Blog

How To Secure A Passport For A Child

Just as every U. S. adult must present a valid passport for international air travel, so must each child have their own passport. At one time, children under a certain age could travel on their parent’s passport but that law has changed and now each must have their own. The requirements for a childrens passport are similar to that of getting an adult passport except for a couple of major particulars to which careful attention must be paid.

The child must appear in person at the office at the time of the application for the passport. A form DS-11 should be filled out but not yet signed by both parents. The child must be accompanied by both parents in order to apply for a passport.

The child must be accompanied by proof of citizenship which can be in the form of a certified birth certificate, consular certificate of birth abroad, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship. While some secondary documents are acceptable, most children born of a US citizen will have access to the documents listed previously. Secondary proof of citizenship is more complicated as it requires a combination of documents such as a baptismal certificate, early school records, early public records or family bible.

In addition to documentation proving the child’s citizenship, the parents of the child must be present and submit identification such as a valid passport or government issued identification. Proof of relationship to the child for whom the passport is being issued is required for minors under the age of 16. Court adoption records, birth certificates naming both parents or legal guardianship papers can be used for those purposes.

Children aged 16 and 17 are still considered minors but the requirements differ for them slightly. They can present their own photo id or if they have none yet, a parent can present theirs at the passport office. They must fill out the form DS-11 application for an quick passport and sign it. Unlike the younger children they can apply for their passport themselves without the necessity of parents.

Some children may be able to travel without a passport but the circumstances where this applies are limited. A cruise ship which is considered to be on a closed circuit trip and leaves from a US port with a destination in the Western Hemisphere may not require the child to have a valid passport. However it should be remembered that the port of call in another country may require passengers to have a passport to disembark.

Groups of US or Canadian children traveling with school, religious or sports organizations to countries which are adjacent to theirs may present a birth certificate rather than a passport. This regulation is applicable to arrival by land or sea. Air travel still requires a US passport for the child to travel.

When applying for a child’s passport, the wait times are similar to that of an adult’s. Usually it requires four to six weeks for a passport submitted through regular channels to arrive. Expedited passports require a more substantial fee and will usually arrive in two to four weeks. To receive a babies passport sooner for more urgent travel plans, a US passport agency office or website will be able to issue the passport within 24 hours or if this is not possible, an expediting service can be used.