Passports for Minors: Forms, Two-Parent Consent, and Fees

To get a passport for a minor, every applicant under 18 has to apply in person on Form DS-11 with proof of U.S. citizenship, a passport photo, and a parent or guardian present. The State Department splits minors into two groups at age 16. Children under 16 need both parents to appear and consent, and their passport is valid for five years. Applicants who are 16 or 17 only need to show that one parent knows about the application, and their passport is valid for ten years, the same as an adult’s.¹²

A child’s passport book costs $135, cannot be renewed by mail, and requires a fresh in-person application every time for anyone under 16.³

Documents Every Minor Applicant Needs

Bring these to the appointment. Missing any one of them means starting over.

Form DS-11

Every minor uses Form DS-11, the new-passport application, even if the child had a passport that has since expired. Fill it out in black ink and leave the signature line blank until you are standing in front of the acceptance agent.⁴ The mail-in renewal form (DS-82) is never an option for a child under 16.¹

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

Submit an original or certified copy of one of the following:

A certified birth certificate from a state or local vital records office, showing the child’s full name, date and place of birth, both parents’ names, the registrar’s seal, and a filing date within one year of birth.⁵
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad, for children born outside the United States to U.S. citizen parents.
A Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization, if applicable.

Regular photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.⁶ Your original document is mailed back separately from the passport itself.

Passport Photo

The photo must be 2 by 2 inches, taken within the last six months, against a white or off-white background. The child needs a neutral expression with both eyes open and mouth closed.⁷ Getting a usable photo of an infant is the hardest part for many parents. Lay the baby on a plain white sheet and shoot straight down. Drugstores and shipping centers will do it for roughly $7 to $17 if you would rather not fight with the lighting at home.

Parent Identification

Each parent appearing at the appointment brings a physical, government-issued photo ID, usually a driver’s license. If the ID is from a different state than the one where you’re applying, bring a second photo ID as backup.¹

Two-Parent Consent for Children Under 16

This is where most applications run into trouble. Both parents or all legal guardians must sign DS-11, present ID, and provide documents proving parentage such as a birth certificate or adoption decree.⁸ When both parents cannot appear together, the substitute depends on why.

One Parent Cannot Make the Appointment

The absent parent completes and notarizes Form DS-3053, the Statement of Consent, and provides a photocopy of the front and back of their government-issued photo ID. The notarization has to be dated within 90 days of when the application is submitted; anything older and you need a fresh one.⁹

One Parent Has Sole Authority

A parent applying alone without the other parent’s consent needs documentary proof of that authority. The regulation accepts:⁸

A birth certificate listing only the applying parent.
A death certificate for the non-applying parent.
A court order granting sole legal custody, provided it contains no travel restrictions that conflict with issuing a passport.
A court order terminating the other parent’s rights or declaring that parent legally incompetent.
An adoption decree showing only the applying parent.

A joint custody order is generally treated as requiring both parents’ permission. The State Department can issue a passport despite a joint custody order when there are compelling humanitarian or emergency reasons related to the child’s welfare.⁸

The Other Parent Cannot Be Located

If you genuinely cannot find the other parent, submit Form DS-5525, the Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances. You have to explain why you cannot obtain consent and describe the specific steps you took to locate the other parent.¹⁰ Vague explanations tend to stall the application. Detail the phone numbers you called, the last known address you wrote to, and the relatives you asked.

Rules for 16- and 17-Year-Old Applicants

Applicants aged 16 and 17 still use Form DS-11 and still apply in person, but the consent standard is much lighter. The applicant only has to show that one parent or legal guardian is aware of the application. Any of the following works:²

A parent comes to the appointment, signs DS-11, and provides a photocopy of their ID.
The applicant brings a signed note from a parent plus a photocopy of that parent’s ID.
The check or money order for the fees has a parent’s name on it.

If none of those clearly shows parental awareness, the State Department may ask for a notarized DS-3053 from a parent. If the child is enrolled in the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program (described below), the Department will contact the registered parent before issuing the passport, which can add time.²

Because passports at this age are valid for 10 years, a passport issued the day someone turns 16 lasts until they are 26. Timing matters if your teen is close to that birthday.

The Appointment

All minor applications are submitted in person at a passport acceptance facility: post offices, public libraries, county clerk offices, and some city government buildings. Many require an appointment. Search the State Department’s site for facilities near you and call ahead.¹¹

The child has to be present. An acceptance agent verifies everyone’s identity, watches the parents sign the application, administers an oath, and reviews the supporting documents before sealing the packet and sending it to the State Department.

Fees

A passport book for a child under 16 costs $135:

Application fee: $100, by check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State.”
Execution (acceptance) fee: $35, paid to the acceptance facility.

Adding a passport card at the same time costs an extra $15 (the card fee replaces the $100 book fee if you apply for the card alone). Expedited processing adds $60.³ The application fee has to be paid by check or money order; credit and debit cards are only accepted at regional passport agencies, not at post offices or libraries. Write the child’s name and date of birth in the memo line.

Processing Times

As of 2026, routine processing runs four to six weeks and expedited processing runs two to three weeks.¹² These windows stretch during peak travel season, roughly January through summer, so build in cushion if you’re traveling in June or July. You can start tracking status online about two weeks after submission. The passport and your original citizenship documents arrive in separate envelopes.

Emergency and Urgent Travel

If an immediate family member abroad has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury, you can request an emergency appointment at a regional passport agency. The State Department defines “immediate family” narrowly: parents, children, spouses, siblings, and grandparents. Aunts, uncles, and cousins do not qualify, and neither does traveling abroad for the applicant’s own medical care.¹³

An emergency appointment requires documentation of the emergency (a death certificate, statement from a mortuary, or a letter on hospital letterhead signed by a doctor), proof of international travel within two weeks, and the same DS-11, photo, and parent ID as a regular appointment. Non-English documents need a professional translation. Try to schedule online first. If that fails, call 1-877-487-2778 on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern, or 202-647-4000 outside those hours.¹³

For urgent travel that is not a life-or-death situation but does involve international departure within 14 days, you can request an expedited appointment at a regional passport agency with proof of travel.¹⁴

Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program

If you are worried the other parent may try to apply for your child’s passport without your knowledge, enroll the child in the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program. Once enrolled, the State Department contacts you before issuing a passport whenever an application is submitted in your child’s name. The alert stays active until the child turns 18.¹⁵

To enroll, email the Office of Children’s Issues at PreventAbduction@state.gov with the child’s full name, date and place of birth, and Social Security number, along with your own name and contact information.¹⁶ Enrollment is free. Either parent can also file a written objection to a pending passport application at any time before the passport is issued.⁸

1
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport
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eCFR. 22 CFR 51.42 – Persons Born in the United States Applying for a Passport for the First Time
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U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
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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
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U.S. Department of State. Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances for Issuance of a U.S. Passport to a Child Under Age 16
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eCFR. 22 CFR 51.21 – Execution of Passport Application
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U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
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U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport if You Have a Life-or-Death Emergency
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U.S. Department of State. How to Get my U.S. Passport Fast
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U.S. Department of State. Passports and Children in Custody Disputes
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U.S. Department of State. Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program