What Documents Do Parents Need for a Child Passport?

To apply for a U.S. passport for a child under 16, parents need to gather proof of the child’s U.S. citizenship, proof of the parent-child relationship, valid photo identification for each parent, written consent from both parents, a completed Form DS-11, one passport photo, and payment for two separate fees. The documents needed for a child passport all come to the passport acceptance facility together, in person, with the child present. Mail-in renewals are not available for minors, so every application starts from scratch.¹

Proof of the Child’s U.S. Citizenship

An original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate is the standard document. It needs to have been issued by the city, county, or state where the child was born; list the child’s full name, date of birth, and place of birth; list both parents’ full names; carry the registrar’s signature and an official seal or stamp; and have been filed with the registrar within one year of the child’s birth.

That last point catches families by surprise. If the certificate was filed more than a year after birth, the State Department treats it as late-filed and may ask for additional early public records to back up the application.²

If a qualifying birth certificate isn’t available, any of these can stand in:

A previous undamaged U.S. passport that was fully valid (five years for children under 16)
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
A Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of Naturalization

All citizenship documents must be originals or certified copies from the issuing government office. Regular photocopies won’t be accepted as the primary evidence. You will, however, also need to bring a photocopy of whichever original you’re submitting; the original is returned to you after processing.¹

Proof of the Parent-Child Relationship

A U.S. birth certificate that lists both parents’ names covers both citizenship and the parent-child relationship in one document. Nothing extra is needed.

If the citizenship document doesn’t name you as the parent, for instance an adopted child or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad that doesn’t list you, bring a separate certified original that does. Acceptable options include a certified adoption decree, a foreign birth certificate showing the parent’s name, or a court order establishing custody or guardianship. Each has to clearly identify both the child and the parent or guardian.¹

Photo ID for Each Parent

Every parent or guardian who appears at the acceptance facility must present a valid, physical, government-issued photo ID, along with a photocopy of it. Digital IDs and mobile driver’s licenses are not accepted; you have to bring the card itself.

Primary IDs accepted by the State Department include:³

A valid or expired undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card
An in-state, fully valid driver’s license with photo
A U.S. military or military dependent ID
A Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship
A government employee ID (city, county, state, or federal)
A current foreign passport
A Trusted Traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)

A state-issued non-driver ID card with a photo is accepted, but you may be asked for a second form of identification when using one. If you don’t have any primary ID at all, you can present at least two secondary IDs instead. Secondary options include an out-of-state driver’s license, a Social Security card, a voter registration card, an employee or student ID, or a Form DS-71 for an identifying witness who can vouch for your identity at the facility.

The photocopy of your ID has to be on white, 8.5-by-11-inch paper, printed on one side only. Don’t shrink the image; same size or larger is fine.

Consent From Both Parents

Both parents or legal guardians have to consent to the passport. The cleanest way is for both to appear in person with the child at the acceptance facility. When that isn’t possible, the State Department provides alternatives for specific situations.¹

One Parent Can’t Appear

The absent parent completes Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent), signs it before a notary public, and includes a photocopy of the ID they showed the notary. The applying parent brings the notarized form and the ID copy to the facility. The form has to be submitted within three months of being notarized; after that, a new one is needed. Statements notarized electronically or remotely under state law are accepted, printed out to bring along.⁴

The Other Parent Can’t Be Located

If both parents share custody but you genuinely can’t find the other parent, use Form DS-5525 (Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances). You’ll describe in detail what you did to try to contact them and why those efforts failed.

The same form is used when the other parent is incarcerated and unreachable, for example in solitary confinement or in a foreign prison without notary access. Provide evidence of incarceration, such as a copy of a court order or a printout from an online inmate locator. The State Department may also request supporting documents like a custody order or restraining order.

Sole Custody or a Deceased Parent

If you have sole legal custody, bring a certified copy of the court order granting it. If the other parent has died, a certified death certificate serves the same purpose. Either document removes the need for the other parent’s consent.

Form DS-11

Form DS-11 (Application for a U.S. Passport) is the application every child under 16 uses. Fill it out completely with the child’s personal details, parent information, and emergency contacts, but do not sign it. The acceptance agent has to witness your signature at the facility.⁵

You can download and print the form from the State Department website or pick one up at an acceptance facility such as a post office, public library, or local government office. Many facilities require appointments, so check before you go.⁶

The child must be physically present, even an infant. The acceptance agent verifies the child’s identity, administers an oath, and then has the applying parent sign the form.¹

The Passport Photo

Bring one recent color photograph of the child that meets these specifications:⁷

Size: 2 by 2 inches
Background: plain white or off-white, with no shadows or lines
Taken within the last six months
Full face view, facing the camera, with a neutral expression, eyes open, and mouth closed
Eyeglasses removed; if your child cannot remove glasses for medical reasons, include a signed note from the doctor

For babies and toddlers, the eye rule relaxes; a baby’s eyes don’t have to be fully open. No other people or objects can appear in the frame, and no shadows can fall across the face.

Fees

A child’s passport application involves two separate fees paid to two different parties. The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State, and the acceptance fee goes to the facility where you submit everything.⁸

Passport book (under 16): $100 application fee + $35 facility fee = $135 total
Passport card (under 16): $15 application fee + $35 facility fee = $50 total
Both book and card: $115 application fee + $35 facility fee = $150 total

Pay the application fee to the State Department by check or money order made payable to “U.S. Department of State,” with the child’s name and date of birth in the memo line. Pay the facility fee separately to the acceptance facility; accepted payment methods vary by location, so ask when you schedule. Both fees are nonrefundable, even if the application is denied.

If you want it faster, expedited processing adds $60, and one-to-three-day delivery of the finished passport book costs an additional $22.05. Both optional fees are included in the same check to the Department of State.

Pre-Appointment Checklist

Completed Form DS-11 (unsigned)
Proof of the child’s U.S. citizenship (original or certified copy, plus a photocopy)
Proof of the parent-child relationship if the birth certificate doesn’t cover it
Valid photo ID for each appearing parent, plus a photocopy of each
Consent documentation if one parent is absent (notarized DS-3053, sole custody order, death certificate, or DS-5525)
One passport photo meeting State Department specifications
Check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State” for the application fee
Separate payment for the $35 facility acceptance fee

Passports for children under 16 are valid for five years, so the same document set will be needed again before the next expiration.¹

A Note on 16- and 17-Year-Olds

These document rules apply to children under 16. Applicants aged 16 and 17 still apply in person with Form DS-11, but the two-parent consent requirement is replaced by a lighter parental-awareness rule: one parent or guardian appears with them and signs, or provides a signed note with a photocopy of their ID, or pays the fees with a check or money order carrying their printed name.⁴

1
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
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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. Get Photo ID for a U.S. Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
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United States Department of State. DS-11 – Application for a New Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Apply in Person
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Photos
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Travel.State.Gov. Passport Fees