Passports
City Hall
1924 Council Street
Forest Grove, OR 97116

Phone: 503.992.3223
Fax: 503.992.3207

Office Hours:
Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Applying for a U.S. PassportYou must apply in person if:

1. You are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time.
2. Your previous U.S. passport was lost, stolen, or damaged.
3. Your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago.
4. Your previous passport has expired and it was issued when you were under 16.
5. Your name has changed since your passport was issued and you do not have a legal document formally changing your name.

To Apply in Person for a U.S. Passport, You MUST:1. Provide Application for Passport, Form DS-11

• To download an application form, go to the Department of State website at www.travel.state.gov or forms can be obtained from any passport agency or acceptance facility, such as the City of Forest Grove, Washington County or Yamhill County.

NOTE: Please do NOT sign the DS-11 application form until the Passport Acceptance Agent instructs you to do so.

2. Present Proof of U.S. Citizenship
All documentation submitted as evidence of U.S. Citizenship will be returned with the issued passport. You may prove U.S. Citizenship with any one of the following:

• Previous U.S. Passport (mutilated, altered, or damaged passports are not acceptable as evidence of U.S. citizenship.)
• Certified birth certificate (notorized copy not acceptable) issued by the city, county or state in which you were born.

NOTE: 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, which must be within 1 year of your birth. Please note that some short (abstract) versions of birth certificates may not be acceptable for passport purposes, such as those from California and Texas.

• Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth (need link).
• Naturalization Certificate.
• Certificate of Citizenship.

A Delayed Birth Certificate filed more than one year after your birth may be acceptable if it:

• Listed the documentation used to create it and
• Signed by the attending physician or midwife, or, lists an affidavit signed by the parents, or shows early public records.

If you do NOT have a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Birth on file, please ask a Passport Acceptance Agent what you will need, or go to www.travel.state.gov for more information.

Voter registration cards and Army discharge papers are NOT proof of citizenship.

3. Present Proof of Identity You may prove your identity with any one of these, if you are recognizable:

• Previous U.S. passport (mutilated, altered, or damaged passports are not acceptable as proof of identity.)
• Naturalization Certificate
• Current, valid:

• Driver's license
• Government ID: city, state or federal
• Military ID: military and dependents

NOTE: Your Social Security Card does NOT prove your identity.

If none of these are available, you will need:

1. Some signature documents, not acceptable alone as ID
(examples: a combination of documents, such as your Social Security card, school ID, employer ID, credit card, bank card, library card, etc.)

AND

2. A person who can vouch for you. He/she must:

• Have known you for at least 2 years,
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident,
• Have valid ID, and
• Fill out a Form DS-71 in the presence of a passport agent.

4. Provide Two Passport Photos Your photographs must be:

• 2x2 inches in size
• Identical
• Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
• Color
• Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background
• Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches 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 or hairline.
• If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture.
• Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required.

5. Pay the Applicable Fee FEES ARE NON REFUNDABLE

Two separate payments must be made for each passport application, as indicated below.

Payment 1, in the form of a check or money order only:

Age 16 and older:

Under Age 16:

Payment 2, in the form of cash, a check or money order only:

6. Minors

    Under Age 16

• Minor must appear in person,
• Parents must present their id,
• Requires both legal parents' or legal guardians' consent (link to website).

Regular processing of Passport Applications takes six to eight weeks.

To expedite your passport application, an additional fee of $60.00 is required, payable to the U.S. Department of State. The expedited service takes approximately four weeks.

If you need your passport in as little as two weeks, in addition to the expedited service fee of $60.00, you will need to include the postage one way for Express (overnight) Mail with your payment to the US Department of State.  You will also need to provide, from the Post Office, an Express (overnight) Mail envelope, including label and postage to expedite mailing from the City to the Passport Facility.  The acceptance agent will complete the label prior to mailing your application.  The postage for Express (overnight) Mail is currently $16.25 one way.

Forest Grove has a noon cut-off time for processing expedited applications with overnight delivery.

If your travel plans necessitate a quicker turn around time than two weeks, you must make an appointment and apply in person at the Seattle Passport Office and show proof of travel.