What’s a Certified Copy of a Passport (+How to Get It)

A certified copy of a passport is a document that has been confirmed to be original and true and has been signed (certified) by a high-standing individual. Typical certified documents include passports, driver’s licenses, letters from the government, council tax bills, etc. People who are authorized to certify these documents include notaries public, attorneys, councilors, ministers of religions, doctors, solicitors, bank officials, or employees of passport acceptance facilities.

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Where to get a certified copy of a passport?

Certified copies of US passports can be found in the US State Department Passport Services. In order to obtain a true and correct copy of their passport, the person needs to contact passport services. The official Passport Services website states that all passport records issued after 1925 are archived.

Note that it’s not possible to request a certified copy of a passport online. You must send a written request to the State Department and pay a certification fee in order to obtain a certified passport copy. Passport copy certifications are most commonly done by attorneys, notaries public in a courthouse, or bank employees. Fees charged for such a certification vary, however, a notary public tends to charge a nominal fee for the service, whilst an attorney typically charges higher.

Do you want to learn more about passports? Check these out:

Passport copy certification process

The passport certification is a simple process, where a notary public (or other certified individual) compares the copy to the original document, and attaches a notarial certificate stating that the copy is the same as the original. Sometimes, the notary also certifies other documents such as a will.

The notary observes the person signing the will, and then compares the signature to the one on the document to make sure it’s authentic. This, however, depends on particular state laws, as not all states accept notary certification procedures. For instance, Michigan does not accept notaries to certify copies, whereas California only permits notaries to certify copies.  

In some states, you might be able to just bring a copy of your document(s) to a notary along with the original and have the notary certify them upon comparing both and determining their authenticity. However, in other states you’ll be able to bring the original document(s) to the notary, have them make a copy and certify it.  

Documents that can and can’t be copy certified

Documents that are commonly certified include passports, driver’s licenses, letters from the government, council tax bills, court documents, and other documents that are not publicly recorded.

Some documents cannot be certified, and this typically applies to vital records. Most states won’t accept a notary copy certification of birth, marriage, divorce or death certificates, in other words – vital records. These vital records must be ordered from the agency which granted the original document.

Copy certification of passport by document custodian

Copy certification carried out by document custodian signifies a sworn statement signed  by the custodian. The document custodian completes a jurat – a document stating that he or she has created a true and correct copy of the original document. The jurat document must be signed by the notary public and acts as an oath.

Written requirement for a certified copy of passport

Individuals can also write a request a certified passport copy. The letter should include the person’s name, and contact details (address, phone number, email), date and place of birth, along with the year the passport was issued. For those that don’t remember the exact year of their passport’s issuance, the approximate year can be stated (make sure the note indicates that the year is approximate).

A passport number would be advantageous, but it’s not mandatory. Individuals submitting a request for a true copy of their passport will also need to attach a clear copy of a government-issued ID (for instance a driver’s license). Requests have to be signed and notarized. A fee of $50 will have to be paid, and the letter mailed to:

US Department of State, Law Enforcement Liaison Division, CA/PPT/S/L/LE, 1150 Passport Services Place, 4th Floor, Dulles, VA 20189-1150.  Phone: 202-485-6550

Passports issued before 1925

If a person requires a certified true copy of passport that was granted before 1925, then National Archives need to be contacted at: National Archives and Records Administration, Archives 1, Reference Branch 8th & Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20408 Email: inquire@nara.gov Phone:1-866-325-7208 

Certified copy of a passport: FAQ

If you still have questions, keep reading. We will answer many of your most frequent queries in this section below.

Final thoughts

Obtaining a certified copy of your passport may be a necessity at some point in your life. While it may seem like only a formality, it may not always be an easy one. You should do your research before you start searching for a notary public, as this is not necessarily the right path to go when trying to acquire a certified copy of your document. Some states don’t recognize notary-certified copies of documents and others accept only those. Always make sure to choose a capable notary to make this bureaucratic process as smooth as possible.

Sources

• [1] https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/

Karolina Młodzka

Karolina’s passion for law, technology and photography led her to PhotoAiD S.A., where for the past 3 years she has been an expert in the implementation of passport photo compliance procedures in +80 countries around the world.