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Child Passport Information - How to Get a Passport for Your Child

Passport for ChildNeed a child's passport? Get ready to have your patience tested. Acquiring or renewing a child's passport is no walk in the park. Over the past few years, new requirements have been added in an effort to combat child abduction and trafficking. The new requirements mean more work for parents to acquire passports for their children. While guaranteeing the safety of children may be a worthy objective, it still means more work. To make it through the process without a hitch, start early and pay attention to details.

The first thing you need to know is that your child must apply in person with both parents or guardians (see special cases below) and present a Social Security number. There is no renewal of a passpport for minors so children under 16 must apply for a new passport using Form DS-11. The form should not be signed until a passport agent requests that it be done.

 

You also need to provide parental consent for any child under age 16. Due to the different familial situations that can exist, you can refer to the table below to determine what you will need to present in order to obtain a passport for your child.

Is your child under age 16? If so, you need to provide both proof of citizenship and proof of relationship.

Proof of citizenship can be established with a certified birth certificate. You can acquire this at the registrar's office of the state where your child was born. Be sure to get the "long form".

Other documents that serve to prove citizenship are a previous fully valid U.S. passport, a Report of Birth Abroad, a Certification of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization.

 

 

Parental Consent Table


Both Parents MUST:
  • Appear in person with the minor
  • Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent

 

One Parent MUST:

 
  • Appear in person with the minor
  • Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
  • Submit the second parents’ notarized Statement of Consent (Form DS-3053)

 

One Parent
(with sole legal custody)
MUST:

 
  • Appear in person with the minor
  • Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
  • Submit primary evidence of sole authority to apply for the child with one of the following:
    • Minor’s certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate listing only the applying parent
    • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350) listing only the applying parent
    • Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child's travel is restricted by that order)
    • Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adopting parent)
    • Court order specifically permitting applying parent's or guardian's travel with the child
    • Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent
    • Death certificate of non-applying parent

NOTE: If none of the above documentation is available, the applying parent must submit Form DS-3053 stating why the non-applying parent/guardian's consent cannot be obtained

A Third Party
(in Loco Parentis applying on behalf of a minor under the age of 16)
MUST:
  • Submit a notarized written statement or affidavit from both parents or guardians authorizing a third-party to apply for a passport
  • When the statement of affidavit is from only one parent/guardian, the third-party must present evidence of sole custody of the authorizing parent/guardian.

Proof of Relationship

 While you can provide a previous U.S. passport as proof of citizenship, it is not accepted as proof of relationship. To prove the child's relationship to the applying partent(s) or guardian(s), you must submit one of the following.
  • Certified U.S. birth certificate (with parents' names); or
  • Certified Foreign Birth Certificate (with parents' names and translation, if necessary); or
  • Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) (with parents' names); or
  • Certification of Birth Abroad ( Form DS-1350) (with parents' names); or
  • Adoption Decree ( with adopting parents' names); or
  • Court Order Establishing Custody; or
  • Court Order Establishing Guardianship.

You also need to take with you photo ID such as your own passport or drivers license, Passport Application Form DS-11filled out but not signed, two passport photos of each child and payment for passport fees.

 

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 Acceptance Agent.

 
American Passport Agency & VISA
 Attn: Passport Department

P.O. Box 351807
 LA, CA 90035

San Diego,   P: 858 6DESIGN (858) 633 7446

SF bay area,   P: 415 MALEKIS (415) 625 3547