How hard is it for a 17 year old to apply for a passport with a legal gaurdian?

by Shannon
(Bluffton, SC)

Question: My niece is 17 and she wants to take her daughter over to Honduras to see her grandparents on her dad's side but she needs to know if she can apply by herself. Her father is in prison and her mother is not present at the time her paternal grandmother has legal rights over her so can she have her grandmothers consent will it make a difference that it is not her parents?

Answer: As long as the guardian has official evidence of legal custody, your niece should have no problem obtaining a passport.

Your niece should appear in person at a passport application acceptance facility. The passport requirements for a minor age 17 include completed form DS-11 (unsigned), evidence of citizenship, proof of identity, copy of the ID and two passport photos. She also needs to present her Social Security card.

The guardian should provide the proof of legal custody, proof of identification and a copy of the ID.

Note, your niece's daughter must also possess a valid passport in order to travel with her mother.

For complete instructions click the link below.

How to Get a Child's Passport

To located passport offices near you, click the following link.

South Carolina Passport Offices