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NIH Employee Passports

The Fogarty International Center (FIC) at NIH processes applications only for official and diplomatic passports and visas for NIH employees. Fogarty does not process applications for personal or tourist passports, or obtain passports or visas for travelers from other U.S. government agencies. If you are with another agency, please check with your travel department. 

Need a visa? See our visa information page.

Our Office is Temporarily Moving!

Effective January 17, 2023, the Fogarty International Center (FIC) Visa Passport Office (VPO) will be temporarily relocated to Building 31, Room 3B41 due to renovations.

Time in temporary location

Currently, the renovation is scheduled for approximately six months. We will communicate as needed and when the renovation is complete as we prepare to move the Office back to its permanent location.

Important dates and information

On Friday, January 13, 2023, the VPO staff will physically relocate to the temporary location. Please recommend to your IC staff who have a visa or passport-related case that needs to be managed to submit their packages to the VPO before or after Friday, January 13, 2023. The VPO staff will not be available to receive or process cases because they will be physically relocating and their systems will be down.

Where to find the FIC VPO Staff

Starting on January 17, 2023:
FIC Visa/Passport Office
Building 31, Room 3B41
31 Center Dr. MSC 2220
Bethesda, MD 20892-2220
301-827-5555

Office hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon

We look forward to continuing our partnership with the NIH community during our temporary relocation.

Planning to travel? Apply early!

Timelines for obtaining official passports and visas vary.  They depend on the action being requested, processing times at the Department of State (DOS) and/or the foreign embassy, as well as country-specific visa requirements and back-to-back travel.  Travelers should start the relevant request process as soon as possible, i.e., as soon as travel plans are being initiated or discussed.

Refer to the following submission timeframes when needing to obtain an official passport and/or a visa for foreign travel.  Late passport/visa requests may result in trip delays or cancellations or the traveler having to submit their request in person to DOS/foreign embassy. 

To ensure timely processing, submit request(s) to FIC as outlined in the following table:

Applying for...Submit request to FIC by...
Official passport or visa60 days prior to departure
Official passport and visa90 days prior to departure
Multiple visas90 days prior to departure

Requirements for use of official passports

HHS employees on official international travel are required to use their official (or diplomatic) U.S. government passports unless the Department of State advises otherwise.

Exception: Travelers to Taiwan on official business must use their personal passport. No official or diplomatic passports are permitted.

Official passports are for official use only and may not be used for personal travel.

Individuals who are not eligible for official passports (e.g., fellows, such as IRTAs or CRTAs, and employees who are not U.S. citizens) are permitted to travel on official business with personal passports.

Passport validity

Although requirements vary by country, passports generally must be valid at least three to six months beyond the intended stay. Passports with less than 6 months validity remaining should be renewed prior to travel.

Apply for an official passport

To apply for an official passport, the traveler must be a:

  1. U.S. citizen, and a
  2. U.S. federal government employee.

Important: You must submit an Information Sheet (see detailed instructions below) along with any form you provide FIC.

Requests for official passports should be submitted eight weeks before your departure date. DOS processes official passport applications on a first-in, first-out basis.  Processing times can vary with increased demand and may lead to unexpected delays.  Limited staff availability and the need for agencies to make appointments to submit applications also may add additional processing time. Late passport requests may result in trip delays or cancellations or the traveler having to submit their request in person to DOS. 

To apply for an official passport, there must be a trip planned. Please note the tentative or definite destination on the Information Sheet.

All completed documents must be forwarded to FIC. Processing takes six to eight weeks.

Application DS-82 for official passport or renewing official passport

Use the DS-82 form to apply by submitting your personal passport; it will be returned to FIC with the new official passport.

NOTE: Use the instruction sheet given on this site, NOT the instructions on the State Department website! Only print pages 5 and 6 of the application:

Application DS-11 for official passport when failing to submit personal passport

If you do not hold a U.S. personal passport book/card or do not wish to submit it for processing, the DS-11 form must be completed. The form should not be signed until you meet with a passport agent at FIC. Along with the DS-11 form, you must submit your birth certificate or naturalization certificate; it will be returned to FIC with the new official passport.

NOTE: Use the instruction sheet given on this site, NOT the instructions on the State Department website! Only print page 5 and 6 of the application:

Additional visa pages

The State Department no longer adds extra visa pages to U.S. passports. NIH travelers who have run out of visa pages in their official passport will need to apply for a new passport using the DS-82 form.

DS-64: Statement regarding lost or stolen passport

This form should be submitted with the DS-11 application and its requirements if the official passport is lost or stolen.

NOTE: Use the instructions given on this site, NOT the instructions on the State Department website! Only print page 2of the application:

Passport photos

Photos submitted with passport applications must be taken within the last six months. You can get passport photos from:

  • NIH photography team, Events Management Branch, Multimedia Section
  • Building 10, Room B2L328
  • Telephone: 301-496-9993
  • Hours: Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m
  • No appointment is necessary
  • Bring a completed photography request form

Eye glasses may not be worn in passport photos. If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, you’ll need to obtain and submit a signed statement from a medical professional or practitioner with your passport application.

Immunizations, medications, and preventative measures

Please contact the NIH Occupational Medical Service (OMS) four to six weeks prior to travel about Yellow Fever Cards or immunizations:

Who to contact

Contact your Fogarty Specialist for assistance. 

Resources

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Updated January 6, 2023