Do Babies Under 1 Need a Passport for International Travel?

Yes, babies need a passport for international travel. The State Department issues passports to children of every age, including newborns, and you cannot add a baby to a parent’s passport.¹ A passport book for a child costs $135 all in, standard processing runs four to six weeks, and both parents generally have to appear in person with the baby to apply. The one real exception is closed-loop cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port, where a birth certificate can stand in for a passport.

The Closed-Loop Cruise Exception

On a cruise that departs from and returns to the same U.S. port, children under 16 can board with an original or certified birth certificate instead of a passport. Customs and Border Protection will even accept a hospital-issued birth certificate for a newborn whose official document hasn’t arrived yet.² A passport is still the safer choice. If a medical issue or family emergency forces you to fly home from a foreign port rather than staying with the ship, you’ll need one to board a plane.

Every other form of international travel with a baby, including flights, land crossings into Canada or Mexico, and most sea travel, requires a passport book.

Documents You’ll Need

Missing paperwork is the most common reason applications stall, so gather everything before you book an appointment.

Proof of U.S. citizenship. An original or certified birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state of birth, showing the child’s full name, date and place of birth, both parents’ names, and the registrar’s signature and seal. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Naturalization also works.³
Proof of parental relationship. The birth certificate usually covers this since it names both parents. Adoption decrees and custody orders work too.³
Parent identification. Each parent appearing in person needs a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license, a current or expired full-validity U.S. passport, a government employee ID, or a military ID. Digital IDs are not accepted.³
The child’s Social Security number. Federal law requires it on the application. If your baby doesn’t have one yet, you must include a signed statement saying so; leaving the field blank without that statement can trigger a $500 IRS penalty.⁴⁵
Form DS-11. The application for all first-time applicants and children under 16. Fill it out ahead of time but do not sign it until the acceptance agent tells you to.⁶

One timing issue trips up many new parents: you need the official birth certificate in hand before you can apply, and vital records offices can take days or weeks to issue one. If international travel is on the horizon, contact your state’s vital records office as soon as you can after the birth and ask about expedited processing.

Taking the Baby’s Passport Photo

Infant photos follow most of the standard rules with one important relaxation. A baby’s eyes do not need to be open. The State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual specifically allows an infant’s eyes, especially a newborn’s, to be partially or fully closed.⁷

The background must be plain white or off-white with no shadows on the baby’s face. The simplest technique is to lay the baby on a plain white sheet and photograph straight down from above. Remove pacifiers, hats, and head coverings before the shot. A neutral expression is preferred, but the State Department recognizes that babies don’t take direction.⁸

Both Parents Must Appear

Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the baby to give consent for the passport to be issued.¹ The rule exists to prevent one parent from taking a child out of the country without the other’s knowledge.

If One Parent Can’t Be There

The absent parent can sign Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) in front of a notary public. A photocopy of the ID they showed the notary must be submitted with the form.¹

Sole Custody or a Missing Second Parent

A single parent can apply alone with one of the following:

A court order granting sole custody or permission to obtain the passport
A certified birth certificate or adoption decree listing only one parent
A certified death certificate for the other parent
A judicial declaration of incompetence for the other parent

Any of these replaces the second parent’s consent.¹ When the second parent has disappeared, is unreachable in custody, or refuses to cooperate, Form DS-5525 (Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances) lets you document why consent isn’t possible.⁹

Where To Apply, What It Costs, and How Long It Takes

Applications for anyone under 16 must be submitted in person at a passport acceptance facility. These include post offices, clerks of court, public libraries, and other local government offices.¹⁰ Book an appointment before you go; walk-ins often mean a long wait or being turned away.

A child’s passport book runs $100 in application fees to the State Department plus a $35 acceptance facility fee, for $135 total. Expedited processing adds $60, and 1-to-3-day return delivery after processing adds $22.05.¹¹

Standard processing takes four to six weeks from the day the State Department receives the application, and expedited takes two to three weeks. Neither figure includes mail transit time in either direction, which can add days on each end.¹¹

If You’re Traveling in Less Than Two Weeks

When travel is fewer than 14 days away, you can book an appointment at a regional passport agency through the Online Passport Appointment System. You’ll need to enter your travel details to confirm eligibility and show proof of upcoming international travel.¹² A separate life-or-death emergency service is available for travelers who must go abroad within 14 days because an immediate family member outside the United States has died, is in hospice, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. Walk-ins aren’t allowed for either service.¹³

Validity, Renewal, and the Six-Month Rule

A child’s passport is valid for five years, not the ten years an adult receives.¹ A passport issued to a newborn expires before kindergarten.

There’s also a practical wrinkle at foreign borders. Many countries require your passport to remain valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates. Traveling close to the expiration date can mean being turned away on arrival, even though the passport hasn’t technically expired.

Children under 16 cannot renew by mail. Every renewal is a full in-person DS-11 application with both parents present, the same drill as the first one.¹ Budget accordingly if you travel frequently.

Traveling Alone With Your Baby

A passport gets your baby out of the United States, but a solo parent should think about the destination side too. The U.S. does not require proof that both parents approved the trip at the border, but many other countries do. Some will ask a parent traveling alone with a child for a signed, notarized letter from the other parent granting permission, or for proof of sole legal custody.¹⁴

Even where a letter isn’t formally required, immigration officers can question a parent traveling alone with a child. Carrying a notarized letter from the other parent along with a copy of their ID costs almost nothing and can save you a stressful conversation at a checkpoint. Check the specific entry requirements for your destination well before you fly. Some countries also require a visa for the baby, regardless of age.

1
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
2
help.CBP.gov. Documents – Do I Need a Passport To Go on a Cruise?
3
United States Department of State. DS-11 for Minors – Wizard Results
4
Travel.State.Gov. Frequently Asked Questions about Passport Services
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6039E – Information Concerning Resident Status
6
U.S. Department of State. Passport Forms
7
U.S. Department of State. 8 FAM 402.1 Passport Photographs
8
U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
9
U.S. Department of State. Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances for Issuance of a U.S. Passport to a Child Under Age 16 (DS-5525)
10
U.S. Department of State. Where to Apply for a U.S. Passport
11
Travel.State.Gov. Passport Fees
12
Travel.State.Gov. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center
13
U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
14
Travel.State.Gov. Travel with Minors