AMERICAN CITIZENS SERVICES

Passport Applications for Minors

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A person applying for a U.S. passport on behalf of a child under age 16 must demonstrate that both parents consent to the issuance of a passport to the child or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport.

Congress' purpose in adding this requirement is to lessen the possibility that a U.S. passport might be used in the course of international parental child abduction.

Note that these requirements are in addition to the standard passport requirements. 

All children under age 16 must apply in person.  Both parents should accompany the child.  If only one parent appears to sign the passport application, additional documentation will be required (see below).  We cannot make any exceptions to this requirement that the child personally appear.
We may request whatever additional documentation is necessary from you to meet these requirements.

(1) You Must Present - Evidence of Child's Relationship to Parents/Guardians
·         Certified birth certificate (U.S. or foreign) with parents' names; or
·         Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) (with parents' names); or
·         Certification of Birth Abroad (DS-1350)(with parents' names); or
·         Court order establishing custody; or
·         Court order establishing guardianship.


If the parent(s)/guardian current name(s) is/are other than what is stated on these documents, evidence of legal name change (e.g. marriage, divorce, court-ordered name change) is required.


(2) You Must Also Present - Parents' Photo Identification
·         Valid U.S. drivers license; or
·         Valid U.S. Military ID; or
·         Valid U.S. or Nicaraguan government ID; or
·         Valid U.S. or foreign passport with photo; or
·         Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship with recognizable photo; or
·         Alien Registration Card.

(3) You Must Also Present - Parental Consent to Issuance
Both parents should sign the child's passport application in the presence of a Consular Officer; or
If both parents cannot appear, one parent can sign the child’s passport application in person and submit the other parent's written consent to the application using this form, which must be notarized.  You must also include the child's original birth certificate as evidence of the two parents' names and bring in with you a copy of the non-present parent's passport.  Notarials for this purpose can be done at no charge at the Embassy. All notarized statements must be in English.  A faxed copy of the notarized consent form is acceptable); or

One parent signs and submits primary evidence of sole authority to apply.
Acceptable evidence may include the child's certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate (with translation) listing only the applying parent, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (DS-1350) listing only the applying parent, a Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child's travel is restricted by that order), a court order specifically permitting applying parent's or guardian's travel with the child, a judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent or a death certificate of non-applying parent.

Exceptional Cases
If none of the above documents are available, the applying parent/guardian must submit a signed explanation and documentation showing why the non-applying parent/guardian's consent cannot be obtained.

Exceptions may be granted only in exigent (e.g. the health or welfare of the child is in jeopardy) or special family (e.g. the non-signing parent's whereabouts are unknown, he/she is medically incapable or is incarcerated) circumstances.

A third-party acting in loco parentis on behalf of child under age 14 must submit a notarized consent from both parents or guardians authorizing this third party to apply for the child's passport. When this notarized consent is from only one parent/guardian, the third party must present evidence of the authorizing parent/guardian's sole custody.