DS-1504

DS-1504 — Request for a Special-Issuance Passport

Short answer

Requests a no-fee official, diplomatic, or service passport for government travel.

Who it's for: Federal employees, contractors, and eligible family members traveling on official business.
How it's filed: Submitted through your agency's travel or passport coordinator, not at a post office.
Fees: No application fee for qualifying official travel.
Timing: Depends on your agency's routing; start weeks ahead of travel.

How to complete it

1
Go through your agency
Your agency's passport coordinator signs off and forwards the packet to Special Issuance.
2
Keep your personal passport
An official passport does not replace your tourist book — you still need a personal one for leisure travel.

Ask your coordinator whether a visa is needed on the official book; requirements differ from tourist passports.
Start early — agency routing adds time that expedite fees cannot fix.

Answer a few questions and the list below updates instantly. Print it, tick items off, and take it with you.

0 of 5 items ready

Contact your agency's travel or passport coordinator before you fill anything out
Watch out: Special-issuance requests filed directly, or dropped at a post office, are returned unprocessed.
The completed form printed single-sided on plain white 8.5x11 paper
Watch out: Double-sided printing, half-size paper, and stapled pages are common reasons a packet is returned unprocessed.
Your travel authorization, orders, or letter of authorization for the official travel
Keep a valid personal (tourist) passport as well — a special-issuance book cannot be used for personal travel
Watch out: Traveling personally on an official or diplomatic passport creates serious problems at the border.
One 2x2 inch color photo taken in the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background
Watch out: Glasses, hats, uniforms, shadows behind the head, filters, and reprints of an old photo are all rejected. Do not staple, paper-clip, or write on the photo.

No application fee for qualifying official travel.

Through your agency's passport coordinator, never at a post office.

PassportOffices is independent and not affiliated with the U.S. government. Official forms are free and download from the Department of State site.