Passport for a Child Under 16

Only a parent or legal guardian may apply for a child passport under 16; a grandparent or other relative cannot. A legal guardian provides the court order or other legal document that established the guardianship. The child's age on the day of the application decides which application applies: under 16 means the child application with five-year validity, while a 16 or 17 year old applies as an adult with ten-year validity. A child's previous passport, whether expired or still valid, is never renewed. The new application records the previous passport, and the consent rules apply in full each time.

The child's citizenship is shown with an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship. Electronic and mobile birth certificates are not accepted. The same birth certificate usually proves your relationship to the child as well, because it lists the parents' names; an adoption decree serves the same purpose. Each parent or guardian provides their own current photo identification, and a photocopy of the front and back of every document is included with the application. The child's photo follows the standard rules: color, taken within the last six months, two inches by two inches, against a white or off-white background, with only the child in the frame.

Both parents or guardians consent to a child's passport. When the second parent agrees but cannot take part, that parent signs a statement of consent naming the child in full with the child's date of birth. The statement is notarized on the same day it is signed, and a photocopy of the front and back of that parent's photo identification accompanies it. The statement is valid for three months from the day it is notarized, so it should be signed close to the time the application is completed. We prepare the statement with your application when your answers show that it is needed.

When the second parent cannot consent at all, the application is supported by different evidence: a death certificate for a deceased parent, a court order granting sole legal custody, or a birth certificate that lists only one parent. If the second parent cannot be located, the applying parent provides a written statement, made under penalty of perjury, explaining in detail why the other parent cannot be reached. Missing consent evidence is the most common reason a child application is not accepted, so settle the arrangement that applies to your family before you begin.

A child passport is valid for five years from the issue date, and when it expires the child applies again through a new application. The child's original citizenship document is returned separately from the new passport. A full-validity child passport, kept undamaged, is accepted as evidence of the child's citizenship in a later application even after it expires. A document that lists the parents is still needed to show the relationship. Once the child turns 16, the next passport is an adult passport with ten-year validity, and a passport issued at 16 or older can later be renewed.