Do babies need passports?
by Elizabeth
(Santa Barbara, CA, USA)
Question: My family will be traveling to Mexico in July and we will have a 3-year old and an infant about 4 months old. Will they both need passports?
Answer: Every citizen of the United States, independent of age (even newborn infants), is required to have a valid passport when traveling outside the United States. There is an exception for travel on a closed-loop cruise or travel by land to Canada.
Regular processing of passport applications can take 4-6 weeks or longer. We recommend you submit the applications as soon as possible.
For complete details, please click the link below.
How to Get a Child's Passport
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UPDATE: Mailing delays and high demand are impacting passport processing. The Department of State's processing times begin when applications are received at a passport agency or center and not when you mail them or apply at a local acceptance facility.
Standard service may take between 10 and 13 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.
Expedited service takes from 7 to 9 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.
Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.
If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment.
For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.
If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC.
A registered expedited passport courier can often assist in obtaining a passport as quickly as the same day. You can learn more about this service here.
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