Birth certificates
Birth certificate for a passport: what is accepted
A first U.S. passport needs proof of citizenship, usually a certified birth certificate. Here is what it must show, and the full cost with the passport fees.
Total for your order · Texas
$22
$22 per copy
| First certified copy | $22 |
Office: DSHS Vital Statistics Section. Published processing time: Mail: 25-30 average business days; online: 20-25 average business days (Texas.gov); in person: same day in most cases (Austin central office). Official fee page
A first U.S. passport application, made in person with form DS-11, needs primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, and for people born in the United States that is usually a certified birth certificate issued by the state, county or city of birth. The State Department lists what the certificate must show: the applicant's full name, date and place of birth, the full names of the parents, the signature of the city, county or state registrar, the date the record was filed with the registrar's office, and the seal of the issuing authority. A birth record filed more than one year after the birth can still be used but needs supporting documents. Hospital certificates, souvenir copies, photocopies and notarized copies are refused, and so are many short-form abstracts that leave out the parents' names. The certificate is sent with the application and returned, usually separately from the new passport. In Texas, a certified copy costs $22; for an adult, the passport book costs $130 plus a $35 acceptance fee paid to the facility. The tool below adds them for any state.
Birth certificate plus passport: the total
First passport book, total
$196
| Certified birth certificate | $31 |
| Application fee (State Department) | $130 |
| Execution fee (acceptance facility) | $35 |
Passport fees are federal, from travel.state.gov; the certificate fee is the state office's.
Fees and rules read on official pages by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the fees are checked
The checklist the certificate must pass
| Item on the certificate | Required |
|---|---|
| Full name of the applicant | Yes |
| Date and place of birth | Yes |
| Full names of the parents | Yes |
| Signature of the registrar | Yes |
| Date filed with the registrar | Yes, within one year of birth, or extra evidence |
| Seal of the issuing authority | Yes (raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored) |
Most state long-form copies pass easily. Problems come from short abstracts without parents' names, very old certificates without a filing date, and records filed late. When the state offers a long and a short version, ask for the long one: the certified copy page explains the difference.
Adult, child, renewal
An adult's first passport and every passport for a child under 16 need the certificate. Renewals by mail use the old passport instead, so no birth certificate is needed. For a child, the certificate must also show the parents, because both usually have to consent to the application. The tool below gives the total for an adult or a child in any state.
Birth certificate plus passport: the total
First passport book, total
$174
| Certified birth certificate | $9 |
| Application fee (State Department) | $130 |
| Execution fee (acceptance facility) | $35 |
Passport fees are federal, from travel.state.gov; the certificate fee is the state office's.
Timing the two orders
Order the certificate first, then book the passport appointment once it has arrived. If your state's mail delay is long, use a counter or an online order with express delivery: see how long a birth certificate takes. A certificate with a name that differs from your current name works with a document linking the two, such as a marriage certificate; see name change after marriage.