You cannot fax a U.S. passport application or renewal. The State Department needs original citizenship evidence, a passport photo, and payment, so applications go by mail or in person. The only general passport fax number the State Department publishes is 202-485-6496, and it serves a narrow purpose: legal guardians who want to control a ward's passport, and official law enforcement requests. For urgent travel, call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778.

This page explains why fax does not work for passports, which official fax lines do exist and who they are for, and what to do instead when you are short on time.

  • No fax route for new passports, renewals, or status checks
  • One verified passport fax for guardianship and law enforcement requests
  • The faster alternatives when your trip is close

Table of Contents

Why passport applications cannot be faxed

A passport application is not just a form. It travels with your original or certified proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or previous passport, a physical photo, and a fee. A fax can carry an image of a page, but it cannot carry the original document the State Department has to examine and return.

That is why travel.state.gov does not list a fax number for applications, renewals, name changes, or status questions. Websites that claim to offer a "passport agency fax number" for applications are listing a number that will not process your request. At best the pages are discarded. At worst you have sent a copy of your birth certificate and Social Security number to an unknown machine.

Verified State Department fax numbers

Verified November 2026 on travel.state.gov:

Who it is for Fax number Source
Legal guardians asking that their approval be required before a ward gets a passport 202-485-6496 Travel.state.gov: Applying as a person with a disability
Law enforcement agencies (on official letterhead): limiting passport use, records requests, questions about returning passports 202-485-6496 Travel.state.gov: Passport information for law enforcement
Discrimination complaints to the State Department's Office of Civil Rights 202-647-4969 Travel.state.gov: Applying as a person with a disability
Passport applications, renewals, status, urgent travel No fax. Call 877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY 888-874-7793) Travel.state.gov: Contact U.S. Passports

The mailing address for the 202-485-6496 office is U.S. Department of State, CA/PPT/S/A, 44132 Mercure Circle, P.O. Box 1243, Sterling, VA 20166-1243. Guardianship letters add "/RA" to the office code.

Judges who want information about a person ordered to surrender a passport are told to mail a letter on official letterhead to the same Sterling address, using the State Department's sample letter. That page does not list a fax option.

The instructions you were given win

If the State Department has written to you about an application, for example to ask for more evidence, follow the letter's instructions exactly. Those letters say how to respond, and the response usually has to go by mail with the documents requested.

If you are outside the United States, passport services are handled by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, which publishes its own contact details. Do not use the Sterling fax for an application abroad.

Legal guardians: how to fax a passport request

This is the one situation where a private individual can usefully fax Passport Services. If you are the court-appointed guardian of an adult and you are worried your ward may apply for a passport without you:

  1. Write a short letter saying that your approval is required before a passport is issued to your ward. Include the ward's full name and date of birth.
  2. Attach a copy of your photo ID. If more than one guardian is named, include each one.
  3. Attach a copy of the court order from a U.S. court that declares your legal guardianship.
  4. Add your contact information: phone number and mailing address.
  5. Fax to 202-485-6496, or mail it to CA/PPT/S/A/RA, 44132 Mercure Circle, P.O. Box 1243, Sterling, VA 20166-1243.
  6. Keep the confirmation together with a copy of everything you sent.

If your ward already received a passport without your approval, travel.state.gov tells guardians to send a cancellation request to the mailing address of the agency or center that issued it, with the passport number and expiry date, your photo ID, and the court order.

Because this request is a one-off, it is a good case for an online fax: you can send a fax online for $2.99 with no subscription and no account, and the confirmation lands in your email.

What to do instead when travel is urgent

Most people searching for a passport fax number are short on time. Fax will not speed anything up. These will:

  • Call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778. Representatives work Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern, and weekends 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., closed on federal holidays. They can help depending on your travel date and whether you have already applied.
  • Book an in-person appointment at a passport agency or center when your travel qualifies. Requests for disability accommodations at an appointment are made by phone with your confirmation number.
  • Apply abroad through the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if you are already overseas.

The State Department asks people not to email for status updates or travel emergencies, because it cannot share personal information by email.

Common mistakes

  • Faxing an application or renewal. It will not be processed, and your documents may sit on a machine you do not control.
  • Trusting "passport fax" directory listings. Many list numbers that belong to the law enforcement and guardianship office, or to nothing at all.
  • Guardianship letters without the court order. The order from a U.S. court is what gives your letter weight.
  • Sending a judge's request by fax. The judges and lawyers page asks for mail on official letterhead.

Fax your passport guardianship request →

Frequently asked questions

Can I fax my passport application?

No. A U.S. passport application needs original or certified citizenship evidence, a passport photo, and payment, so it must be mailed or presented in person. The State Department does not publish any fax number for applications or renewals.

Does the National Passport Information Center have a fax number?

No public one. The State Department's contact page lists phone numbers only: 877-487-2778, and 888-874-7793 for TDD/TTY. It also gives [email protected] for cancelling a passport agency appointment, not for status updates.

What is the 202-485-6496 fax number for?

It belongs to the State Department's passport adjudication office in Sterling, Virginia. Travel.state.gov lists it for legal guardians who want their approval required before a ward is issued a passport, and for official law enforcement requests on agency letterhead.

How do I get a passport fast if I cannot fax anything?

Call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778. Depending on your travel date and whether you have already applied, they can help you get an appointment at a passport agency or center.

Can I fax a discrimination complaint about the passport process?

Yes. Travel.state.gov says complaints for the State Department's Office of Civil Rights can be faxed to 202-647-4969, generally within 180 days of the incident. You can also use the online complaint form or mail.

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