How to Cancel a Passport Appointment

How to cancel your passport appointment

You can cancel a passport appointment through the same system where you booked it. If you made your appointment online through the State Department's appointment portal, log back in with your confirmation number and the phone number or email you used to reserve the slot. The portal will show your appointment details and a cancellation option. If you booked by phone through the National Passport Information Center, call them back at 1-877-487-2778 to cancel — have your confirmation number ready.

Cancellations are free and take effect immediately. Once you cancel, that time slot opens up for other people to book. If you need to reschedule rather than simply cancel, you can often do this in the same step — the system will show available times after you cancel, or you can cancel first and book a new appointment separately.

If you booked at a passport acceptance facility (usually a post office, library, or courthouse), contact that location directly by phone. They handle their own scheduling and cancellations. Look up the facility's phone number on the State Department website or call 1-877-487-2778 for the number.

Key Takeaways

• Online appointments cancel through the State Department portal using your confirmation number and phone number or email.
• Phone appointments cancel by calling 1-877-487-2778 with your confirmation number ready.
• Appointments at passport acceptance facilities cancel by calling that specific location directly.
• Cancellations are free and take effect right away, freeing up the time slot for others.
• If you need a different time, you can reschedule in the same step or cancel and book separately.

Cancelling an online appointment through the State Department portal

Go to the State Department's passport appointment website and select "Check/Cancel Appointment" instead of booking a new one. Enter your confirmation number (a 10-digit code sent to you when you booked) and the phone number or email address you used to make the reservation. The system will pull up your appointment details, including the date, time, and location.

Once your appointment appears on screen, look for the cancellation button or link — the exact wording varies, but it will be clearly labeled. Click it and confirm that you want to cancel. You will see a message confirming the cancellation is complete. That is all you need to do. The State Department does not require you to call or send anything else.

Cancelling a phone appointment with the National Passport Information Center

Call 1-877-487-2778 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time). Have your confirmation number ready — it is the 10-digit code you received when you booked by phone. Tell the representative you want to cancel your appointment and provide the confirmation number.

The representative will confirm your appointment details and process the cancellation. They will tell you the cancellation is complete. You do not need to do anything else. If you want to reschedule, you can ask the representative to book a new time while you are on the phone, or you can hang up and book online later.

Cancelling an appointment at a passport acceptance facility

Passport acceptance facilities — post offices, libraries, courthouses, and other local offices — manage their own appointment systems. You cannot cancel through the State Department portal if you booked at one of these locations. Instead, call the facility directly.

Find the phone number on the State Department's facility locator or call 1-877-487-2778 and ask for the number. When you call the facility, have your confirmation number ready. The staff will look up your appointment and cancel it. Some facilities may ask you to provide your name and date of birth instead of a confirmation number — either way, be ready to confirm your identity.

What happens after you cancel

Once your cancellation is processed, you will not receive a separate confirmation email or letter. The appointment simply disappears from the system. If you booked online, you can log back into the portal at any time to confirm the cancellation is gone. If you booked by phone or at a facility, the cancellation is final once the representative tells you it is complete.

If you need a passport appointment in the future, you will book a new one from scratch — there is no "hold" on your previous cancellation. The time slot you cancelled is now available for other people to book.

Rescheduling instead of cancelling

If you want a different appointment time rather than no appointment at all, you have two options. First, many online portals let you reschedule in one step: cancel your current appointment and immediately book a new one without logging out. This is faster than cancelling and booking separately.

Second, you can cancel first and then book a new appointment whenever you are ready. This works if you are not sure when you want to come in, or if you want to check what times are available before you commit. Just remember that popular times fill up quickly, so if you cancel without rebooking right away, the slot you want may be taken by someone else.

If you cannot reach the system or facility

If the online portal is down or you cannot log in, call 1-877-487-2778. If you booked at a passport acceptance facility and cannot reach them by phone, call the National Passport Information Center and provide your confirmation number — they can sometimes cancel on your behalf or give you another way to reach the facility.

If you have a confirmation number but cannot remember where you booked (online, by phone, or at a facility), call 1-877-487-2778 with your confirmation number and phone number. The representative can look it up and tell you where your appointment is scheduled, then help you cancel from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose money if I cancel my appointment?

No. Passport appointment cancellations are free. You do not pay anything to cancel, and you do not get a refund because you did not pay to book in the first place. Passport fees are paid when you submit your application at your appointment, not when you schedule.

How far in advance do I need to cancel?

There is no advance notice requirement. You can cancel an appointment the day before, the day of, or even a few hours before. The sooner you cancel, the sooner someone else can book that time slot, but there is no penalty for cancelling last-minute.

What if I miss my appointment without cancelling?

If you do not show up and do not cancel, your appointment is simply marked as a no-show. You will need to book a new appointment to apply for your passport. There is no fee or penalty for missing an appointment, but you have lost that time slot and will have to wait for another opening.

Can I cancel someone else's appointment?

No. To cancel an appointment, you need the confirmation number and the phone number or email used to book it. Only the person who made the reservation can cancel it through the online portal. If someone else needs to cancel, they should contact the facility or call 1-877-487-2778 directly.

Will I get an email confirming my cancellation?

Not always. Online cancellations show a confirmation message on screen, but you may not receive an email. If you booked by phone or at a facility, the representative will tell you verbally that the cancellation is complete. If you want written proof, ask the representative for a confirmation number or reference number before you hang up.