Dual and multiple citizenship is permitted under U.S. law. All U.S. citizens are required to enter and exit the United States using a valid U.S. passport. If you have questions about which passport to use to enter and exit another country, contact the immigration authorities of that country.
How to claim U.S. citizenship and apply for your first U.S. passport
If you are 18 or over and you were born outside the United States, you may have a claim to U.S. citizenship if one or both of your parents was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth. Please follow the guidance below.
Step 1) Check if you qualify for U.S. citizenship
A U.S. official can only determine citizenship as part of a formal application. We are unable to pre-assess applications or advise on the likelihood of issuance before that process. If you think you may have a claim, we encourage you to apply.
Step 2) Complete the passport application form (Form DS-11)
Click here to complete Form DS-11 online. After you have answered the questions, Form DS-11 will generate as a PDF file. You must print the form because it will not be submitted to us electronically. Do not sign the form until you are asked to sign it during your appointment. Please print the form single sided.
Step 3) Obtain a U.S. passport photo
Visit travel.state.gov for U.S. passport photograph requirements, including instructions, image size, and examples.
Step 4) Obtain evidence from your U.S. citizen parent(s)
If your U.S. citizen parent is deceased, please assemble as many of the documents listed below as you can, together with your parent’s death certificate. The consular officer will advise you during your appointment if additional evidence is required.
1) Affidavit of parentage
Click here to download and print the Affidavit of Parentage (PDF, 4 pages, 518KB).
- If your U.S. citizen parent is in the Bermuda, they should accompany you to your appointment at the Consulate to sign the affidavit under oath.
- If your U.S. citizen parent is in the United States, the affidavit can be signed before a notary public. Your parent should send the affidavit to you together with a notarized copy of the ID your parent showed to the notary.
- If your U.S. citizen parent is in another country, they can sign the affidavit under oath at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
2) Physical presence
Physical presence is the actual time your U.S. citizen parent was physically within the borders of the United States before your birth. Please double-check the transmission requirements on the Department of State’s website to see what evidence you need to provide and over what period of time.
Examples of physical presence may include:
- Education records or transcripts
- Employment records
- Expired passports with evidence of travel to the United States
Other proof may be accepted depending on the circumstances of your case. Please bring as much documentation as you have. You can discuss this with the consular officer during your appointment.
3) Evidence of parentage
Credible and substantial evidence of the blood relationship between yourself and your U.S. parent(s) is required in the form of a birth certificate.
4) Evidence of your parent(s) U.S. citizenship when you were born
Such as a U.S. passport, U.S. birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of Naturalization.
5) Evidence of your parents’ marriage (if applicable)
If your parents are or were married to each other at the time of your birth, their civil/legal marriage certificate will be required. If your parents are no longer married, we will also require evidence of the termination of the marriage, such as a divorce certificate or death certificate.
6) Evidence of your parents’ change of names (if applicable)
If your parents have ever changed their names since your birth, provide the relevant documentation (such as marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or change of name deed).
Step 5) Assemble your documents
- Form DS-11
- Your U.S. passport photograph
- Evidence from your U.S. citizen parent
- Your birth certificate
- Your identifying documents. Please provide all current and expired foreign passports that you have.
- Evidence of name change (if applicable). If you have ever changed your name since birth, provide the relevant documentation (such as marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or change of name deed).
Additional documentation may be requested depending on the circumstances of the case. You will be advised during your appointment if additional evidence is required.
Certificates must either be the originals or certified copies provided by the certificate issuing authority. Your original documents will be returned to you during the appointment.
If any documents are not in English, you must bring a translation supplied by an official translator as well as the original document in the original language.
Step 6) Book an appointment
Once you are confident you have assembled all required items, please email hamiltonconsulate@state.gov to request an appointment. Please be sure to note in your email that you were born abroad, are over the age of 18, and are applying for your first U.S. passport.
Step 7) Pay fees on the day of your appointment
The fee is $165 for the passport application. You will need to pay the necessary fee during the appointment.
- Credit or debit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Discover or American Express.
Card transactions are made in U.S. dollars and may be subject to additional fees applied by your card provider. - Cash: in U.S. dollars or Bermuda currency (or a combination of both) is accepted.
We cannot accept contactless payment of any kind.
Step 8) Processing and delivery
For an approved passport application, the average timeframe is approximately three weeks until the Consulate receives your passport. You will be emailed with pick-up instructions once your passport is received by the Consulate.
This estimate is for guidance only as some cases can take longer to process or additional information may be requested by the officer on the day of your appointment.
