New Passport for a Child: Documents, Consent, and Timing

To get a U.S. passport for a child under 16, both parents (or legal guardians) must appear in person with the child at a passport acceptance facility, submit a completed but unsigned Form DS-11 along with proof of the child’s U.S. citizenship and a compliant passport photo, and pay $135 for a passport book. Every child needs their own passport for international air travel, regardless of age, and no child under 16 can renew by mail, so a first application and a later replacement follow the same steps.¹

The passport a child under 16 receives is valid for five years. At 16, applicants move to the standard ten-year adult passport and a lighter set of consent rules.²

Documents to Bring to the Appointment

Assemble everything before you go. A missing document means rescheduling, and the fees you have already paid are non-refundable.

Evidence of U.S. citizenship. A certified U.S. birth certificate with a raised seal from the issuing authority is the most common option. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Citizenship, or Certificate of Naturalization also works.³
Proof of the parental relationship. The birth certificate usually covers this. An adoption decree or a court order of legal guardianship serves the same role.
A valid photo ID for each parent who appears: driver’s license, passport, or military ID.
Form DS-11, filled out completely but not signed. You sign in front of the acceptance agent.⁴
The child’s Social Security number on the form. If the child does not have one yet, enter zeros in that field.⁴
One passport photo meeting State Department specifications.

If your child was born abroad to U.S. citizen parents, expect a broader citizenship-evidence package: the child’s foreign birth certificate, your own proof of U.S. citizenship, your marriage certificate, and a statement of your U.S. residency history before the child’s birth.³

Both Parents Have to Consent

Federal regulations require both parents or legal guardians to appear in person and sign the application for any child under 16.⁵ The rule exists to prevent one parent from taking a child out of the country without the other’s knowledge, and it is the most common reason applications stall.

If One Parent Cannot Attend

The second parent can complete Form DS-3053, a notarized Statement of Consent, and send it with a photocopy of their ID. Handle the notarization well before the appointment. A missing notary seal or an expired ID copy will stop the application.⁵

If Two-Parent Consent Is Not Possible

Sole legal custody, a birth certificate or adoption decree listing only one parent, and a death certificate for a deceased parent each satisfy the requirement on their own, provided you bring a certified copy.⁵

When custody is shared but the other parent is missing, unreachable, refuses to consent, or is incarcerated without notary access, file Form DS-5525, the Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances. You have to document specific attempts to reach the other parent, including dates and methods (mail, phone, email, contact through relatives). For an incarcerated parent, include evidence such as a letter from the court or an inmate locator printout. The State Department may ask for more.⁶

Applicants Aged 16 and 17

Two-parent consent is not required at this age, but the applicant still has to show parental awareness. A parent appearing at the appointment satisfies that. Otherwise, bring a signed note from a parent with a photocopy of that parent’s ID, or proof that a parent is paying the fees.⁷

Passport Photo Rules

The photo must be 2 inches by 2 inches, taken against a white or off-white background with no shadows or patterns. The child faces the camera directly with a neutral expression and both eyes open. Glasses are not allowed; if your child cannot remove them for medical reasons, include a signed note from the doctor.⁸

Infant photos are the hardest. Lay the baby on a plain white or off-white sheet, or drape one over a car seat. No other person, hand, pacifier, or object can appear in the frame. The State Department does allow one accommodation: a baby’s eyes do not have to be fully open.⁸ Many acceptance facilities offer on-site photo services for a fee, which is often the easiest path with a young child.

The Appointment

Applications go through a passport acceptance facility, typically a post office, public library, or clerk of court office. The State Department’s locator at iafdb.travel.state.gov searches by ZIP code.⁹

Most facilities require an appointment. The U.S. Postal Service, which runs the largest network, uses an online scheduler. Appointments run about 15 minutes per person, and USPS asks you to arrive 10 minutes early.¹⁰ Do not assume walk-ins are accepted.

For a child under 16, both parents and the child must be physically present. The acceptance agent will have you sign Form DS-11, administer an oath, verify that the child matches the documents, and seal everything for transit to a passport processing center. That is the last chance to catch a mistake before the application leaves your hands.

What It Costs

Passport fees split into two payments: an application fee to the State Department and an execution fee to the acceptance facility. Some facilities only accept checks or money orders, so confirm payment methods before you go.

For children under 16:

Passport book: $100 application fee plus $35 execution fee, $135 total.
Passport card: $15 application fee plus $35 execution fee, $50 total.
Book and card together: $115 application fee plus $35 execution fee, $150 total.¹¹

Applicants aged 16 and 17 pay adult rates: $130 for a book or $30 for a card, plus the same $35 execution fee. The combined book-and-card package runs $195.¹²

A passport book is valid for all international travel by air, land, and sea. A passport card is a cheaper wallet-sized document that only works for land and sea entries from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.¹² If you plan to fly internationally, you need the book.

Both fees are non-refundable, even if the application is denied. The State Department treats them as processing charges, not purchase prices, so a documentation problem that torpedoes the application also costs you the money you paid.¹³

How Long It Takes

Routine processing currently takes four to six weeks. Expedited processing takes two to three weeks and costs an additional $60 on top of the application fee.¹⁴ Both windows cover processing only. Add up to two weeks of mailing time in each direction, so routine service can realistically stretch to eight weeks from the day you submit.¹⁵

Once the application enters processing, you can check status through the State Department’s online tracker. The passport itself arrives by mail. Your original supporting documents, like the birth certificate or a court order, come back separately and sometimes a few days later.

If You Need It Within Two Weeks

Routine and expedited service will not help if your child has confirmed international travel in the next 14 days. In that window you need an appointment at a regional passport agency or center, which serves only travelers with urgent timelines and operates by appointment only.¹⁶ Book by calling 1-877-487-2778, and be ready to show proof of upcoming travel such as a flight itinerary. Slots fill fast during peak season, and availability is not guaranteed.

1
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
2
eCFR. 22 CFR 51.4 – Validity of Passports
3
U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport
4
U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport
5
eCFR. 22 CFR 51.28 – Minors
6
U.S. Department of State. Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances for Issuance of a U.S. Passport to a Child Under Age 16
7
U.S. Embassy and Consulates. DS-11 / DS-3053 – Wizard Results
8
U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
9
U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search
10
USPS. Schedule An Appointment
11
U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
12
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
13
U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 8 FAM 602.2 – Passport Fees
14
U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
15
U.S. Department of State. How to Get my U.S. Passport Fast
16
U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center