Davidson County, TN | US Passports

US Passports

Davidson County Clerk’s Main Office
523 Mainstream Drive
Nashville, TN 37228
Phone: 615-862-6050 x77021 or 615-862-6050 x77164
Fax: 615-214-3613 or 615-880-2675

Hours
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:00 am to 4:30 pm	8:00 am to 4:30 pm	8:00 am to 4:30 pm	8:00 am to 4:30 pm	8:00 am to 4:30 pm

YOU WILL NEED:
1. A Certified Copy of your Birth Certificate (No photocopies are accepted) If you were born outside of TN, you can order it from www.vitalchek.com or www.vitalrec.com otherwise you can get your TN birth certificate from http://health.nashville.gov/VitalRecords.htm
2. A valid Driver License or State Identification
3. Local checks or Money Orders (See DCC’s Fees)
4. Two (2) official Passport Photos which can be done at our office for $8.00
5. Marriage certificate (for women) to explain the name difference from their birth certificate
6. Old passport book, if available

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PASSPORTS
Please visit http://www.travel.state.gov/ for up-to-date information regarding US Passport regulations and International travel.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PASSPORT BOOKS AND PASSPORT CARDS
The passport card facilitates entry and expedites document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The card may not be used to travel by air. Otherwise, it carries the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport book and is adjudicated to the exact same standards.

A passport book allows to you to travel to many more locations via many more modes of transportation than the passport card alone could. It is possible for you to apply for or have both the passport card and the passport book.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDREN UNDER AGE 16
Minor Children must Apply in Person. All children regardless of age (including newborns and infants) must have their own passport.

Either both parents must be present, or a certified divorce decree with sole custody to the parent present, or the parent present must have a notarized DS-3053 from the parent not present.

1. Submit Proof of U.S. Citizenship (for minors under age 16)

For Minors under Age 16 you must establish proof of citizenship AND proof of relationship. Previous U.S. passports are not acceptable as proof of relationship to the applying parent(s)/guardian(s). See number 3 below for proof of relationship.
For proof of citizenship, you will need to submit one of the following:

Certified U.S. birth certificate; or
Previous fully valid U.S. Passport; or
Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240); or
Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350); or
Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization from USCIS.

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.
Click here for information on the Child Citizenship Act of 2000

2. Present Evidence of Child's Relationship to Parents/Guardians (for minors under age 16)

Note: Previous U.S. passports are not acceptable as proof of relationship to the applying parent(s)/guardian(s).
You will need to submit one of the following:

Certified U.S. birth certificate (with parents' names); or
Certified Foreign Birth Certificate (with parents' names and translation, if necessary); or
Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) (with parents' names); or
Certification of Birth Abroad ( Form DS-1350) (with parents' names); or
Adoption Decree ( with adopting parents' names); or
Court Order Establishing Custody; or
Court Order Establishing Guardianship.

NOTE: If the parent(s)'/guardian's name(s) is/are other than that on these documents, evidence of legal name change is required.

3. Provide Parental Identification (for minors under age 16)

Each parent or guardian must submit one of the following:

Valid Drivers License
Valid Official U.S. Military ID
Valid U.S. Gov't ID
Valid U.S. or Foreign Passport with recognizable photo
Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate from USCIS with recognizable photo
Alien Resident Card from USCIS

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

If none of these are available, you will need:

Some signature documents, not acceptable alone as ID

(Example: a combination of documents, such as your Social Security card, credit card, bank card, library card, etc.)

AND

A person who can attest to your identity. 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. Present Parental Application Permission Documentation (for minors under age 16)

1. Both parents must appear together and sign or
2. One parent appears, signs, and submits second parent's notarized statement of consent authorizing passport issuance for the child (a notarized Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor Under Age 16, or a notarized written statement with the same information on a sheet of paper from the non-appearing parent) or
3. One parents appears, signs, and submits primary evidence of sole authority to apply (such as one of the following):

Child's certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate (with translation, if necessary) listing only applying parent; or
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350) listing only applying parent; or
Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child's travel is restricted by that order); or
Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adopting parent); or
Court order specifically permitting applying parent's or guardian's travel with the child; or
Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent; or
Death certificate of non-applying parent.

If none of the above documentation is available, the applying parent/guardian should submit a Form DS-3053: Statement of Consent or Special Circumstances: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor Under Age 16.

