All children under age 16 must apply for a passport in person with two parents or guardians using Form DS-11. You cannot renew your child's passport using Form DS-82. Passports for children under age 16 are only valid for 5 years. Use our Form Filler tool to fill out your child's form and then print it.
DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport
Use our Form Filler tool to fill out your child's form online and then print it. The Form Filler will save time and reduce errors caused by handwriting. If you are experiencing technical issues with the Form Filler, download a PDF and complete the form by hand in black ink. Do not sign your child's form until instructed to do so by a passport acceptance agent or employee.
Please note:
Your evidence must be an original or certified, physical copy. A certified copy is any document that has the seal or stamp of the official issuing authority. You must submit one of the following documents for your child:
If you cannot submit one of the above acceptable documents for your child, or for more information, please see Citizenship Evidence.
You cannot submit digital evidence of your child's U.S. citizenship such as a mobile or electronic birth certificate. You must submit physical evidence of U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of the document.
In addition to the original or certified copy of your child's citizenship evidence, you must submit a photocopy of the document.
Photocopies must be:
If you don't want to submit a photocopy of your citizenship evidence, you may submit a second certified copy of your citizenship evidence, which we will keep. If you don’t submit a photocopy or a second certified copy of your citizenship evidence, your passport processing could be delayed.
You must submit documentation that lists the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the child applying for a passport.
The following may be used to show parental relationship:
Please note: Some documents, like a U.S. birth certificate, show both U.S. citizenship and parental relationship. These documents must be originals or certified copies (not photocopies).
The parents or guardians must present one of the following identification documents (IDs) to the acceptance agent:
If you cannot present one of the IDs above, or for more information, please see Identification.
Please note:
Submit a photocopy of the front and back of each ID that you present to the acceptance agent.
Requirements:
Both parents/guardians must authorize the issuance of the child's passport. The best way to do this is for both parents/guardians to go with the child in person to apply for the passport.
What if both parents/guardians cannot appear in person?
If... | Then... |
---|---|
You have sole legal authority | You must submit evidence of this with the application. Examples include:
|
One parent unable to appear | If one parent/guardian cannot go with the child to apply for the passport, they can give permission by completing Form DS-3053 “Statement of Consent." You must submit the completed form with the child's passport application. The parent that cannot go with the child must:
Please note: In certain countries, a DS-3053 must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate and cannot be notarized by a local notary public. Go to the U.S. embassy or consulate webpage for more information. |
You cannot locate the other parent | You must submit Form DS-5525 “Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances."
|
Neither parent able to appear | A third party may apply for the child's passport with a Form DS-3053: "Statement of Consent" or a notarized statement from both parents/guardians giving that third party permission to apply for the child.
|
Please Note: Written authorization from the parent that cannot appear in person must be less than three months old.
You must provide one photo of your child. To avoid processing delays, be sure the photo meets all our requirements.
You must pay fees for passport services. When applying using Form DS-11, you will pay two separate fees - an application fee and an execution (acceptance) fee.
Child Applicants:
Product | Form | Application Fee | Execution (Acceptance) Fee |
---|---|---|---|
Passport Book | DS-11 | $100 | $35 |
Passport Card | DS-11 | $15 | $35 |
Passport Book & Card | DS-11 | $115 | $35 |
Expedited service costs an additional $60. For information on forms of payment and a full list of fees and services, please see Passport Fees.
*How to fill out your check and pay the application fee to the U.S. Department of State. Please note you must pay a separate execution (acceptance) fee.
Inside the United States:
Outside the United States:
Contact your U.S. embassy or consulate.
You can subscribe to email updates about your application status, and learn more about each status update.
Note: It may take 2 weeks from the day you apply until your child's application status is “In Process.” During these 2 weeks, your child's application is delivered to a mail facility, your payment is processed, and your child's application is scanned and sent to us. If your passport status update says “Not Available,” your child's application and supporting documents are safely on their way to us.
No, children under age 16 are not eligible to mail in passport applications. Additionally, you cannot apply online for a child's passport.
