How to Renew a Passport for a Minor: Forms, Consent, and Fees

You cannot renew a passport for a minor under 16. The State Department treats every application for a child in that age group as a brand-new request, even if the previous passport just expired. That means an in-person appointment, fresh citizenship evidence, both parents’ consent, and the full first-time fee every time. The one real renewal path exists for teens who received their previous passport at age 16 or older, and it works like the adult mail-in process.

Why There Is No Renewal for a Child Under 16

Adults with recently expired passports can mail Form DS-82 and skip the trip to a facility. That shortcut is not available for children under 16. A passport issued to a child under 16 is valid for five years rather than the ten adults receive, and when it expires the family starts over with Form DS-11.¹

The rule exists as a safeguard against international child abduction. Requiring both parents to appear or affirmatively consent at every application prevents one parent from obtaining a travel document for the child without the other’s knowledge.²

Documents to Bring

Form DS-11

Fill out Form DS-11 online at the State Department’s website and print it, or pick one up at an acceptance facility. You’ll need the child’s full legal name, Social Security number, and both parents’ information. Do not sign the form at home. You sign it in front of the acceptance agent at your appointment.¹

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

The primary evidence is an original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate showing the child’s full name, date and place of birth, the parent or parents’ names, and a filing date within one year of birth. A previously issued undamaged U.S. passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship also works. If the birth certificate doesn’t meet those standards, the State Department accepts secondary evidence such as hospital birth records, baptismal certificates, or early school records, typically created within five years of birth.³

Bring the originals. You’ll also want photocopies, because the agent sends copies to the processing center and returns your originals separately by mail.

Parent Identification

Each parent appearing at the appointment needs a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or their own valid passport. If a parent cannot produce standard identification, they can bring someone who knows them to serve as an identifying witness on Form DS-71, along with whatever ID the parent does have.⁴

Passport Photo

You need one color photo taken within the past six months, 2 × 2 inches, with a white or off-white background free of shadows or lines. The child should face the camera with a neutral expression or a natural smile. For infants and toddlers, lay the baby on a plain white sheet and photograph from above. It’s fine if a baby’s eyes aren’t fully open; older children must have their eyes open.⁵ Many post offices and pharmacies take passport photos on-site, which removes the guesswork about size and background.

Parental Consent

The default rule: both parents or legal guardians appear in person with the child and sign the DS-11 at the appointment.⁶ Families rarely fit the default, and the State Department has built specific paths for the common exceptions.

When One Parent Cannot Attend

The absent parent completes Form DS-3053, the Statement of Consent, in front of a notary and includes a clear photocopy of the front and back of their ID. The consent expires 90 days after the notary’s signature, so don’t have it notarized far in advance of the appointment.⁷

When the Other Parent’s Consent Cannot Be Obtained

You have two routes depending on your situation:

Sole legal authority: submit a birth certificate listing only you, a sole custody order, an adoption decree naming only you, or a death certificate for the other parent.⁶
Exigent or special family circumstances: if you share custody but cannot locate the other parent, submit Form DS-5525 with a detailed explanation of why consent cannot be obtained and what efforts you have made to reach the other parent.⁸

The DS-5525 path is where applications stall. The State Department reviews these case by case, and thin explanations get sent back. Include dates of last contact, the steps you took to find the other parent, and any relevant court records.

The Appointment

You submit the application in person at an authorized passport acceptance facility. Most are post offices, though public libraries and county clerk offices also serve as acceptance points. USPS locations require scheduling in advance through an online tool or a lobby kiosk.¹

The child must be physically present. The agent verifies the child’s identity, watches the applying parent (or both parents) sign the DS-11 under oath, reviews all original documents, and assembles everything into a sealed package for the processing center. The visit usually runs 15 to 30 minutes if your paperwork is complete. Missing paperwork means starting over with a new appointment.

Fees

The cost splits into two payments, and most facilities require them in different forms:

Application fee for the passport book: $100, by check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” Write the child’s name and date of birth in the memo line.⁹
Execution fee: $35, paid to the acceptance facility. Accepted payment methods vary by location.⁹
Expedited processing (optional): $60, which roughly halves processing time.¹⁰
1-3 day return delivery (optional): $22.05, for faster delivery of the finished passport back to you.⁹

A passport card alone runs $15 plus the $35 execution fee. Applying for the book and card together costs $115 plus the $35 execution fee. The card is wallet-sized and cheaper, but it works only for land and sea crossings between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries; it cannot be used for international air travel.¹¹ None of these fees are refundable, even if the passport is ultimately not issued.⁹

How Long It Actually Takes

As of spring 2026, routine processing takes four to six weeks and expedited processing takes two to three weeks. Those timelines exclude mail transit. It can take up to two weeks for your application to reach the processing center after the acceptance agent mails it, and another two weeks for the finished passport to reach you. Real-world routine timing is closer to eight to ten weeks from your appointment date.¹²

The State Department’s online tracker shows the application’s status as it moves from “In Process” to “Approved.” The new passport and your original citizenship documents usually arrive in separate envelopes on different days, so don’t panic if one shows up before the other.

The Rules Change at 16

Teens aged 16 and 17 sit in a middle category. If they are applying for the first time, or their previous passport was issued before they turned 16, they must apply in person on Form DS-11 like younger children.¹³ The key difference: only one parent needs to appear, and the second parent only needs to demonstrate “parental awareness” rather than formal consent. Awareness can be shown with a signed note from a parent plus a photocopy of that parent’s ID, or with proof that a parent is paying the fees. The State Department may also request a notarized DS-3053 confirming parental support.

A 16- or 17-year-old whose previous passport was issued at age 16 or older can renew by mail using Form DS-82, the standard adult renewal process. In practice this applies to 17-year-olds whose previous passport was issued when they were 16, since that passport would still be within its ten-year validity window.¹³

If You Need One Fast

If your child needs a passport and you are traveling internationally within 14 days, you may qualify for an urgent travel appointment at a regional passport agency. These are operated directly by the State Department and are located in major cities, separate from the post offices and libraries that handle routine applications. You’ll need proof of international travel such as a flight itinerary, airline confirmation, or a company letter with travel dates. Life-or-death emergencies involving the serious illness or death of a family member abroad may qualify for even faster processing.¹⁴

The biggest planning mistake is treating processing time and mailing time as the same thing. If your travel date is less than three months away, seriously consider paying the $60 expedite fee.

Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Passports

A lost or stolen child’s passport is not a renewal situation either. Report it to the State Department immediately using the online reporting tool, which cancels the passport within one business day, or by mailing Form DS-64 with a photocopy of your ID. Once reported, the passport is permanently cancelled. Even if you find it later, it cannot be used for travel. You start a new DS-11 application with all the same documents and fees as a first-time applicant.¹⁵ A passport with water damage, torn pages, or other significant wear is treated the same way: full DS-11, in-person appearance, full fees.

1
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
2
USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
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eCFR. 22 CFR 51.42 – Persons Born in the United States Applying for a Passport for the First Time
4
U.S. Department of State. Affidavit of Identifying Witness – Identification of a Passport Applicant
5
U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
6
eCFR. 22 CFR 51.28 – Minors
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U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child
8
U.S. Department of State. Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances for Issuance of a U.S. Passport to a Child Under Age 16
9
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
10
U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
11
U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport Card
12
U.S. Department of State. Get Your Processing Time
13
U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
14
U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
15
U.S. Department of State. Report Your Passport Lost or Stolen