Important Passport Information

Payment Methods & Details

For information on how to apply for a U.S. passport, please use the Passport Wizard navigator by clicking this link. The navigator will ask you a series of simple questions and help you make an appointment or provide you with instructions for using the Consular Dropbox to renew your passport without an appointment if you are eligible.
For appointments at the Embassy, fees can be paid in U.S. dollars (USD), Bahraini dinar or by credit card. A comprehensive schedule of fees can be found on the travel.state.gov website.
If you are applying for an adult passport renewal using our Consular Dropbox, you may submit payment online via Pay.Gov for $130 (passport book only). Currently, our overseas online fee payment form via Pay.gov is available only for passport book renewals. You must submit a copy of your Pay.Gov receipt with your application as proof of payment.
If you are applying for a passport book and card, we accept Money Order in USD only from the United States Postal Service (USPS) on NSA Bahrain, or Cashier’s Check in USD only from your local bank, payable to “U.S. Embassy–Manama, Bahrain”. Payment must be exactly $130 (passport book only), $30 (passport card only), or $160 (passport book and card). Do not include any fee for expedited services – expedite fees are only applicable for domestic renewals. Do not submit cash.
All photographs must be in color, taken within the last 6 months, and be 2″ by 2″ (two inches by two inches) without any eyewear. Please review our website carefully to ensure your photo meets the requirements.
Current passport processing time is 6 weeks.

Appointments & Locations

Passport Renewal via Consular Dropbox

U.S. citizens renewing an adult passport do not need an appointment if they use the Consular Dropbox.

If you have been issued a U.S. passport (Regular, Official or Diplomatic) after the age of 16, most likely you are eligible to renew or apply for a tourist/regular (blue) passport without an appointment using our Consular Dropbox. To maximize social distancing, we strongly encourage all adults who are eligible to use the Consular Dropbox to do so. Official (maroon) passports can be used to apply for or renew a tourist (blue) passport using the Dropbox, however, the Embassy does not renew Official passports.

Simply drop your completed DS-82 application form (signed and dated), your most recently-issued passport (signed), a passport photo (photo requirements ), and proper payment into the Consular Drop Box in front of the Embassy. You will receive an email when the passport is ready for pick up, in approximately 4-6 weeks.

If you cannot leave your current passport with us until your new passport arrives, please schedule an appointment via our website.

Those seeking notarial services or other passport services may schedule an appointment using this link: schedule an appointment.

Official No-Fee Passports

The U.S. Embassy in Manama does not issue Official, no-fee (maroon) passports for NSA Bahrain personnel. Bearers of Official passports are eligible to use their Official passport as proof of U.S. citizenship in order to apply for a tourist/regular (blue) passport. Applicants who are seeking to obtain or renew an official passport should contact the PSD office on base.

Emergency Passports

If you are a U.S. citizen with an emergency situation or need an urgent “emergency appointment”, please email ManamaConsular@state.gov with the subject line “EMERGENCY SERVICE REQUEST” and provide a detailed description of your request, including scanned copies of the travel plans and documentation of the emergency. We will respond to you at the earliest opportunity.

Consular Report of Birth Abroad

To request a CRBA appointment please email ManamaConsular@state.gov with the subject line “CRBA APPOINTMENT REQUEST”. Please review our website before requesting an appointment.

Lost or Stolen Passport

We advise that a police report be filed with the Bahraini authorities immediately if you feel that your passport has been lost or stolen. Obtain a police declaration and bring this with you when you apply for a new passport.
For more information on replacing your lost or stolen passport, please use the Passport Wizard navigator by clicking this link.

Security Information

Embassy Access: All visitors must identify themselves to a security guard at the main gate in order to gain access to the Embassy. Please bring valid picture ID with you.

Electronic devices such as mobile phones, Blackberries, iPods, iPads, notebook computers, PDAs, headsets, remote-entry automobile key “fobs” or anything with a power plug or battery are not allowed within the Embassy grounds. The Embassy provides storage facilities only for mobile phones and small bags.

Large bags, such as backpacks, suitcases or packages are not allowed within the Embassy grounds.

Visitors who do not follow these instructions will experience considerable delays at the security check point, which could result in the interview being cancelled.

Please note the following persons may accompany a visa applicant during Consular-related visits:

Interpreter: Embassy staff can assist in translation from Arabic to English. If an applicant speaks a native language other than those previously listed and does not speak English well enough to participate in an interview, they may bring ONE interpreter to the interview.
Special Needs Visitors: Applicants may bring ONE person to help if they are elderly or disabled.
Parents may accompany minor children when applying for a visa or a U.S. passport.
Attorney: Attorneys will NOT be permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or at their interviews without an appointment.
Travel agents are NOT allowed to accompany applicants to the Embassy.

Due to waiting room size, the large volume of applicants and the time required to screen consular clients, other accompanying persons cannot be admitted to the waiting room. Drivers, friends, extra relatives must wait outside or return to meet the applicant after the interview has been completed.

Hours of operation excluding U.S. and Bahraini holidays:

Visas and American Citizen Services are available only by appointment.

Please see our holiday schedule.

Reasonable Accommodation

If you need reasonable accommodation for your appointment, we encourage you to request your accommodation immediately once you schedule your appointment. We make every effort to provide accommodations to persons with disabilities and medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations vary, depending on the situation and the person’s needs.
Examples of accommodations include, but are not limited to:

If you require a private appointment due to a medical condition or disability, we may schedule an alternative time for you to come in for your interview.
If you or your child has special needs that requires a private appointment in a quiet space without distractions, we may schedule an alternative time for you or your family to come in for your interview.
If you are unable to speak, you may be allowed to respond to questions in an agreed-upon nonverbal manner such as using pen and paper.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may bring a sign language interpreter to translate during the interview if needed.
If you have low vision, we may provide you with communications in large print.

If you are unable to provide fingerprints because of a medical condition, including birth defects, physical deformities, skin conditions, you may qualify for a fingerprint waiver for certain fingers.

Interview waivers are only granted in extreme situations, such as having a medical condition that requires flying in an air ambulance.

The waiting room of the Consular Section and its restroom is wheelchair-accessible.

U.S. Embassy in Bahrain