Passports
Passports for Minors
Effective February 1, 2008, U.S. law requires that both parents of a child under age 16 personally appear with the child when requesting a passport. In the event that one parent cannot appear, a notarized Statement of Consent must be signed and submitted with the passport application. A foreign language Consent Form may be submitted but it must include an English translation. See below for other circumstances in which one-parent signatures are acceptable.
For an initial passport for a child born in Russia, please see our section on Registering the Birth of a U.S. Citizen Abroad.
For renewing or replacing the passport of a minor under age 16, the parent(s) must submit:
- Application Form DS-11
- The child's original birth certificate,
- Photo identification of the parents,
- The child's previous passport,
- A Statement of Consent if only one parent is present,
- Passport photos,
- Fees.
For minors aged 16 and 17, at least one parent must be present.
The DS-11 application must be signed in the presence of a consular officer, and the child must be present. In addition, minors aged 14-17 will be asked to sign their own application. Applicants over the age of 16 who have never had a 10-year passport are considered first-time adult applicants, and will be issued a passport valid for ten years for a fee of $100.00.
One-parent signatures are acceptable when submitting the following primary evidence of sole authority to apply:
- Child's certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate listing only applying parent;
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) listing only applying parent;
- Court order granting sole custody to applying parent (unless child's travel is restricted by order);
- Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adoptive 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.