You can get a refund for a passport application, but only under specific circumstances
The U.S. State Department will refund your passport application fee if you cancel before the passport is issued, or if you paid for expedited processing and the passport arrives late. You cannot get a refund after the passport has been delivered to you, even if you never use it. The refund process depends on which fee you paid and when you paid it.
If you paid with a credit card or debit card at a passport acceptance facility or the State Department's office, the refund goes back to that card. If you paid by check or money order, the State Department issues a new check to you. Refunds typically take 4 to 6 weeks after the State Department processes your cancellation request, though the timeline can vary depending on your bank or the postal service.
Key Takeaways
- You can cancel a passport application and receive a refund only before the passport is printed and mailed to you.
- If you paid for expedited processing and the passport arrives after the promised date, you may be refunded the expedited fee only, not the full application cost.
- Refunds issued to credit or debit cards appear within 4 to 6 weeks; refunds by check take longer because they must be mailed to you.
- Once a passport has been delivered, no refund is available even if the passport remains unused.
- You must contact the State Department directly to request a cancellation and refund — there is no online form to submit.
How to cancel your passport application and request a refund
Contact the State Department's passport services line at 1-877-487-2778 to request cancellation. Have your application receipt number ready — this appears on the receipt you received when you submitted your application at a passport acceptance facility or the State Department's office. Tell the representative that you want to cancel your application before the passport is issued.
The representative will confirm your identity and verify that your passport has not yet been printed. If it has already been printed or mailed, cancellation is not possible and no refund will be issued. If your application is still in process, the representative will note the cancellation in the system and provide you with a confirmation number.
After cancellation is confirmed, the refund is processed automatically. You do not need to return anything or submit additional paperwork. The State Department will refund the application fee to the payment method you used when you submitted your application.
Refunds for expedited processing fees when delivery is late
If you paid extra for expedited processing and the State Department did not deliver your passport by the promised date, you can request a refund of the expedited fee only. The standard application fee is not refunded in this situation. The expedited fee is typically $60 to $70 depending on the service level you selected.
To request this refund, contact the State Department at 1-877-487-2778 and explain that your passport arrived after the expedited delivery date. Have your passport book number ready — this is printed on the inside front cover of your passport. The representative will verify the delivery date against the promised date and process the refund if the passport was indeed late.
This refund is issued to the same payment method you used for the expedited fee. The timeline is the same as for application cancellations: 4 to 6 weeks for credit or debit card refunds, longer for checks.
Why you cannot get a refund after your passport is delivered
Once the State Department has mailed your passport to you, the application fee and any expedited fees are non-refundable. This is true even if you never open the envelope, never use the passport, or change your mind about needing one. The fee covers the cost of processing your application, verifying your identity, and printing the passport book — all of which have already been completed by the time it is mailed.
If you received your passport but do not need it, you have two options: keep it for future use (passports are valid for 10 years for adults), or surrender it to the State Department. Surrendering a passport does not result in a refund. You would only surrender it if you are renouncing U.S. citizenship or if the passport has been lost or stolen and you want to prevent its misuse.
What happens if you paid by check or money order
If you submitted your application at a passport acceptance facility and paid by check or money order, the refund is issued as a new check mailed to the address on file. This check is sent from the State Department's financial processing center, not from the facility where you applied. The check typically arrives 6 to 8 weeks after your cancellation is confirmed, because the State Department must process the cancellation, generate the check, and mail it to you.
If you do not receive the check within 8 weeks, contact the State Department at 1-877-487-2778 with your cancellation confirmation number. The representative can verify whether the check has been mailed and provide you with a check number and expected delivery date. If the check was lost in the mail, the State Department can issue a replacement.
Refunds for passport card applications
The same refund rules apply to passport card applications as to passport book applications. You can cancel and receive a refund only before the card is printed and mailed. If the card has already been delivered, no refund is available. The passport card fee is lower than the passport book fee — typically around $35 for a new card — but the refund process is identical.
If you ordered both a passport book and a passport card at the same time, you can cancel one without canceling the other. Contact the State Department and specify which document you want to cancel. The refund will cover only the fee for the document you are canceling.
Tracking your refund status
After you request cancellation, the State Department does not provide a way to track your refund online. You can only check the status by calling 1-877-487-2778 and providing your cancellation confirmation number. The representative can tell you whether the refund has been processed and when it should appear in your account or mailbox.
If you paid by credit or debit card, check your account statement 4 to 6 weeks after cancellation. The refund will appear as a credit from the U.S. Department of State. If you paid by check, watch your mail for the check from the State Department's financial processing center. If you do not see the refund within the expected timeframe, contact the State Department again with your confirmation number.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my passport application was rejected — can I get a refund?
If your application was rejected because of missing documents or identity verification issues, the fee is not refunded. You must submit a new application and pay the fee again. However, if the State Department made an error in processing your application, contact them to discuss whether a refund or credit toward a new application is possible.
Can I get a refund if I lost my passport before it arrived?
If your passport was mailed but lost in transit, the State Department will not refund the fee. Instead, you can report it lost and request a replacement passport. You will need to pay the replacement fee, though some offices may waive it if they can confirm the original passport was lost due to postal service error.
Do I get a refund if I renew my passport early?
No. If you renew your passport before the current one expires, you cannot get a refund for the renewal fee. The old passport will be returned to you with a hole punched through it, but the renewal fee is not refundable. You can use both passports for travel, though only one is valid at a time.
How long does a refund take if I paid with a debit card?
Debit card refunds follow the same timeline as credit card refunds: 4 to 6 weeks. The refund appears as a credit to your debit card account. Some banks may take an additional 1 to 2 business days to post the credit after the State Department sends it.
What if I never received my cancellation confirmation number?
If you called to cancel but did not receive a confirmation number, call the State Department again at 1-877-487-2778 and provide your application receipt number. The representative can look up your cancellation in the system and provide you with a confirmation number so you can track your refund status.