Some acceptance facilities require appointments and others do not. We recommend calling the acceptance facility ahead of time to verify their hours, acceptable forms of payment, and appointment requirements. Find your acceptance facility.
When completing your child's passport application, we recommend you add your name in the “In Care Of” part of the Mailing Address section on Form DS-11. After we print your child's passport, we will send it to you and return your child's supporting documents. How we send your child's passport and supporting documents depends if you applied for a book and/or a card and if you paid an additional fee for 1-2 day delivery.
After we print your passport, we will send it to you and return your supporting documents. How we send your passport and supporting documents depends if you applied for a book and/or a card and if you paid an additional fee for 1-2 day delivery.
I applied for a passport book only: You may receive your newly-issued passport and your citizenship documents in two separate mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport before you receive a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We can send your passport book via a 1-2 day delivery service.
I applied for a passport card only: You may receive your newly-issued passport card and your citizenship documents in two separate mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport before you receive a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards via 1-2 day delivery services.
I applied for both a passport book and passport card: You may receive three separate mailings; one with your citizenship documents, one with your newly-issued passport book, and one with your newly-issued passport card. You may wait 8 weeks after receiving your passport book before you receive a second and third mailing with your passport card and citizenship documents.
If the mailing address you provided on your child's application has changed and you're waiting for his or her U.S. passport book, passport card, or return of citizenship evidence documents, please contact the National Passport Information Center. You do not need to contact us if your address changed after you received your child's passport.
When completing your child's passport application, we recommend you add your name in the “In Care Of” part of the Mailing Address section on Form DS-11.
In certain countries, a DS-3053 must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate and cannot be notarized by a local notary public. Currently, these countries include:
Afghanistan |
Indonesia |
Pakistan |
Algeria |
Iran |
Panama |
Angola |
Iraq |
Philippines |
Bangladesh |
Jamaica |
Saudi Arabia |
Bulgaria |
Kenya |
Senegal |
Cambodia |
Kuwait |
Sierra Leone |
Cameroon |
Laos |
Somalia |
Central African Republic |
Lebanon |
Sudan |
Cote d'Ivoire |
Liberia |
Syria |
Dominican Republic |
Libya |
Tajikistan |
Egypt |
Mali |
Tanzania |
Equatorial Guinea |
Mauritania |
Trinidad and Tobago |
Ethiopia |
Mauritius |
Uganda |
Gabon |
Moldova |
Ukraine |
Guatemala |
Nepal |
United Arab Emirates |
Guinea |
Nicaragua |
Venezuela |
Haiti |
Nigeria |
Vietnam |
Honduras |
North Korea |
Yemen |
Families may write one check or money order to the U.S. Department of State for their passport application fees if they are applying in person at the same time. The check or money order must include the name and date of birth of each applicant.
All other applicants must submit individual checks or money orders to the U.S. Department of State for their passport application fees. Please include the applicant's name and date of birth on the check or money order.
You and your child may have different last names, as long as the parental relationship document lists your full name. If your name has changed from that on the parental relationship document, please submit proof of your legal name change (e.g. marriage certificate or court order).
Parents may enroll their U.S. citizen children under the age of 18 in the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program (CPIAP), one of the Department of State’s most important tools for preventing international parental child abduction. If a passport application is submitted for a child who is enrolled in CPIAP, we attempt to alert the parent(s) to verify whether they approve passport issuance.
When applying for the first time or for your child, you will need to provide evidence of U.S. citizenship and photo identification with your application. Go to our Citizenship Evidence page and Photo ID page for examples of documents we accept.
For example, if you were born in the United States and you do not have your birth certificate, you will need to contact the county, city, or state where you were born and request a certified copy of your birth certificate.
We also realize that some customers may not have a driver's license to present as photo ID. We accept other types of government-issued, primary photo ID, and will accept multiple forms of secondary photo ID if you do not have a primary ID.
If you choose not to submit a photocopy, you may submit a second certified copy of your child's birth certificate. We will keep this second certified copy for our records.