Passports, Social Security cards, birth certificates, immigration records, tax transcripts, military records, court records, and benefit documents come from different offices. The fastest path is to identify the document, the issuing agency, whether you need a first-time application, renewal, replacement, correction, certification, or status check.

For U.S. passports, start with the State Department. Official pages explain first-time applications, renewals, passport cards, fees, photos, processing times, urgent travel, lost or stolen passports, and status tracking.

Social Security cards are handled through the Social Security Administration. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records usually come from state or local vital records offices. Immigration documents usually come from USCIS, the State Department, or another immigration-related office depending on the record.

Many private sites sell help with forms that are available from government agencies. Before paying, verify whether you are on a .gov site, whether the fee is required by the government, whether the site explains privacy and refunds, and whether you can complete the task directly through the issuing office.