Special Requirements for Children Under Age 16
Before You Start, Please Note: |
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STEPS TO SUBMITTING A PASSPORT APPLICATION FOR A MINOR UNDER AGE 16:
Read and understand Steps 1 - 7 before leaving this page.
STEP 1: Complete and Submit Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport
Complete Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport. To submit Form DS-11, the minor:
- Must apply in person with both parents/guardian(s)
- Must provide the additional documentation required by Form DS-11 (See Steps 2-7)
- Must not sign the application until instructed to do so by the Acceptance Agent
- Must provide his/her Social Security number
STEP 2: Submit Evidence of U.S. Citizenship
The minor's evidence of U.S. citizenship must be submitted with Form DS-11. All documentation submitted as citizenship evidence will be returned to you. These documents will be delivered with your newly issued U.S. passport or in a separate mailing.
Primary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship (One of the following): |
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*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. Some short (abstract) versions of birth certificates may not be acceptable for passport purposes.
NOTE: If you do not have primary evidence of U.S. citizenship or your U.S. birth certificate does not meet the requirements, please see Secondary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship.
STEP 3: Submit Evidence of Relationship
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must submit evidence of their relationship to the minor applicant.
Evidence of Relationship (One of the following): |
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*All foreign documents submitted with a passport application must be accompanied by an English translation (formal or informal).
NOTES:
- Previous U.S. passports are not acceptable as evidence of relationship
- Evidence of a legal name change must be submitted, if the name of a parent/guardian has changed since the original documents were issued (e.g. photocopy of a marriage certificate, etc.)
STEP 4: Present Identification of Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
When applying for a minor under age 16, both parent(s)/guardian(s) must present acceptable identification at the time of application.
Primary Identification (One of the following): |
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NOTE: If none of these items are available, please see Secondary Identification.
STEP 5: Submit a Photocopy of Each Parent/Guardian ID Document To Be Presented (STEP 4)
A photocopy of each identification document to be presented by a parent or guardian must be submitted with the minor's passport application. If you are applying for multiple minors at one time, you must include a photocopy of each parent/guardian ID document presented with each minor's individual passport application.
- Photocopy must be on plain white, 8 1/2 x 11" standard paper stock, showing the front and the back of your ID
- Photocopy must contain images on only one-side of each page submitted.
- If copies cannot be made on the same side of one page, you may present two separate pages; one displaying the front of the ID and the second displaying the back of the ID.
- The paper should be free of other images and/or markings.
- The 8 1/2 x 11" paper size cannot be substituted with a larger or smaller size paper, even if the alternative folds down to the 8 1/2 x 11" size.
- You may enlarge the image of your ID on the 8 1/2 x 11" page, but you may not decrease the size of the image.
Other situations that require a photocopy of identification, but are less common, include:
- If you are presenting Secondary Identification, you must provide a photocopy each document being presented with your application
- An assistant to a disable applicant who witnesses the signature or signs on the disabled customer's behalf must present a photocopy of his or her ID
- A person acting as an Identifying Witness (Form DS-71) must present a photocopy of his or her ID
STEP 6: Provide Parental Consent
Both parents must provide consent authorizing passport issuance for a minor under age 16. See the scenarios below, and follow the instruction that best applies to your circumstance:
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One Parent MUST:
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One Parent
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A Third Party |
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IMPORTANT NOTE: The written consent from the non-applying parent that accompanies an application for a new passport must be less than 3 months old. New written consent from the non-applying parent must be obtained and submitted with any future passport application for
the minor under age 16.
STEP 7: Pay the Applicable Fee
Please see Current Passport Fees and methods of payment.
STEP 8: Provide Two Passport Photos
We can help you submit clear and correctly exposed passport photos the first time - especially when applying for the U.S. Passport Card. See Quality Requirements for Passport Book & Passport Card Photographs to avoid photo processing delays.
Your Photographs Must Be:
- Identical
- In color
- 2 x 2 inches in size
- Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
- 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 except religious attire that is worn daily
- Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline
- 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)
NOTES:
- Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable
- See Digitized Passport Photos for information on acceptable digital photos
- Professional photographers, see Guidelines for Producing High Quality Photographs for U.S. Travel Documents
NEED A U.S. PASSPORT IMMEDIATELY?
You should make an appointment to be seen at a Regional Passport Agency only if:
- The U.S. passport is needed in less than 2 weeks for international travel
- The U.S. passport is needed within 4 weeks to obtain a foreign visa
Contact the National Passport Information Center to make an appointment or locate a Passport Agency.