Applying for a Passport in Virginia

Virginia has 133 counties and independent cities. Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William) serves a very high-demand population due to the federal workforce. Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk is one of the most active county facilities in the state.

To apply for your first U.S. passport (or to replace a lost/expired one), you must appear in person at an authorized acceptance facility. In Virginia, this means a USPS post office, county clerk or recorder office, or a city/town hall with State Department authorization.

Virginia was significantly impacted by library closures, particularly in Fairfax and Prince William library systems. Northern Virginia residents can also use the Washington DC regional agency.

February 2026 update: Library passport acceptance locations in Virginia were removed from the State Department's program. If you previously used a library to apply, you need a USPS post office, county clerk, or city hall instead. Find your nearest alternative →

What to Bring in Virginia

Requirements are federal and identical in every state. For all in-person DS-11 applications bring: completed (unsigned) DS-11 form, certified birth certificate plus photocopy, government-issued photo ID plus photocopy, a 2×2 compliant passport photo, and payment — Virginia30 book or Virginia00 for children under 16 (check/money order to "U.S. Department of State") plus a separate 1335 acceptance fee to the facility.

Use our free checklist generator to build a personalized document list for your applicant type.

Walk-In Availability in Virginia

Walk-in passport availability varies across Virginia. Urban USPS locations generally require appointments; rural and smaller-town post offices are more likely to accept walk-ins during dedicated passport hours. County clerk offices in Virginia are mostly appointment-only — call ahead to ask about same-week cancellation slots. See our full walk-in guide for strategy.

Find Your County

Use the county finder to see walk-in policies, on-site photo services, hours, and direct booking links for every acceptance facility in Virginia.

Find Facilities in Virginia →

Frequently Asked Questions

Processing times are federal and don't vary by state. Routine: 6–8 weeks. Expedited (+0): 2–3 weeks from when the State Department receives your application. Traveling within 6 weeks? See the expedited guide for regional agency options.

Not every county clerk is an authorized acceptance facility — authorization is held by individual offices. Use our county finder to confirm which specific offices in your county are authorized before making the trip.

Regional passport agencies are federal facilities serving multi-state regions. If you're traveling within 14 weeks, book an urgent appointment at the nearest regional agency — see the expedited guide for the full list of locations and booking instructions.