Child Passport - FAQ's

Yes, all US citizens, regardless of their age, must have a passport if they are traveling outside the United States by air. This includes newborns and infants. Services like RushedTravelDocuments.com can help you if you need to obtain a new passport for your child or update an existing one.

If you’re not using a third-party expediting service like RushedTravelDocuments.com, you would indeed need to appear in person. However, if you’re using a service like RushedTravelDocuments.com, you and your child only need to visit a Passport Acceptance Agent at your local post office or county clerk. The agent will verify your identities (remember not to sign the application until you’re in front of the agent!) and seal the necessary documents in an envelope. You’ll then send this envelope to us for expediting and we’ll handle the rest.

Absolutely. When you’re at the Passport Acceptance Agent, you’ll be asked to sign the application in the areas designated for the parent’s signature.

Passport photos for babies should be the same size as those for adults (2in x 2in) and must have been taken within the last 6 months. Your baby should be facing the camera against a white or off-white background. If your child can’t sit up yet, you can take the photo with your baby lying on a white blanket. Try to take a photo with your baby’s eyes open and make sure your baby isn’t crying or screaming. Hats, headgear, bonnets, or pacifiers are not allowed. The baby should be the only subject in the picture. Nothing used to support the baby, including you, your hands or arms, or your baby’s car seat, should appear in the picture.

The Department of State has a provision for this situation. The absent parent can sign the Parental Consent Form DS-3053 in front of a notary and it can be submitted with the application paperwork.

Use Form DS-5525, the Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances. If you have sole custody, provide court documentation.

Provide a death certificate or proof of legal incompetence. If both parents are deceased or disabled, provide a court order awarding custody.

Submit the amended birth certificate listing you as the parent. If unavailable, provide adoption paperwork confirming your identification as the adopter.

Child passports, valid for 5 years, can’t be renewed like adult passports. Apply for a new child passport until they turn 16.

To expedite your child’s passport with our service, select the “child passport” option for all minors under 18. Note that there are special requirements for children aged 16 and 17.

Use a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240). If the child is adopted, provide the adoption decree and both parents’ birth certificates.

Birth certificate can be used to leave Mexico/Canada if child is with both parents, but we recommend getting a passport for entry even if by land. Entry is not guaranteed with birth certificate only.

Use the DS-3053 form, signed in front of a notary by the absent parent, with a copy of their ID. The absent parent must sign the form in front of a notary and provide a photocopy of their identification. The completed form should then be submitted with the passport application paperwork.