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Second U.S. passport answers

Second Passport FAQs

Clear answers on getting a second U.S. passport fast: who qualifies, the letter explaining your need, forms, fees and traveling with two passports, backed by official State Department sources.

Reviewed by Philip Diack, Founder· Updated October 22, 2026· 28 questions· Official sources linked

Your second passport: speed & price
+ $216.87 government fee for a second passport book with expedited service
Business days, from when we receive your documents
Start my second passport →
Since 1992500K+ travelers servedPrivate company, not a government agency
Second passport questions: quick answers
How fast can I get a second passport?
With us, as fast as 3-4 Days, counted in business days from when we receive your application.
Full answer ↓
Can you have two U.S. passports at the same time?
Yes, when you have a real travel need for the second one.
Full answer ↓
What goes in the letter explaining why I need a second passport?
A short, signed statement with your reason and your travel plans.
Full answer ↓
How much does a second passport cost?
Two parts: our service fee (Emergency $449, Rush $349, Priority $249, Essential $199) and the government fee ($216.87).
Full answer ↓
Which form do I use for a second passport?
Most people use Form DS-82, with no in-person visit.
Full answer ↓
How does your second passport service work?
Order online, send us your documents, and we do the rest.
Full answer ↓
Do it yourself
Work out the right form, write a letter explaining your need, get a compliant photo and send everything in yourself. Routine processing currently takes 4–6 weeks, or 2–3 weeks expedited, plus shipping each way.
Let us handle it
We prepare your form, check your letter of need, documents and photo before anything is submitted, and courier your application to a passport agency, as fast as 3-4 Days.
Let us handle my second passport →
From $199 + government fee

How fast can you get a second passport?

How fast can I get a second passport?

With us, as fast as 3-4 Days, counted in business days from when we receive your application.

Our speeds are Emergency 3-4 days, Rush 6 days, Priority 8 days, Essential 12 days. Every speed includes preparing your form, checking your letter of need and documents, courier submission to a passport agency and tracked overnight return.

Can I get a second passport while my other one is at an embassy for a visa?

Yes, that’s the most common reason for one.

You keep traveling on your second passport while your main passport is held for a visa, then switch back. Our fastest speed, Emergency Expedited, gets your second passport to you in 3-4 Days from when we receive your application.

When should I apply for a second passport?

As soon as you know a visa application will hold your passport over a trip.

If your next trip is close, choose a faster speed: with us it takes days, not weeks. Frequent travelers often keep a second passport ready so they never have to plan around a visa.

Passport about to be held for a visa? Our fastest speed gets your second one back in 3-4 Days.See second passport speeds →

Who can get a second U.S. passport?

Can you have two U.S. passports at the same time?

Yes, when you have a real travel need for the second one.

U.S. citizens can hold two valid passport books at once. You explain the need in a signed letter with the application.

Why would someone get a second passport?

Mainly to keep traveling while the other passport is held for a visa, or because of conflicting entry rules.

Frequent business travelers often need both: one passport can be at an embassy for a visa while they travel on the other. Some travelers also need one because a country they visit objects to evidence of travel to another country.

Is a second passport only for business travel?

No. Business travelers use them most, but anyone with a qualifying travel need can apply.

For example, a traveler whose passport will be held for a visa over a planned trip can apply, with a letter explaining the dates.

Can I get a second passport because of conflicting entry rules?

Yes. If one country you visit refuses travelers whose passports show visits to another, a second passport keeps those trips separate.

Explain the conflict and your travel plans in your letter of need. We check the letter before anything is submitted.

Who can’t get a second passport?

Anyone without a valid first U.S. passport, or without a real travel need for the second.

A second passport isn’t a spare in case one is lost. If your first passport is lost, stolen or damaged, you replace it instead.

Not sure you qualify? We check your reason and letter before anything is submitted.Start my second passport →

The letter of need for a second passport

What goes in the letter explaining why I need a second passport?

A short, signed statement with your reason and your travel plans.

For example, the visa your main passport will be held for and the trips you need to take meanwhile, with dates. Keep it factual and specific. We check the letter before anything is submitted.

Do I need a letter from my employer?

For business travel, yes: a letter on company letterhead explaining the travel need.

It should confirm your role, why you need to travel while your passport is held, and the dates. Your own signed statement goes in as well.

I’m self-employed. Who writes the letter?

You do, on your business letterhead if you have one.

