How to Get a Passport in Orlando Florida

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

Orlando is not just the most popular travel destination in the world – it’s also home for a growing number of Orlando residents who need to obtain U.S. passports.  More area residents are pursuing their own international travel, especially employees of large companies with a strong presence in the area.

Tourism only accounts for 20% of Orlando’s economy. “The City Beautiful” is also powered by vibrant industries such as aerospace and defense, logistics and distribution, advanced manufacturing, software, innovative technologies, life sciences, and healthcare.

The state of Florida’s strong economy and its rising population – the fastest-growing in the United States –also contribute to increased demand for new passports.  Of Florida’s 22.4 million residents in 2022, more than 2.6 million lived in the four-county Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metropolitan statistical area (Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties).  The Orlando MSA, also known as Greater Orlando, was the fastest growing U.S. MSA in 2022.  It is also part of the Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona Combined MSA, which is home to more than 4.4 million people.  Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona includes five more counties (Flagler, Hardee, Polk, Sumter, and Volusia), which contains such cities as Daytona Beach, Lakeland, Winter Haven, and The Villages.  In 2022 the U.S. Passport Agency issued 1.3 million passports to residents of Florida, which represents post-pandemic recover that exceeds the 1.2 million passports issued before the pandemic in 2018 and 2019.

As the state’s third-largest metropolitan area, the Orlando economic engine has driven much of Florida’s growth in recent years.  Publix Super Markets Inc., the regional retail chain headquartered in Lakeland, is the second-largest Fortune 500 company based in Florida.  Other firms headquartered in Central Florida include AAA, Darden Restaurants, Massey Services Inc. (pest control and landscaping), Mears Transportation (taxi and shuttle services), Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Tupperware Brands, and hotel/resort chain Travel + Leisure.  In addition, Deloitte, KPMG, Lockheed Martin and Siemens have regional headquarters there.  The top five employers in the Orlando MSA are Walt Disney World Resort, AdventHealth, Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando International Airport, and Publix.  

Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the busiest airport in Florida, with more than 850 daily flights on 44 airlines serving 135 domestic and international destinations.  The area is also home to more than 35 colleges, universities, private institutions, and technical schools.  The University of Central Florida (ranked among the 20 most innovative institutions by U.S. News and World Report) co-anchors Florida’s High-Tech Corridor that stretches to the University of South Florida in Tampa.  Other top schools include highly ranked Rollins College, known for its business school; Full Sail University, with renowned music and creative arts programs; and award-winning Valencia College.  Many of these schools offer international study opportunities that further boost the need for passports.

Orlando’s economy continues to diversify beyond its early focus on tourism.  More than 74 million people visited Orlando (a 25 percent increase over 2021 and 98 percent higher than 2019’s total), reinforcing its status as the most-visited U.S. destination.  International travel had also rebounded to within 75 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

Orlando lies in the midst of an enormous aerospace/defense industry cluster, with seven Fortune 500 companies in that industry operating in the area.  Other strong sectors include digital media, life sciences, and the largest modeling, simulation, and training cluster in the country.  Real estate is another significant sector, as illustrated by The Villages, a planned community with some 145,000 residents that continues to expand in Sumter and Marion counties.  The growing number of retirees, immigrants, and people relocating from colder parts of the country are also boosting demand for travel to other countries.

To travel abroad, adults (ages 16 and up) need a U.S. passport.  The passport is good for 10 years, after which it must be renewed.  To obtain a new passport or renew an existing one, you will have to appear in person at an authorized passport acceptance facility.  Employees at these government facilities will verify your identity and your documentation.  You will also have to appear in person if:

  • You previously held a child’s passport (only good for five years);
  • Your passport expired more than five years ago; or
  • Your passport has been lost or damaged.

In Orlando, there are three options to obtain a new passport: visit a local passport acceptance facility; drive to the Passport Agency in Miami or Atlanta (by appointment only); or, in certain circumstances, use a private passport service such as Visa Supply to expedite delivery.

(NOTE: If you already have an adult passport in your possession that is in good condition, and it expired less than five years ago (or has yet to expire and you wish to renew), click here to learn how to renew a passport: https://www.visasupply.com/passports-and-visas-101/post/passport-renewal-in-atlanta.

Option 1: Appear at an Acceptance Facility

The most common way to obtain a passport is visiting a passport acceptance facility.  This link allows you to find the closest facility to your home or office: https://iafdb.travel.state.gov.  Central Florida residents can visit one of the local county courthouses that serve as a passport acceptance facility.  One highly recommended location is the Orange County Clerk of Court (https://myorangeclerk.com/Divisions/Passports/Passports) on 450 North Lakemont Avenue in Winter Park because they do not require appointments.  The office also charges a $35 passport fee, in addition to the U.S. government fees.  They will even take your passport photo for another $15.

