Passports

This page has information regarding applying for a passport through the Dane County Clerk of Courts. Please follow these steps to ensure a timely and efficient passport processing.

Where do I apply for a passport?

Dane County Courthouse Room 1002 215 South Hamilton Street Madison, WI 53703-3285

Map to Courthouse

You can come to Room 1002 of the Dane County Courthouse, 215 South Hamilton Street, Madison, WI 53703 between 7:45 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday.

If you are applying for a first time passport or are unable to locate a prior passport, you will need to complete a current DS-11 form. We provide this form at no charge to individuals (large group or organizations, with the exception of schools, must purchase the forms directly from the Passport Agency). If you download a form from the internet at www.travel.state.gov, it must be a good quality copy in order for us to accept it.

You may fill out the application at the Clerk of Courts Office or take it with you.

You must have the following when applying:

1. Passport Application (unsigned)
2. Two identical passport photos (these can be obtained from any photo studio)
3. A certified copy of your birth certificate which has been registered with the state in which you were born (this needs to be submitted with the application and it will be returned with your passport). (Hospital copies are not acceptable) OR a previous passport in lieu of a birth certificate. When a previous passport is submitted with a child’s application, a certified copy of their birth certificate must also accompany the application. This is to establish a clear relationship to the parent. Naturalized U.S. citizens must submit the original signed naturalization certificate in lieu of a birth certificate. This will be returned with the passport.
4. Your driver’s license or state ID with a photo for identification – All applicants, even children under the age of 14, must now appear in person to apply. We will use the parent’s driver’s license for identification of anyone 17 or younger. Both parents or legal guardian(s) must be present when applying for a passport for a child under 14. If only one parent/guardian appears you must also submit one of the following:

   Second parent's/guardian's notarized written statement consenting to passport issuance for the child, Primary evidence of sole authority to apply, OR A written statement, form DS-3053 (made under penalty of perjury) explaining the second parent's unavailability.

If you have all the necessary information and your application is completed correctly, the time necessary for us to process it should be 15 minutes or less.

Passport applications need two forms of payment:

1. A check or money order payable to U.S. Department of State
   • $75.00 Standard application for adults (age 16 and over)
   • $60.00 Standard application for children (under 16)
   • $60.00 Fee to expedite application (additional per person)
2. Cash, credit card, check or money order payable to Clerk of Courts
   • $25.00 for each application

The normal processing time is 6 weeks. If you will be departing in less than 4 to 6 weeks, you should expedite your application. It is not recommended to expedite unless necessary. There is an additional fee to expedite regardless of the age of the applicant. If you will be leaving in less than a month, you will want to overnight the application as well. If there is more than one applicant for expedited passports, the applications can be over-nighted together to the Passport Agency. You must have a separate return overnight envelope for each application. You can expect to receive an expedited passport back in approximately 2 weeks depending how it is sent. The Passport Agency does require 3 business days for processing of expedited applications.

Renewals

If you had a previous passport, you can renew it, if you meet all of the following criteria:

1. The issue date of your last passport was less than 15 years ago
2. You were 16 or older when it was issued
3. Your name is the same or you can submit name-change documentation (marriage certificate or court order)
4. You can submit this passport
5. It is undamaged

Renewal forms and instructions are available on the internet at www.travel.state.gov. You can mail a renewal form (DS-82) to the nearest Passport Agency listed on the back of the form with the proper fee, two new photos and your expired passport. You can also expedite renewal forms for an additional $60 fee. Children cannot have their passports renewed unless they were over 16 when their previous passport was issued and they meet the criteria.

Appointment System in Chicago

If you have an overseas emergency or extremely urgent travel scheduled, you may be required to apply in person for a will call service. The Chicago Agency is one of a number of Passport Agencies that has installed an appointment system to improve customer service. The Chicago Agency is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 PM. Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, but customers can call (312)341-6020, 24 hours a day to schedule an appointment.

Immigration and Naturalization Service

If you have any questions relating to immigration matters, please refer to the INS Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. INS operators are available 8a.m. to 6p.m., Monday through Friday. Automated information is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may also visit the INS website at www.uscis.gov.

Misspelled Names

Misspelled names and wrong dates or places of birth can occur due to the large volume of passports that are processed. If you do not have urgent travel plans, you can simply mail the passport back to:

New Orleans Passport Agency
Attn: Rewrite
One Canal Place
365 Canal Street, Suite 1300
New Orleans, LA 70130-6508

Include a note explaining the error, and the Passport Agency will re-issue the passport at no charge to you. If you have imminent travel planned, please return to the acceptance agency and advise them to call the Passport Agency to discuss options that will best meet your needs.

Obtaining Copies of Birth Records

The Passport Agency will only accept a certified copy of your birth certificate that is registered with the Register of Deed/Bureau of Vital Statistics in the County in which you were born, or with the State in which you were born. You can order a copy by phone with a credit card from most states. For information, call 1-800-255-2414. To order online, visit the Vital Records Website at www.vitalcheck.com.

Passport and Travel Info

To view the status of your passport application and other travel information visit the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, which includes Passport Services, on the Internet at www.travel.state.gov.

If you need to inquire about the issuance of your passport, the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) can assist you. You may speak with a Customer Service Representative by calling:

1-877-487-2778
TTY/TDD Users: 1-888-874-7793
E-mail: NPIC@state.gov

Customer Service Representatives are available Monday-Friday (excluding Federal holidays). All services are available in English and Spanish.