Passport Application for Minors: Forms, Consent, and Costs

A passport application for minors is filed in person on Form DS-11, and for any child under 16 both parents or legal guardians have to appear at the appointment, bring proof of the child’s U.S. citizenship, and sign the form in front of an authorized agent. The child must be there too, newborns included. Passports issued to children under 16 are valid for five years and cannot be renewed by mail — when they expire, you start the whole process over.¹ For teens 16 and 17, the rules loosen; more on that below.

What to Bring to the Appointment

Form DS-11

Every child under 16 applies on Form DS-11. Fill it out and print it, but do not sign it. The acceptance agent has to witness the signature. The form asks for the child’s biographical details, Social Security number, and information about both parents or guardians. If your child has a Social Security number, you must include it — leaving it off when one has been issued can bring a $500 IRS penalty. If your child has never been issued one, write zeros in that field.

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

You need an original or certified document establishing that your child is a U.S. citizen. A birth certificate from a city, county, or state vital records office is the usual choice; a Consular Report of Birth Abroad works for a child born outside the country. The document has to carry a raised, embossed, or multicolored seal from the issuing authority. Hospital souvenir certificates are not accepted. Bring a photocopy along with the original — the State Department keeps the copy and mails the original back with the passport.

Passport Photo

Bring one recent color photo, 2 by 2 inches, taken within the last six months against a plain white or off-white background.¹ Your child should face the camera with a neutral expression or natural smile and both eyes open. The rules relax for babies: you can lay an infant on a white sheet, and it’s acceptable if the eyes are not fully open.² Pharmacies and shipping stores can take the photo, but check the image against the State Department’s specifications before you leave.

Parent or Guardian ID

Each parent or guardian at the appointment brings a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver’s license, U.S. passport (even expired), military ID, certificate of naturalization, Green Card, or government employee badge all qualify.³ Bring a photocopy of the front and back. Digital or mobile driver’s licenses are not accepted; you need the physical card.

Proof of Parental Relationship

Each parent also has to document the parental relationship to the child. The child’s birth certificate listing both parents’ names usually covers it, but a foreign birth certificate or an adoption decree works as well.⁴

The Two-Parent Consent Rule

Federal regulations require both parents or all legal guardians of a child under 16 to appear in person, sign the application, and give consent to issuance.⁴ The rule exists to guard against international parental abduction, and it is the piece of the process that catches most families off guard.

When One Parent Cannot Come

If only one parent can attend, the absent parent submits a notarized Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) with a photocopy of the front and back of their ID.⁴ The notarization must be dated within three months of the day you submit the application. Older notarizations get rejected, and you have to redo them.

When You Can Apply Alone

One parent can apply without the other’s involvement by bringing one of the following:

A court order granting you sole legal custody.
A court order specifically authorizing you to obtain a passport for the child.
The other parent’s death certificate.
A court document terminating the other parent’s parental rights.

Any of these replaces the second parent’s signature and consent entirely.

When You Cannot Locate the Other Parent

Without a sole-custody order, a parent who cannot find the other parent files Form DS-5525 (Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances) with a written explanation of why consent cannot be obtained.⁵ The State Department reviews these carefully, false statements can trigger denial or federal charges, and processing takes longer than a routine file.

What It Costs

You make two payments: one to the State Department for the passport itself, and a $35 execution fee to the acceptance facility. For a child under 16:

Passport book: $100 + $35 = $135
Passport card: $15 + $35 = $50
Book and card together: $115 + $35 = $150

The combined option saves $35 over applying for each separately.⁶ The passport card only works for land and sea entry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries; you cannot fly internationally on it.⁷

Expedited service adds $60 per application, and 1-to-3-day return delivery adds $22.05 once the passport is ready to ship.⁸ The State Department portion is usually paid by check or money order. Execution-fee payment options depend on the facility, so check before you go.

The Appointment

Passport acceptance facilities include post offices, public libraries, and clerks of court, and most take applications by appointment only. Book through the facility’s website. Bring your DS-11 completed but unsigned — signing at home is one of the quickest ways to have the appointment rejected.

Your child has to be physically present the entire time, at any age. The agent compares the child to the submitted photo, administers an oath, and watches the parents sign. Once accepted, the package is forwarded to the State Department for adjudication and printing.

How Long It Takes

Routine processing runs four to six weeks; expedited service runs two to three weeks.⁹ Neither figure includes mailing time in either direction. You can track the application through the State Department’s online status portal roughly two weeks after submission. If you have international travel within 14 days and a life-or-death emergency, you can call 1-877-487-2778 to try to book an urgent appointment at a regional passport agency.¹⁰

If Your Child Is 16 or 17

Once your child turns 16, the two-parent consent rule no longer applies. Only one parent has to show awareness of the application, and that can be done by attending the appointment, sending a signed note, or paying the fees with a check or money order in their name.¹¹ The teen still applies in person on Form DS-11, since it is a first-time adult passport.

Fees are higher because 16 and 17 year olds get adult passports: $130 for a book or $30 for a card, plus the $35 execution fee.⁶ In exchange, the passport is valid for 10 years and can be renewed by mail when it expires.¹²

If the Passport Is Lost or Stolen

Report a lost or stolen child’s passport to the State Department right away, by phone at 1-877-487-2778, online, or by mailing Form DS-64. Once reported, the passport is permanently canceled and cannot be used if it later turns up. Replacing it inside the United States means going through the full in-person DS-11 process again, including two-parent consent for a child under 16. If a passport is lost during international travel, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate; they can issue a limited-validity emergency passport when departure is imminent.¹³

1
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s U.S. Passport
2
U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
3
U.S. Department of State. Get Photo ID for a U.S. Passport
4
eCFR. 22 CFR 51.28 – Minors
5
U.S. Department of State. Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances for Issuance of a U.S. Passport to a Child Under Age 16
6
U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
7
U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport Card
8
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
9
U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
10
U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
11
U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
12
USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
13
USAGov. Lost or Stolen Passports