Does a 2-Year-Old Need a Passport to Travel? Fees and Photos

Yes, a 2-year-old needs a passport to fly internationally. Every U.S. citizen, from newborns on up, must have their own passport book for air travel outside the United States, and there is no exemption for lap infants or toddlers.¹ The application costs $135, requires both parents to appear in person with the child, and takes about four to six weeks under routine processing.

When the Passport Is Actually Required

If you are flying anywhere outside the U.S. with your toddler, a passport book is required. That applies whether your child has their own seat or is riding on your lap.

For land or sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative gives adults several document options, but for a 2-year-old the realistic choices narrow to a passport book or a passport card.² The card is cheaper but only works at land and sea border crossings, not flights. If there is any chance you will fly, get the book.

For domestic travel inside the United States, your toddler needs no passport and no ID at all. TSA does not require identification for anyone under 18 at the security checkpoint.³

What to Bring to the Appointment

Gathering paperwork is the slow part. Miss one item and you start over with a new appointment. Have all of the following ready:

Form DS-11, filled out but unsigned. Use the online Form Filler on the State Department site and print it. The acceptance agent will tell you when to sign.⁴
Proof of your child’s U.S. citizenship. Usually a certified birth certificate showing the child’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, both parents’ names, the registrar’s signature, and a filing date within one year of birth. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Citizenship, or previous U.S. passport also works.⁵
Proof of the parental relationship. A birth certificate listing both parents typically satisfies this at the same time.
A government-issued photo ID for each parent or legal guardian, such as a driver’s license.
Photocopies of the citizenship document and of the front and back of each parent’s ID, on standard 8.5-by-11-inch paper, single-sided.
One passport photo of your child that meets State Department specifications.

Your original citizenship documents come back, but not with the passport. The book and the original documents ship in separate envelopes, and the originals can take up to four weeks after the passport arrives.⁵

Both Parents Have to Show Up

For any passport applicant under 16, both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child.⁵ The rule is designed to prevent one parent from taking a child abroad without the other’s knowledge, and it is one of the government’s main safeguards against international child abduction.

If one parent cannot attend, that parent completes Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent), has it notarized, and includes a photocopy of the front and back of their photo ID. The attending parent brings this along with everything else.⁶ Notary fees for one signature usually run between $2 and $15.

Sole Custody or a Missing Second Parent

You can apply without the other parent’s consent if you are the only parent listed on the birth certificate or have sole legal custody. Bring one of the following: a court order granting sole custody, a certified birth certificate listing only you, a certified death certificate of the other parent, or a judicial declaration of incompetence.⁵

When you genuinely cannot reach the other parent, Form DS-5525 (Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances) lets you explain why consent is impossible. The State Department reviews these case by case.⁷

How and Where to Apply

Applications for children under 16 must be submitted in person at a passport acceptance facility. Most post offices that handle passports and many county clerk offices qualify. Search for a location and book an appointment through the USPS scheduler or the State Department’s website. Appointments can generally be booked up to four weeks out and take roughly 15 minutes per person. Arrive about 10 minutes early.

At the appointment you hand Form DS-11 and the supporting documents to the acceptance agent, sign the form in front of them, and pay the fees. The agent forwards everything to the State Department.

Fees

The passport book for a child under 16 costs $100 in application fees plus a $35 acceptance fee, for $135 total. A passport card alone is $15 plus the $35 acceptance fee, or $50.⁸ For families planning to fly, the book is the practical choice.

Processing Times

Routine processing runs four to six weeks. Expedited processing takes two to three weeks and costs an additional $60.⁹ Faster delivery is available for an extra fee. Times fluctuate with demand and spike after holidays and heading into summer. If you have a trip planned, three months of lead time is a comfortable buffer.

If your travel is already booked and time is short, the State Department also runs urgent travel and life-or-death emergency services through regional passport agencies, by appointment only.¹⁰ Those slots are limited, so treat them as a last resort rather than a plan.

Getting a Passport Photo of a Toddler

The photo rules are the same as for adults: a recent color photo, plain white or off-white background, no glasses, face pointed at the camera. The State Department does make allowances for very young children. Infants and toddlers can be photographed lying on a white blanket or placed in a car seat covered with a light-colored sheet, and closed eyes are acceptable as long as the face is toward the camera.

Doing this at home is easier than a photo booth. Use natural light near a window, spread a plain white sheet on the floor, and have another adult stand behind the camera with a toy to get your child’s gaze up. A smartphone with high enough resolution works fine, and many drugstores and shipping stores will print to passport specifications for under $20. The advantage of shooting at home is that you can try again on a different day if the first attempt does not work.

Validity and What Comes Next

A passport issued to anyone under 16 is valid for only five years, half the adult term, because children’s faces change too quickly to justify a longer window.⁵

You cannot renew a child’s passport by mail. Children under 16 are not eligible for the Form DS-82 mail-in process.¹¹ When the five years are up you repeat everything: new DS-11, new appointment, new photo, new fees, both parents present or notarized consent. A passport issued at age 2 means going through this again around age 7 and again around 12. The first ten-year passport comes when your child applies at 16 or older.

Consent Letters for International Travel

The passport is not always the last document you need. If your 2-year-old will travel internationally with only one parent, a grandparent, or another adult, many countries expect or require a notarized letter from any parent not on the trip. The letter should give permission for the child to travel with the named adult, be written in English, and be notarized.¹²

Canada and Mexico are particularly likely to ask. Even where the letter is not legally required, a border agent may question a child traveling without both parents, and having the letter on hand avoids delays. The State Department recommends contacting the embassy or consulate of your destination country in advance to confirm what they want.¹³ The letter costs almost nothing to prepare, and not having one at the wrong crossing can end a trip before it starts.

1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. Citizens – Documents Needed to Enter the United States and/or to Travel Internationally
2
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
3
TSA. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
4
U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport
5
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
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U.S. Department of State. Form DS-3053 – Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child
7
U.S. Department of State. Form DS-5525 – Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances
8
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
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U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
11
USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
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USAGov. International Travel Documents for Children
13
U.S. Department of State. Travel with Minors