How to Fill Out and Notarize Form DS-3053: Statement of Consent

Form DS-3053 is the Statement of Consent that lets a U.S. child under 16 get a passport when one parent can’t come to the acceptance facility in person. The absent parent fills it out, signs it in front of a notary, attaches a photocopy of their ID, and hands it to the other parent to submit with the DS-11 application within 90 days of notarization. You can download the form at eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds3053.pdf.¹

When the Form Is Required

Federal regulations at 22 CFR 51.28 require both parents or legal guardians to appear in person with a child under 16 to apply for a passport.² DS-3053 exists for the times that isn’t possible. The parent who cannot appear completes the form to give written, notarized consent for the passport to be issued and to authorize the other parent (or a designated third party) to submit the application. If neither parent can appear, both sign a single DS-3053 authorizing a third party to bring the child.¹

When You Can Skip It

One parent can apply alone, without any consent form, by proving sole authority. Under 22 CFR 51.28, any of the following documents replaces both the DS-3053 and the second parent’s ID photocopy:²

A birth certificate listing only the applying parent.
A certified death certificate for the other parent.
An adoption decree naming only the applying parent.
A court order granting sole legal custody, without travel restrictions that conflict with passport issuance.
A court order terminating the other parent’s rights or declaring them incompetent.

The two-parent rule also stops at age 16. For applicants who are 16 or 17, the State Department only needs to see that a parent is aware of the application, which can be shown by a parent appearing in person, signing a note, being listed as the emergency contact, or paying the fees by personal check. A notarized DS-3053 is sometimes requested for this age group but is not required by default.³

Filling Out the Form

The absent parent completes the form, not the parent going to the acceptance facility. If you make a mistake, throw the sheet away and start over on a clean copy. The instructions specifically prohibit corrections on the document itself.¹

Section 1: Child’s Information

Enter the child’s full legal name exactly as it appears on the DS-11 application, along with the date of birth. There’s a checkbox for children who are 16 or 17.

Section 2: Appearing Adult

Print the name of whoever will physically bring the child to the acceptance facility. Check whether that person is a legal parent, legal guardian, or authorized third party.

Section 3: Statement of Consent

Print the full name of the absent parent or guardian giving consent. There are two name lines in case both parents are absent and consenting to a third party. The printed language authorizes issuance of both a passport book and a passport card by default; if you want to limit consent (for example, to a book only), write that restriction in the space provided. Below that, fill in your current mailing address, phone number, and email so the State Department can verify consent if needed.

Section 4: Oath and Signature

Leave this section blank until you’re in front of the notary. The notary will administer an oath, watch you sign, and record your identification document details on the form. Your signature date and the notary’s date must be the same day.

Notarization

Sign in the physical presence of a notary public or a passport authorizing officer. The notary verifies your identity with the same government-issued photo ID you’ll photocopy for the application. The notary cannot be related to you.¹

The notarized form is valid for 90 days. Miss that window and the form expires; you’ll need a fresh signature and a fresh notary seal.

If You’re Deployed

Military service members don’t need a civilian notary. Under 10 U.S.C. § 1044a, judge advocates, legal officers, and all officers at the grade of O-4 and above are authorized to perform notarial acts. Base legal assistance offices routinely notarize DS-3053 forms for deploying parents.⁴

If You’re Abroad

A parent outside the United States can get the form notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate. In some countries, a local foreign notary will not be accepted and the embassy or consulate is the only option. Check the specific post’s website for scheduling and fees.¹

Electronic Notarization

The State Department accepts electronically notarized DS-3053 forms if remote online notarization is legal in the state where it is performed. Print out the completed, notarized form to bring to the acceptance facility.⁵ Not every acceptance facility handles e-notarizations regularly, so call ahead if you’re going this route.

The ID Photocopy

The absent parent must attach a clear, legible photocopy of the front and back of the same government-issued photo ID shown to the notary.¹ Under 22 CFR 51.28, acceptable IDs include:

A valid driver’s license.
An official government identification card.
A military identification card.
A U.S. or foreign passport.
A Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship.
A Permanent Resident Card.

The list is not exhaustive. If you don’t have a primary photo ID, two secondary IDs together can substitute, such as a Social Security card paired with a voter registration card or student ID. Physical documents only. Digital IDs and mobile driver’s licenses are not accepted, and photocopies must be on standard 8.5-by-11-inch white paper with the image at full size.⁶

Submitting the Application

The appearing parent brings the child, the notarized DS-3053 with the attached ID photocopy, and the completed DS-11 to a passport acceptance facility. Most post offices, many county clerk offices, and some libraries serve as facilities; a locator is at iafdb.travel.state.gov. Some facilities require appointments, so check first.⁵

There’s no separate fee for DS-3053. You pay the standard child passport fees: $100 for a book, $15 for a card, or $115 for both, plus a $35 acceptance fee at the facility. Expedited processing adds $60, and 1–3 day return delivery adds $22.05. The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State by check or money order; the acceptance fee is paid separately to the facility. Routine processing runs 4 to 6 weeks, expedited 2 to 3 weeks.⁷⁸

Mistakes That Get the Form Rejected

Signing before you see the notary. The form is invalid; start over.
A mismatch between your signature date and the notary’s date, even by one day.
Cross-outs, white-out, or write-overs. Complete a new form instead.
Submitting more than 90 days after notarization.
A blurry, partial, or one-sided ID photocopy.
Using a local foreign notary in a country where the U.S. embassy or consulate is required.
Leaving fields blank. Fill in every line, including the absent parent’s phone and email.

When the Other Parent Won’t or Can’t Sign

DS-3053 only works when the absent parent is willing and available. If the other parent cannot be located, is incarcerated, or the family situation makes obtaining consent unreasonably difficult, use Form DS-5525, the Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances.⁹ You explain in detail why consent cannot be obtained, and the State Department reviews the situation case by case, often asking for supporting documents like custody orders, incarceration records, or evidence of your attempts to make contact. Approval is not guaranteed. A parent may also submit a written statement under penalty of perjury explaining why the second parent cannot be reached, as an alternative to DS-5525.¹

Penalty for a False Statement

DS-3053 is signed under oath. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1542, knowingly making a false statement to obtain a passport is punishable by a fine and up to 10 years in federal prison. That reaches both the person who signs a fraudulent consent and anyone who knowingly uses it to get a child’s passport.¹⁰

1
U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child
2
eCFR. 22 CFR 51.28 – Minors
3
U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
4
Navy JAG Corps. Notary Information
5
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
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U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs. Photo ID Requirements
7
U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
8
U.S. Department of State. Get Your Processing Time
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
10
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1542 – False Statement in Application and Use of Passport