Consulate General of the United States Guadalajara, Mexico

The passport application process includes the collection of supporting documentation, the filling out of an application form, and a personal interview.

While individual experience may differ, the steps below outline what you can expect in the standard passport application process.

Step 1: Make an Appointment

All passport applicants must make an appointment and apply in person. Appointments may be scheduled online here.

Step 2: Get Pictures Taken

You must bring 2 U.S. passport-sized (2” x 2”, or 5 cm x 5 cm) pictures with you. Please note that these photos are larger than the photos required for a Mexican passport. There are no facilities at the Consulate to take pictures.

Your photographs must be:

• Identical;
• In color;
• 2" x 2" in size (between 1" and 1 3/8" from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head;
• Taken in normal street attire. Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily.
• Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair unless it is for religious purposes and worn daily.
• You may not wear dark glasses unless you need them for medical reasons.
• Recently-issued

Note: Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable.

Step 3: Collect Proof of Citizenship and Photo Identification

First-time passport applicants in Mexico must provide both primary and secondary proof of U.S. citizenship.

Primary proof of citizenship: Certified U.S. birth certificate. An official long form birth certificate with safety features is required. A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar's signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office. Abstracts, photocopies, or mutilated certificates cannot be accepted.

Other acceptable forms of primary proof of citizenship are:

1. Previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport
2. Consular Report of Birth Abroad
3. Certificate of Naturalization
4. Certificate of Citizenship

Secondary proof of birth: Documents from the hospital where the applicant was born, such as: wrist bands, crib cards, discharge orders, hospital certificate, or immunization records. American baptismal records may also be accepted.  

Identification: Valid, photo identification issued by a government authority. Some acceptable forms of identification include: driver’s license, U.S. military ID card, Mexican electoral card, Mexican passport, Mexican professional credentials.

If the applicant is over 12 years of age, he/she must present original Mexican school certificates issued by the Mexican Secretariat of Public Education (primary, secondary and prep school) with a photograph and seal.  If the applicant does not have the original certificates or can only provide re-issued certificates with a recent photograph, it may be necessary to present another form of identification, which will be determined by the consular officer.

Step 4: Fill out Form DS-11 Online

Fill out and print your passport application, Form DS-11. You will need to bring it with you to your appointment. 

Note: Do not sign the application until you have been instructed to do so by a consular officer.

Note: By federal law, you must provide a Social Security number if you have one. 

Parental Consent for Minors

All applicants under the age of 16 must have parental consent. When possible, both parents should personally appear with valid photo identification. If only one parent is present at the time of application, it is necessary to bring:

• Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor (PDF 28 KB) signed by the absent parent before a U.S. Consular Officer or Notary Public, or
• U.S. notarized written consent (in English) signed by the absent parent authorizing the applying parent to request a U.S. passport for the minor child, and
• A copy of the absent parent’s identification with a clear photograph and signature.

If only one parent has custody it is necessary to bring proof that the parent executing the application has sole custody of the child. Examples of proof include: birth certificate listing the mother as the only named parent, court order granting sole legal custody to one parent, or death certificate of deceased parent. Documents presented as proof must be original.

Step 5: Your Appointment and Interview

Please arrive at the Consulate early, in order to allow time to go through the security procedures. Do not forget to bring your photo I.D., proof of citizenship, completed forms, passport pictures, and any other required paperwork with you.

For reasons of security, please be advised that no food, drinks, or other prohibited items will be allowed into the Consulate.

Fees

The total fee for an adult passport is $135 USD + delivery service fee.

The total fee for a minor passport is $105 USD + delivery service fee.

Fees must be paid in the Consulate at the time of your appointment. Payment must be made in cash, either U.S. dollars or the Mexican peso equivalent, or with a major credit card. Credit cards will be charged in U.S. dollars. Checks cannot be accepted. The delivery service fee must be paid in cash in Mexican pesos.

Additional Passport Pages

There is now a fee for adding extra pages to an existing US passport. To avoid this issue, if you frequently find yourself in need of extra pages in your passport book, you may request a 52-page passport book rather than a 28-page passport book at no extra charge. This request must be made concurrently with the application for the new passport.