A Complete Guide to the Passport DS 10 Form

The DS 10 passport form is a document you may need to submit if you do not have a birth certificate or other form of documentation that verifies your birth. If you fall into this category, you will need to locate an affiant who can vouch for the fact that you were born in the United States. Furthermore, this document is critical if you meet the aforementioned requirements and would like to submit a US passport application. However, you may also need to fill out this document if you need to prove to another program that you were born in the country and have U.S. citizenship.

Furthermore, the DS 10 form must be filled out if you cannot prove where or when you were born. Once you find an affiant who can complete this document on your behalf, you should be one step closer to completing your passport application request. Whether you are filling out this form because you or your child does not have a passport, the information below explains how you can complete this process.

How do I know if I need a birth affidavit?

Most individuals know if they need to obtain a birth affidavit. This is due to the fact that residents who need to get this document do not have records of their own birth certificates. Furthermore, this is a circumstance that has likely prohibited them from obtaining federal identification in the past. Therefore, it does not usually come as a surprise to individuals when they learn that they need to fill out a DS 10 form.

Generally, you should request an affidavit for a birth certificate if ypou would like to apply for a passport but do not have any documents that verify your birth. Even if you do not need to prove your birth in the near future, obtaining one of these affidavits is a good idea. It can be more difficult to obtain witnesses and proper documentation as time passes. Therefore, it is in your best interest to begin completing your DS 10 form for you or your child as soon as possible.

Requirements to Fill out the DS 10 Form

Just as not every applicant needs to fill out the DS 10 form, not every person in the country is qualified to fill out this birth affidavit for someone else. In fact, there are certain general requirements that participants need to meet before they can complete these forms and serve as affiants for another individual. Generally, witnesses are individuals who have intimate, first-hand knowledge of the passport applicant’s birth. This means that the affiants were usually present at the time that this event occurred. As a result, people who are qualified to fill out a DS 10 affidavit for a birth certificate are likely to be the applicant’s older blood relatives. This could include a parent or grandparent who was present when the birth took place. Alternatively, the attending physician who was in the birthing room may also qualify to complete an affidavit.

Furthermore, keep in mind that a DS 10 affiant needs to report how he or she knows you. Therefore, be sure that you only choose someone who is qualified to complete this task. If someone who does not have a strong, verifiable connection to you attempts to fill out this document, the State Department may reject it. It is important to only choose a birth affidavit representative who can honestly testify on your behalf.

What questions are asked on the DS 10 form?

There are various questions that applicants’ witnesses need to answer when they fill out Form DS 10. However, these questions should be easy to answer for individuals who truly know the passport requester. Regardless, affiants should be prepared to provide responses to the following types of inquiries:

  • Personal information relating to the applicant’s birth. The DS 10 form requires affiants to disclose who the applicant is, as well as when and where he or she was born.
  • Applicant’s current address. The witness needs to report where the passport applicant currently resides.
  • Relationship with the applicant. The affiant also needs to report how long he or she has known the applicant. Furthermore, this individual also needs to provide information on how he or she knows the requester.
  • Facts about the applicant’s birth. The witness also needs to provide a written summary of the passport applicant’s birth.

Where can I find passport form DS 10?

A blank copy of the DS 10 affidavit for birth certificate is available on the federal government’s website. The Department of State has a blank PDF copy of this document, which you can download, print and fill out. When you fill out this form, be sure to write clearly and answer all questions as honestly as possible. Similar to other government forms, it is illegal to falsify information on the DS 10 form.

How and where do I submit my DS 10 form?

In the majority of cases, applicants will need to submit their witnesses’ completed DS 10 form alongside a first-time passport application. Therefore, the document requesters and their witnesses need to go to one of the nation’s various US passport office locations and file these documents along with their DS-11 applications. Requesters should keep in mind that it is usually required that their witnesses go with them to these appointments. This is because a passport agent needs to witness the affiant signing the DS 10 document in order for it to be valid.

Furthermore, remember that you are responsible for bringing all of the standard documents you would normally need to submit with your US passport application. If applicable, you must also bring a notice from government authorities that there are no birth records for you. The Form DS 10 birth affidavit serves in place of a birth certificate, but you still need to bring the following documents to the office with you:

  • A completed DS-11 form
  • A current photo identification card and copy
  • A passport-approved photo
  • Payment for relevant fees

Furthermore, DS 10 affiants also need to remember that they are also required to bring personal identification to this passport office appointment. Examples of acceptable documentation include the witness’s driver’s license, passport or military identification card.