Two Weeks?
If you have international travel within 14 days, Madison’s nearest regional passport agency is the Chicago Passport Agency at 101 Ida B. Wells Drive, 9th Floor, Chicago, IL 60605, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive. Appointments are mandatory and must be booked by calling 1-877-487-2778.13U.S. Department of State. Apply at the Chicago Passport Agency
You’ll need printed proof of international travel (flight itinerary, hotel reservation, or cruise booking) and must pay the $60 expedited fee on top of normal application fees. The agency takes credit cards, debit cards, and contactless payments like Apple Pay. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, closed federal holidays.
For genuine life-or-death emergencies, such as the death or critical illness of an immediate family member abroad, the State Department can expedite service even inside three business days of travel. Call 1-877-487-2778 to request an emergency appointment.7U.S. Department of State. How to Get my U.S. Passport Fast