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Steps to Get a Special Issuance Passport

The Special Issuance Agency (SIA) issues diplomatic, official, service, and no-fee regular passports. We support getting foreign visas for those traveling on behalf of the U.S. government.

You may not be able to access some links on this page if you are not on a U.S. government computer or device. 

  • Issued to U.S. government employees and their dependents
  • Issued in limited circumstances to non-personal services contractors
  • Not valid for personal travel
  • Used for a maximum of five years

Diplomatic passports are for:

  • Federal employees and family members serving the United States abroad under Chief of Mission (COM) authority,
  • Individuals whom the Department of State granted diplomatic or consular titles, and
  • Individuals who have diplomatic status because of their foreign mission or job

We review your employment information, country of travel, job duties, and supervising authority to see if you should get a diplomatic passport.

Official passports are for:

  • Employees of the U.S. government and their eligible family members traveling for official duties. 

In most cases, military personnel may enter and exit countries in which the United States has a Status of Forces Agreement (example: countries in NATO) by presenting their military ID card and travel orders. We will issue no-fee, regular passports to eligible family members. 

Find information on country requirements for Department of Defense members in the Foreign Clearance Guide.  

We issue service passports on a limited basis to non-personal services (third party) contractors. The contractors must be supporting the U.S. government with travel plans that cannot be accomplished using a regular passport.

No-fee, regular passport books do not need payment. They have a special endorsement showing the travel status of the person holding the passport. We issue these passports to: 

  • Peace Corps volunteers
  • U.S. seamen employed on no-fee, U.S. flag vessels
  • A U.S. citizen employee of the United Seamen’s Service
  • Immediate family members of a deceased member of the U.S. armed forces who is buried abroad. The family members must be traveling with support of the American Battlefield Monuments Commission to visit the grave of a family member, or attend a funeral or memorial service for the family member. 
  • Employees of the American National Red Cross (and their dependents) traveling on assignment for the U.S. armed forces
  • Individuals traveling on Department of Defense orders, such as professional entertainers, clergy, sports clinic personnel, military athletes, and individuals traveling for a court martial
  • Next of kin (NOK) traveling to visit members of U.S. armed forces who are ill or injured abroad

Most U.S. passports are regular, fee passports and known as "tourist" passports. These passports are valid for 10 years for adults or five years for children under age 16.

The steps to apply depend on what agency you work for, and if you are going on a permanent change of station (PCS) or temporary duty (TDY). 
 
Overview of how to apply for an SIA passport
  1. Get your authorization document
    • U.S. Department of State
      • PCS: Submit a request to the Bureau of Global Talent Management on the Department's Intranet 
      • TDY: Submit a letter of authorization signed by your bureau's executive office   
    • U.S. Department of Defense 
      • PCS and TDY: Submit Form DD 1056 at a DoD passport facility or contact the DoD Passport and Visa Office
      • PCS: Include a copy of your approved travel orders 
    • Other Federal Agencies 
      • PCS and TDY: Submit a letter of authorization signed by an authorized official from your agency
      • PCS: Include a copy of your travel orders
  2. Fill out your application online and print it
    • If you are applying for a child under age 16, both parents or guardians will need to appear in person with the child. 
  3. Get your passport photo
  4. Provide evidence of U.S. citizenship
    • If you are in the United States and have a special issuance passport, you must submit it. If you are not in the United States, but have a regular passport, you may submit a photocopy of it. Do not submit the original passport. Contact a U.S. embassy or consulate or acceptance facility (if assigned to a military installation) for instructions. 
  5. Provide photo ID
    • If you are not eligible to renew your passport, provide your original, government-issued photo ID and a clear photocopy of the front and back of this ID. 
  6. Submit your application
    • Department of State employees should go to the Where to Apply page on SIA's website.    
    • Department of Defense employees should contact the DoD Passport and Visa Office, or nearest DoD passport facility.
    • Other federal agency employees should contact their agency.
  7. Track application status

How to Access the Special Issuance Agency's Website

If you cannot access SIA's website, please follow these steps:

Step 1: Get at least one IP number from your federal agency

  • Type in ip4.me into your web browser’s address and hit ‘Enter’
  • You will see a series of numbers (e.g. 555.555.555.5) at the top of the page. This series of numbers is your IP address.

Step 2: Provide the top-level domain name of your agency (army.mil, state.gov, trade.gov, etc.)

  • Find this information by opening up your agency’s default web browser and looking at the URL in the address bar

Step 3: Please send the IP address and top-level domain name of your agency to the Special Issuance Agency.

Last Updated: September 3, 2024