Form DS-5520 — Supplemental Questionnaire to Determine Identity for a U.S. Passport

What is Form DS-5520?

Form DS-5520 is a questionnaire from the U.S. Department of State. The form says you complete it only when a passport agency or center specifically asks you to, because it needs more evidence of your identity to process your U.S. passport application. It usually comes with a letter, and the form itself says not to use it unless the Department asks.

It asks about your parents, stepparents, siblings and spouse, living or deceased, the places you have worked, the schools you attended inside and outside the United States, and every permanent home you have had, starting with the most recent. The form asks you to answer as fully as you can, writing "I don't know" or "N/A" where needed, because more detail may mean faster processing.

FileIt splits the questionnaire into clear sections and places your answers on the State Department's own DS-5520, with names in accented letters printed correctly and long addresses wrapped to fit their boxes. Your name and date of birth come from your vault's People records, and the finished questionnaire is saved to your folder, next to the letter that asked for it.

Who needs to fill out Form DS-5520?

• Passport applicants who received a letter from a passport agency or center asking for the DS-5520.
• Applicants whose identity documents weren't enough on their own, for example because they lack an issue date, a photo or a signature.

When to use Form DS-5520

• Only after the Department of State asks you to complete it for a pending application.
• Together with any further documents the agency asks for. The form says these should show your full name and photograph, or your full name and signature, with an issue date.

What you need before you start

• Your full name, date and place of birth, and Social Security number (giving it is voluntary, but leaving it out may delay processing).
• Names, places and dates of birth and current addresses of your parents, stepparents, siblings and spouse.
• Your last places of employment: company name and address, job title, city and state, country and dates. Self-employed or remote contractors give their home address; active-duty military give their four most recent duty stations.
• Every school you attended, with city, state, country and dates.
• Every permanent residence, most recent first, with dates. Stays of less than 90 days may be left out.

What’s on Form DS-5520

The 2024 edition has 3 pages. FileIt asks for it in 5 parts:

1. Section A: Biographical informationApplicant
2. Section B: Family (living and deceased)Applicant
3. Section C: EmploymentApplicant
4. Section D: SchoolsApplicant
5. Section E: ResidencesApplicant

How to fill out Form DS-5520, step by step

1 Section A: Biographical information

Enter your name, date of birth, Social Security number and place of birth.

2 Section B: Family

List your parents, stepparents, siblings and spouse, living or deceased, with their place and date of birth and current address. Include a maiden name if there is one. Attach a sheet if you need more room.

3 Section C: Employment

List your places of employment, starting with your last three. The form has room for four.

4 Sections D and E: Schools and residences

List the schools you attended and all your permanent residences, starting with the most recent home.

5 Section F: Signature

Print the questionnaire, then sign and date it by hand. You declare under penalty of perjury that your statements are true and correct.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving questions blank. The form asks you to write "I don't know" or "N/A" instead.
• Trying to submit it electronically. It must be printed and mailed.
• Sending it without the extra documents the agency's letter asked for.
• Forgetting to sign and date section F.
• Correcting errors by hand. The form asks for a new form if you make a mistake.

After you fill it out

Print the questionnaire, sign and date section F, and mail it with any requested documents to the passport agency/center that wrote to you. FileIt does not submit it for you.

If you need more room for any answer, attach a separate sheet with the rest.

Keep FileIt's copy with the agency's letter in your vault folder, and add the passport once it's issued so you're reminded before it expires.

Form DS-5520: frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Blank form (PDF), published by U.S. Department of State: https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5520.pdf
• Official instructions and guidance: https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5520.pdf
• Edition shown on this page: DS-5520 10-2024 (OMB 1405-0215, expires 10-31-2027) (checked 2026-10-25).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Department of State or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-25.

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