U.S. Department of State

U.S. Department of State
 
 

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Special Requirements for Children Under Age 14

Minor Children must Apply in Person

 

1. Provide Application Form DS-11

 

 

 

NOTE: Please do NOT sign the DS-11 application form until the Passport Acceptance Agent instructs you to do so.

 

2. Submit Proof of U.S. Citizenship (for minors under age 14)

 

You will need to submit one of the following:

  • Certified U.S. birth certificate; or
  • Previous fully valid U.S. Passport; or
  • Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240); or
  • Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350); or
  • Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization from BCIS.

NOTE: A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, Impressed or multicolored seal, registrar’s signature, and the Date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth

A Delayed Birth Certificate filed more than one year after your birth may be acceptable if it:

  • Listed the documentation used to create it and
  • Signed by the attending physician or midwife, or, lists an affidavit signed by the parents, or shows early public records.

If you do NOT have a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate, you will need:

    1. Letter of No Record

Issued by the state with your name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate on file for you.

    1. AND as many of the following as possible:

          o        Baptismal certificate

     o        Hospital birth certificate    

     o       Census record

     o        Early school record                  

     o        Family bible record  

             o        Doctor's record of post-natal care

 

 

NOTES:

o        These documents must be early public records showing the date and place of birth, preferably created within the first five years of your life.

 

o        You may also submit an Affidavit of Birth, form DS-10A, from an older blood relative, i.e., a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, who has personal knowledge of your birth. It must be notarized or have the seal and signature of the acceptance agent.

NOTE: The following are NOT proof of citizenship

  • Voter registration cards
  • Army discharge papers

Click here for information on the Child Citizenship Act of 2000

NOTE: If you travel extensively, you may request a larger, 48-page passport at no additional cost. To do so, please attach a signed request for a 48-page passport to your application.

 

3. Present Evidence of Child’s Relationship to Parents/Guardians (for minors under age 14)

 

 

 

 

Note: Previous U.S. passports are not acceptable as proof of relationship to the applying parent(s)/guardian(s).

You will need to 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.

NOTE: If the parent(s)’/guardian’s name(s) is/are other than that on these documents, evidence of legal name change is required.

 

4. Provide Parental Identification (for minors under age 14)

 

 

 

 

Each parent or guardian must submit one of the following:

  • Valid Drivers License
  • Valid Official U.S. Military ID
  • Valid U.S. Gov’t ID
  • Valid U.S. or Foreign Passport with recognizable photo
  • Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate from BCIS with recognizable photo
  • Alien Resident Card from BCIS

 

NOTE: Your Social Security Card does NOT prove your identity.

 

If none of these are available, you will need:

  1. Some signature documents, not acceptable alone as ID

(ex: a combination of documents, such as your Social Security card, credit card, bank card, library card, etc.)

AND

  1. A person who can vouch for you. He/she must
    • Have known you for at least 2 years,
    • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident,
    • Have valid ID, and
    • Fill out a Form DS-71 in the presence of a passport agent.

 

5. Present Parental Application Permission Documentation

(for minors under age 14)

 

 

 

 

1. Both parents must appear together and sign or

2. One parent appears, signs, and submits second parent's Statement of Consent: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor Under Age 14, Form DS-3053 authorizing passport issuance for the child or

3. One parents appears, signs, and submits primary evidence of sole authority to apply (such as one of the following):

  • Child’s certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate (with translation, if necessary) listing only applying parent; or
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350) listing only applying parent; or
  • Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child’s travel is restricted by that order); or
  • Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adopting parent); or
  • Court order specifically permitting applying parent’s or guardian’s travel with the child; or
  • Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent; or
  • Death certificate of non-applying parent.

If none of the above documentation is available, the applying parent/guardian should submit Form DS-3053: Statement of Consent: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor Under Age 14.

NOTE:

A third-party in loco parentis applying on behalf of a minor under the age of 14 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 or affidavit is from only one parent/guardian, the third-party must present evidence of sole custody of the authorizing parent/guardian.

6. Provide Two Passport Photos

 

Your photographs must be:

  • 2x2 inches in size
  • Identical
  • Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
  • Color
  • Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background
  • Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
  • Taken in normal street attire
  • Uniforms should not be worn in photographs.
  • Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline unless worn daily for religious purposes.
  • If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture.
  • Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required.

Click here for information on acceptable digitized photos.
Click here for detailed information for professional photographers.

NOTE: Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable

 

7. Pay the Applicable Fee

 

 

 

Click here to see passport fees.

Our 13 Passport Agencies Accept:

For Passport Application and Execution Fee

Credit Cards - VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
Debit/Check cards (not ATM cards)
Checks, money orders, bank drafts

Our over 6,000 Passport Acceptance Facilities Accept:

For Passport Application Fee

Personal checks, money orders, and bank drafts at all locations
Exact cash at some locations

For Execution Fee

Money orders and bank drafts at all locations
Personal checks and exact cash at some locations
Credit cards at U.S. Postal Facilities and some other locations

*Note: When applying at one of the thousands of designated application acceptance facilities in the U.S., you pay the application processing fee to the “U.S. Department of State” and the execution fee to the facility where you are applying. When applying at a Regional Passport Agency, both fees are combined into one payment to the “U.S. Department of State.”

Expedite Fee: ( See How to Get Your Passport in a Hurry .)

 

8. Provide a Social Security Number

 

If you do not provide your Social Security Number, the Internal Revenue Service may impose a $500 penalty. If you have any questions please call your nearest IRS office.