NOTE: A third-party in loco parentis applying on behalf of a minor under the age of 16 must submit a notarized written statement or affidavit from both parents or guardians authorizing a third-party to apply for a passport. When the statement or affidavit is from only one parent/guardian, the third-party must present evidence of sole custody of the authorizing parent/guardian.

A Passport lasts for 10 years for an Adult (over 16 years of age) and for 5 years for a minor (under 16 years of age).

Children under 18 years of age must have a parent or legal guardian with them when applying for a Passport.

All applicants must apply in person for a Passport.

FEES

	Application Fee Payable to the U.S. Department of State	Execution Fee Payable to the Davidson County Clerk’s Office	Total
Passport Book (Age 16 & Older)	$110	$25	$135 (plus $8.00 for photo)
Passport Book (Under Age 16) Requires both parents to be present or the absent parent to complete a DS-3053	$80	$25	$105 (plus $8.00 for photo)
Passport Card (Age 16 & Older)	$30	$25	$55 (plus $8.00 for photo)
Passport Card (Under Age 16) Requires both parents to be present or the absent parent to complete a DS-3053	$15	$25	$40 (plus $8.00 for photo)

Summary of Charges
If needing to expedite a passport (DS-11) application:

U.S. Department of State

A check for $110.00 payable to the U.S. Department of State for Application Fee
A check for $60.00 payable to the U.S. Department of State for Expedited Service
A check for $14.96 payable to the U.S. Department of State for mailing your new passport to you via overnight mail

$184.96 payable to the U.S. Department of State plus...
A check for $25.00 payable to the Davidson County Clerk’s Office for Execution Fee
A check for $17.50 payable to the Davidson County Clerk’s Office for overnight mailing to the Passport Agency OR otherwise a check for $184.96 to the U.S. Department of State and a check for $42.50 to the Davidson County Clerk's Office

If needing to submit a passport (DS-11) application without a rush:

A check for $110.00 payable to the U.S. Department of State for Application Fee plus $25.00 payable to the Davidson County Clerk’s Office for Execution Fee

Routine (Renewal) Service (Form DS-82: Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail)
Non-Refundable

Eligible Adult Applicants Only (See below)

	Application Fee Payable to the U.S. Department of State	An additional fee for the Davidson County Clerk to assist
Passport Book (renewal)	$110	$25
Passport Card (renewal)	$20	$25

You may use Form DS-82 if your previous U.S. passport:

Was issued when you were age 16 or older and
Was issued in the last 15 years and
Is undamaged and can be submitted with your application and
Was issued in your current name or you can document your legal name change

We do charge an additional $8.00 if you have your photos done here.

Acceptable Forms of Payment
The U.S. Department of State will only take checks or money orders. It would be preferred if you bring your checkbook. The Davidson County Clerk can accept any form of payment for its fees but the U.S. Department of State prefers checks. If you do not have checks or money orders available, we can accept other forms of payment for the U.S. Department of State’s fees (and ours) and then remit checks to the U.S. Department of State on your behalf.

Miscellaneous
It is important to realize that you will not be issued a passport immediately here. The completed application will be sent from here (or from a Post Office) to the Passport Services in the US Department of State (for Tennessee that would be in New Orleans ). In order to get your passport the same day, you would need to travel to one of the following agencies:http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_4312.html

NOTE: As of 12/31/2009, the New Orleans Passport Agency says a passport application sent "routine" is taking 4-6 weeks from the date of remittance so please take this in consideration to your needs and your travel plans. For the most up-to-date processing times, please refer to http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/processing/processing_1740.html

The U.S. Department of State does offer an expedited application option for an additional fee of $60.00 per application. Expedited applications have been processed and returned to the applicant in as little as 2-3 weeks.

If you need a passport sooner than two weeks, you should either search the Internet for “Passport Couriers”, hire them, receive their checklist, and visit us to have your passport application assembled and sealed here OR visit one of the Federal Regional Passport Agencies to have your passport book completed as you wait. In order to get your passport the same day, you would need to travel to one of the following agencies: http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_4312.html.

As a service to groups planning a foreign trip, the Davidson County Clerk will send a representative from the Passport Office to process applications on location. Everyone would need to have had their passport photos already taken.