Explain the business reason for the travel, the visa your main passport will be held for and the dates. Include your trip details if you have them.

Do I need to show my travel plans?

It helps. Include your upcoming trips and the visa your main passport will be held for.

Itineraries or booking confirmations make the need clear. We tell you exactly what to include when you order.

We check your letter of need so it doesn’t hold up the application.Start my second passport →

Second passport cost and fees

How much does a second passport cost?

Two parts: our service fee (Emergency $449, Rush $349, Priority $249, Essential $199) and the government fee ($216.87).

Our service fee depends on the speed you choose. The government fee already includes the State Department’s expedite fee and 1–2 day return delivery. You see both before you pay.

Is the government fee the same as for a regular passport?

Yes. A second passport book has the same government fee as any adult passport book.

With expedited service it’s $216.87. If you have to use Form DS-11, there’s also the $35 acceptance fee where you sign.

Do I pay the $35 acceptance fee?

Only if you apply with Form DS-11, which is signed in person.

Most people use Form DS-82, with no in-person step and no acceptance fee.

Our fee and the government fee are shown separately before you pay.See my second passport price →

Second passport forms, documents and photo

Which form do I use for a second passport?

Most people use Form DS-82, with no in-person visit.

That works if your current passport was issued in the last 15 years when you were 16 or older. If not, it’s Form DS-11, signed in person. Either way you include your letter of need, and we prepare the form and tell you exactly what to send.

What documents do I need for a second passport?

The right form, one new passport photo and a signed letter explaining your need.

For business travel, add a letter from your employer. We tell you exactly what else to send for your situation when you order.

Do I need a new photo for a second passport?

Yes. One 2x2 inch color photo, taken in the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background.

No glasses, no hats unless for religious or medical reasons, and no filters or edits. We check your photo before anything is submitted.

We prepare the right form and check every document before it’s submitted.Get my documents checked →

How our second passport service works

How does your second passport service work?

Order online, send us your documents, and we do the rest.

Tell us why you need a second passport and when you travel. We prepare your form, check your letter and photo, and you send everything to us with our prepaid overnight label. Our courier takes it to a passport agency and your second passport comes back by tracked overnight delivery.

What do you do, and what do I do?

We prepare, check, submit and track. You sign the form and send us your documents.

We check your letter of need, documents and photo against the State Department’s rules and coordinate courier submission and tracked return. Approval is always the State Department’s decision.

Do I have to go anywhere in person?

Not with Form DS-82, which most people use.

Only Form DS-11 is signed in person, about 15 minutes at an acceptance facility, such as a post office; then you send it to us.

We prepare your form, check everything and courier it to a passport agency.Start my second passport →

Traveling with two U.S. passports

How long is a second passport valid?

Usually 4 years, shorter than a regular adult passport.

When it expires, you can apply again if you still need one.

Can I renew my second passport?

Yes, if you still have a travel need for it.

You apply again with a new letter explaining the need, and with us it moves at the same speeds, as fast as 3-4 Days.

Which passport do I travel on, and can I use both on one trip?

Use one passport for each trip, and leave and re-enter each country on the same one.

Book your tickets in that passport’s details. Switching passports mid-trip causes problems at border checks, so carry the one that matches your booking.

Does Global Entry work with my second passport?

Your Global Entry membership is linked to the passport details in your Trusted Traveler profile.

If you’ll travel on your second passport, update your profile with its details before you fly.

Is a second U.S. passport the same as dual citizenship?

No. It’s a second book of the same U.S. citizenship.

Dual citizens hold passports from two different countries. As a U.S. citizen, you must leave and enter the U.S. on your U.S. passport.

My spouse and I both need passports. Is that a second passport?

No: each person gets their own passport.

If you each need a passport, choose renewal or a new passport for each of you. We handle couples and families together, at the same speeds.

Can you help if I’m not a U.S. citizen?

A second U.S. passport is only for U.S. citizens.

If you hold another country’s passport, its embassy or consulate decides whether it issues a second one. We can still help with your travel: we handle visas for travelers of any nationality.

Keep traveling while your main passport is away. Start online in about 10 minutes.Start my second passport →
Need your second passport fast?
We prepare your application, check every document before it’s submitted, and courier it to a passport agency, as fast as 3–4 days.
Start my second passport →
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PassportsAndVisas.com is a private company and is not a government agency. Government fees are set by the U.S. Department of State and are shown separately from our service fee.