The passport office is inside the Swift Center in Room 119B on Aug. 22 at UTA. Passport services are open to students, faculty, staff and the broader Arlington area.
Whether students, faculty, staff or residents are looking to travel abroad or obtain another form of identification, they don’t have to look further than UTA.
The study abroad office launched the UTA Passport Office in February 2026 at the Swift Center to make the process more convenient for first-time passport applicants.
The service aims to meet the demand for passports in the Arlington and Dallas-Fort Worth area while encouraging students to travel internationally, study abroad director Jason Kouba said.
The office offers assistance with passport applications and photos regardless of whether applicants have an affiliation with UTA, Kouba said.
“We just think that this is a great proximity location, and so it’s really easy for people that are located here and close, especially those people on campus,” he said.
Kouba said those who have never had a passport or who had a children’s passport that was valid for five years are eligible to use the service.
Appointments are held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and Thursday and from noon to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. The office is closed Wednesday and on the weekend.
People ages 16 and 17 are considered adults for applications and must apply in person using a DS-11 form, according to the study abroad website. Minors must be accompanied by both parents, along with proof of a parental relationship, such as a birth certificate.
After making an appointment, applicants must fill out an official passport form online or on paper with black ink. Necessary documents include original proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or a naturalization certificate, and a valid state-issued ID, according to the study abroad website.
Applicants will also need to bring two forms of payment: a check or money order that will go directly to the U.S. Department of State and a debit or credit card for passport photos.
Applicants must pay $35 for each application and $12 for two printed or digital photos via credit or debit card. The Department of State charges a $130 application fee for a passport book.
Required Documentation:
- A completed DS-11 form that is printed single-sided and done in back ink. The form should only be signed in person with a passport acceptance agent present.
- Check or money order for U.S. Department of State fees
- Debit or credit card for photo and execution fees
- Valid state-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or identification card. Provisional, temporary and expired licenses, and social security cards do not fulfill the requirement.
- Proof of U.S. citizenship. Only one is needed.
- Original or certified birth certificate issued by the city, county and state of birth
- Certificate of naturalization
- Certificate of citizenship
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- Undamaged U.S. passport book or card
Complimentary parking is available in Lot 24 with a parking pass provided by the Passport Office. A pass must be requested when registering for the appointment.
Along with passport services, the study abroad office provides Pell Grant recipients with the opportunity to receive full funding for the cost of the passport. Students can apply for the passport grant online, Kouba said.
He said the biggest challenge was handling the logistics of the office.
“We have to go through a certification process through the Department of State,” he said. “We have to have certified passport agent training.”
Setting up the office also required following the Department of State’s requirements for dedicated ID photo printers and storage facilities, as well as working with UTA parking and postal services, he said.
Victoria Santos, study abroad adviser and passport agent, said that most people expect the appointments to take hours, but if they come prepared it can be done quickly.
“Really, if you make sure you double check that checklist that we send out to you, we’re done in 30 minutes,” Santos said.
The appointments include verifying and signing documents and taking photos. Once the documents are signed, the application is mailed off, with an expected turnaround of four to six weeks to receive the passport, she said.
As a passport agent, Santos said she sees a mix of students and returning alumni. It’s refreshing to get a different perspective, she said.
“I want to be able to give people that ease of mind, and they can come in really easily and get their passport done,” Santos said.
@kh.kennedyharvey