PASSPORT APPLICATION FOR A MINOR UNDER AGE 16

STEP 1: Complete and Submit Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport
Complete Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport. To submit Form DS-11, the minor:

Must apply in person with both parents/guardian(s)
Must provide the additional documentation required by Form DS-11 (See Steps 2-7)
Must not sign the application until instructed to do so by the Acceptance Agent
Must provide your SSN in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6039E

STEP 2: Submit Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

The minor's evidence of U.S. citizenship must be submitted with Form DS-11. All documentation submitted as citizenship evidence will be returned to you. These documents will be delivered with your newly issued U.S. passport or in a separate mailing.

Primary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship (One of the following):
Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport
Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state*
Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
Naturalization Certificate
Certificate of Citizenship


*A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar's signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth. Some short (abstract) versions of birth certificates may not be acceptable for passport purposes.

NOTE: If you do not have primary evidence of U.S. citizenship or your U.S. birth certificate does not meet the requirements, please see Secondary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship.

STEP 3: Submit Evidence of Relationship

Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must submit evidence of their relationship to the minor applicant.
Evidence of Relationship (One of the following):
Minor's certified U.S. birth certificate with both parents' names
Minor's certified Foreign Birth Certificate with both parents' names*
Minor's Report of Birth Abroad with both parents' names
Adoption Decree with adopting parents' names*
Court Order establishing custody
Court Order establishing guardianship

*All foreign documents submitted with a passport application must be accompanied by an English translation (formal or informal).

NOTES:
Previous U.S. passports are not acceptable as evidence of relationship
Evidence of a legal name change must be submitted, if the name of a parent/guardian has changed since the original documents were issued (e.g. photocopy of a marriage certificate, etc.)

STEP 4: Present Identification of Parent(s)/Guardian(s)

When applying for a minor under age 16, both parent(s)/guardian(s) must present acceptable identification at the time of application.

Primary Identification (One of the following):
Previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport
Naturalization Certificate
Valid Driver's License
Current Government Employee ID (city, state or federal)
Current Military ID (military and dependents)

NOTE: If none of these items are available, please see Secondary Identification.

STEP 5: Submit a Photocopy of Each Parent/Guardian ID Document To Be Presented in step 4

A photocopy of each identification document to be presented by a parent or guardian must be submitted with the minor's passport application. If you are applying for multiple minors at one time, you must include a photocopy of each parent/guardian ID document presented with each minor's individual passport application.

Photocopy must be on plain white, 8 1/2 x 11" standard paper stock, showing the front and the back of your ID
Photocopy must contain images on only one-side of each page submitted.
If copies cannot be made on the same side of one page, you may present two separate pages; one displaying the front of the ID and the second displaying the back of the ID.
The paper should be free of other images and/or markings.
The 8 1/2 x 11" paper size cannot be substituted with a larger or smaller size paper, even if the alternative folds down to the 8 1/2 x 11" size.
You may enlarge the image of your ID on the 8 1/2 x 11" page, but you may not decrease the size of the image.
Other situations that require a photocopy of identification, but are less common, include:

If you are presenting Secondary Identification, you must provide a photocopy each document being presented with your application
An assistant to a disable applicant who witnesses the signature or signs on the disabled customer's behalf must present a photocopy of his or her ID
A person acting as an Identifying Witness (Form DS-71) must present a photocopy of his or her ID

STEP 6: Provide Parental Consent

Both parents must provide consent authorizing passport issuance for a minor under age 16. See the scenarios below, and follow the instruction that best applies to your circumstance:


Both Parents MUST:
Appear in person with the minor
Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent

One Parent MUST:
Appear in person with the minor
Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
Submit the second parents' notarized Statement of Consent (Form DS-3053)

One Parent (with sole legal custody) MUST:
Appear in person with the minor
Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
Submit primary evidence of sole authority to apply for the child with one of the following:

Minor's certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate listing only the applying parent
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350) listing only the applying parent
Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child's travel is restricted by that order)
Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adopting parent)
Court order specifically permitting applying parent's or guardian's travel with the child
Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent
Death certificate of non-applying parent
NOTE: If none of the above documentation is available, the applying parent must submit Form DS-3053 stating why the non-applying parent/guardian's consent cannot be obtained

A Third Party
(in Loco Parentis applying on behalf of a minor under the age of 16)
MUST:
Submit a notarized written statement or affidavit from both parents or guardians authorizing a third-party to apply for a passport
When the statement of affidavit is from only one parent/guardian, the third-party must present evidence of sole custody of the authorizing parent/guardian.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The written consent from the non-applying parent that accompanies an application for a new passport must be less than 3 months old. New written consent from the non-applying parent must be obtained and submitted with any future passport application for the minor under age 16.


STEP 7: Pay the Applicable Fee


STEP 8: Provide Two Passport Photos

We can help you submit clear and correctly exposed passport photos the first time - especially when applying for the U.S. Passport Card. See Quality Requirements for Passport Book & Passport Card Photographs to avoid photo processing delays.

Your Photographs Must Be:

Identical
In color
2 x 2 inches in size
Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background
Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
Taken in normal street attire:
Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily
Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline
If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture
Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons (a medical certificate may be required)

NOTES:

Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable
See Digitized Passport Photos for information on acceptable digital photos

Professional photographers, see Guidelines for Producing High Quality Photographs for U.S. Travel Documents