Passport in Midland, WA: Steps, Checklists, Local Facilities

Getting a Passport in Midland, WA

Midland, an unincorporated Pierce County community south of Tacoma near Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), sees strong passport demand from SeaTac travelers heading to Asia-Pacific business hubs, Mexico/Canada vacations, European student programs, and peak-season trips. Local challenges include photo rejections from home glare (WA weather woes), minor form errors, and scarce appointments amid JBLM family moves. This guide, sourced from U.S. Department of State resources [1], provides Midland-tailored steps, checklists, and tips to avoid pitfalls like ineligible renewals or incomplete docs.

Routine processing: 6-8 weeks; expedited: 2-3 weeks (+$60). Urgent (14 days or less): Requires travel proof + life/death emergency for agency access [2][3]. Check times at travel.state.gov before starting—summer peaks stretch delays.

Determine Which Passport Service You Need

Mischoosing forms causes 20%+ rejections. Use the State's wizard [4]; here's a decision table:

JBLM locals: Military DEERS/RAPIDS may speed issuance [7]. SeaTac rush? Confirm via wizard to skip re-dos.

Gather Required Documents and Fees

Start 8+ weeks early. Common mistake: Uncertified birth certificates—rejections delay weeks.

Core Items:

• Citizenship Proof (original + photocopy): WA birth cert from DOH ($25, 1-10 days online/mail [8]); no hospital copies.
• Photo ID (original + photocopy): WA E-DL/REAL ID works [9].
• Form: DS-11/DS-82 from travel.state.gov [1]. Don't sign DS-11 early.
• 2x2 Photo: Specs below.
• Fees (2024; verify [2]):

  Service	App Fee	Execution Fee	Expedite
  Adult Book	$130	$35	$60
  Minor Book	$100	$35	$60
  Card Only	$30/$15	$35	$60

Two payments for DS-11: Check to "U.S. Dept of State"; cash/check to facility. Name change? Pierce County marriage cert [10].

**Check

list**:

1. Order certs if needed (WA DOH [8]).
2. Photocopy all (front/back).
3. Prep fees/checks.
4. Get photo.
5. Print unsigned form.

Passport Photo Requirements

25% rejections from bad photos [11]. Strict specs:

• 2x2in (head 1-1⅜in), color, <6 months old.
• White background, even light—no glare/shadows (test rainy-day home shots).
• Neutral face, no glasses/hats/uniforms unless medical/religious.

Midland Options:

• Tacoma/Lakewood USPS: $15-16 [12].
• CVS/Walgreens: Use State app for instant check [11].
• JBLM: Military centers if eligible [7].

Upload to State's tool pre-submission [11].

Find and Book an Acceptance Facility Near Midland

No Midland site—use Pierce County spots (10-20min drive). Book 4-6 weeks ahead via iafdb.travel.state.gov [13]; high SeaTac demand spikes summer/winter waits. Facilities verify docs, witness oath/signature, collect fees—expect 15-30min, arrive 15min early with organized folder. No on-site issuance; apps forward to processing center. No renewals here—mail DS-82 [5]. Check USPS locators for real-time waits/appointments [14][15].

Proven Nearby (ZIP 98445 search [13]):

• Tacoma Main PO: 1101 S 12th St, Tacoma 98405. Mon-Fri 10am-3pm appts [16].
• Lakewood PO (closest, ~10min): 8017 S Tacoma Way, Lakewood 98499. Call/book online [17].
• Pierce County Auditor: 2401 S 35th St, Tacoma 98409. DS-11 appts [18].
• Spanaway PO: 20207 Mountain Hwy E, Spanaway 98387 (~15min).

Busy Tips: Avoid Mondays/midday; mid-week AM best. Bring extras (photo, fee copies). Online schedulers at USPS sites cut lines.

Seattle Agency (2hr drive) for urgent only—no walk-ins [19].

Step-by-Step Application Checklist

DS-11 (New/Minor):

1. Prep docs/photo/fees (1-2wks early).
2. Book appt [13].
3. Arrive: Agent reviews.
4. Sign DS-11 on-site.
5. Pay/submit.
6. Get receipt/tracking #.
7. Track at passportstatus.state.gov (starts 7-10 days) [20].
8. Receive

(full timeline).

Expedited/Urgent Add-Ons:

• Request at facility.
• Urgent: Call 1-877-487-2778 + proof for agency [19].
• 1-2 day shipping (+$21).

Renewal: Mail DS-82—no appt [5]. Track emails [20].

After Submission: Tracking and Common Issues

Check weekly [20]. Fixes:

• Rejection (docs/photo): Resubmit full set—no partials.
• Delays: Peaks add 2+wks; monitor.
• Errors: DS-5504 free (1yr post-issue) [21].
• Lost Mail: DS-64 + police report.

Countries need 6mo validity—renew proactively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Child passport sans both parents? No; DS-3053 notarized [6].

Expedited vs urgent? Expedited: 2-3wks ($60). Urgent: <14days + emergency/agency [3].

WA REAL ID OK? Yes [1].

Fast Pierce birth cert? WA DOH online ($25, 1-10days) [8].

Old photo? No, <6mo [11].

Expiring passport? Renew 1yr early if eligible [5].

Passport card limits? Land/sea to Canada/Mexico/Caribbean [2].

JBLM military? DEERS first [7].

Sources

[1] U.S. Dept of State - New Adult
[2] Fees
[3] Expedited
[4] Wizard
[5] Renew
[6] Children
[7] DEERS
[8] WA DOH Birth
[9] WA EDL
[10] Pierce Auditor
[11] Photos
[12] USPS Photos
[13] Facility Search
[14] USPS Locator
[15] Lakewood
[16] Tacoma
[17] [Pierce Auditor](https://www.

piercecountywa.gov/6264/Passport-Services)
[18] Spanaway
[19] Seattle Agency
[20] Status
[21] Corrections