The basic form for a new passport (DS-11) is available online at https://pptform.state.gov/.   You can complete the form online and then print it out, and take with you to the acceptance facility. (Do NOT sign the passport form in advance, as the government agent must witness your signature.) You may also fill out the DS-11 form by hand at the passport acceptance facility.  You will submit supporting documentation along with form DS-11.  The required documents include:

  • Your long-form birth certificate or a government-certified copy of that certificate. {If you need to order a new copy of your birth certificate, we recommend using VitalChek (https://www.vitalchek.com), a private company with an easy-to-use process and less expensive rates.}
  • For naturalized citizens, their original certificate of naturalization.
  • State-issued driver’s license.
  • One photo that meets all passport image criteria, and properly attached to the application. (See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html.)
  • A check or money payable to the U.S. Department of State. The basic passport fee is $130.  Additional charges apply for expedited service and other options.  For a full list of fees, please visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/fees.html.
  • Another $35 payable via check, money order, cash or debit card to be paid to the passport acceptance facility for the identity verification process. (Check with the specific facility for the exact forms of payment they accept.)

Passport acceptance facilities are government offices but they do not actually issue the passport.  These facilities will verify your documents and forward them to the State Department’s Passport Agency.  The normal turnaround time for renewals by mail is eight to eleven weeks.  Expedited service within seven weeks is available for an added fee.  You can also pay extra for return delivery in two days (rather than the typical first-class mailing).

Option2: Apply in Person at a U.S. Passport Agency

If you need to travel within the next month, you will need to apply in person at a federal passport office.  There is no federal government office in Orlando, so the closest locations are the Miami Passport Agency or the U.S. Passport Agency in Atlanta.  The Miami office at 1501 Biscayne Boulevard is less than four hours away, while the downtown Atlanta office at 230 Peachtree Street is a six-hour drive from Orlando.  You can ONLY apply in person here if you can prove the need to travel within the next two weeks – or four weeks if you are traveling to a country that requires a visa.  You will need to fill out Form DS-11 and make an appointment directly with either office by calling 877-487-2778.  Note that the agencies are busy during the summer travel season and around the holidays, so give yourself plenty of lead time. 

For your appointment, bring the identification listed above, as well as:

  • Your appointment confirmation number
  • Proof of travel plans, such as your flight itinerary, hotel reservation or cruise tickets
  • One passport photo
  • Methods of payment. The agency takes major credit cards, debit cards, cash, checks and money orders.  In addition to normal costs, there is an additional $60 expediting fee.

Contact information, directions and other details about the Miami Passport Agency can be found at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies/miami.html.  Atlanta Passport Agency information is available at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies/atlanta.html.

Visiting the Passport Agency is more expensive and may be less convenient than using an acceptance facility when you factor in the added costs for transportation and your time.  However, if you need a passport quickly, it is worth the extra effort.  Unlike a passport acceptance facility, the Passport Agency can issue your new passport – often on the same day or the following day.

Option 3: Use a Private Passport Service

The third option is to use a private passport expediter such as Visa Supply to speed up the turnaround time.  For this option, you still need to visit a passport acceptance facility so a government official can verify your identity and documents.  Normally the facility can only forward your documents to the State Department for processing.  However, if you are using a courier service such as Visa Supply, the acceptance facility will seal your documents in an envelope and return them to you.  You will then take that envelope back to our office so we can ship it to one of our couriers in San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, or Washington, D.C., so we can expedite your passport application.

Our office is located in Atlanta, which is about a 6-hour drive from Orlando.  If you want Visa Supply to help you, it is usually better to visit our office in-person so we can take your passport photo; help you prepare your DS-11 application; plus review your documentation.  You can take these documents to the DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court in Decatur (about a 30-minute drive from our office), and then return the sealed envelope to Visa Supply so we can expedite your application with the Passport Agency.

Since Visa Supply is a private company, we charge a fee for our services (in addition to the government’s $190 expedite fee for a passport book).  Beyond the convenience of using our office, we make sure your application form is filled out correctly.  We also take your passport photo and will ensure that it meets the government’s specifications.  Our basic service starts at $100.  Customers receive their new passport (along with the old one) within seven weeks; for additional fees we can also get passports renewed in as fast as one week.  Please call us for the latest details.

Orlando residents with questions about obtaining a new U.S. passport can schedule a telephone call through our website.  Our free consultation will explain the process of getting a passport and help you understand the different options for getting a passport based on your international travel plans.