When Does a Baby Need a Passport?

Every U.S. citizen, including a newborn, needs their own passport book to travel internationally by air. A baby cannot travel on a parent's passport.

Requirements for land and sea travel can vary by destination and type of trip. Some closed-loop cruises may accept other citizenship documents for U.S. citizens, but the rules depend on the itinerary and cruise line. A passport book gives the baby the greatest flexibility, including the ability to return to the United States by air if the family must leave the cruise early.

Does a Baby Need a Passport to Enter Mexico or Canada by Land?

No, a baby (or any U.S. citizen child under age 16) does not need a passport to enter Mexico or Canada by land or sea.

However, they do need to present proof of U.S. citizenship, such as:

• A certified birth certificate issued by a U.S. city, county, or state
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
• A Certificate of Citizenship

What About Air Travel?

If you're entering Mexico or Canada by air, even babies and toddlers must have a valid U.S. passport book. Airlines and immigration authorities will not accept just a birth certificate for international air travel.

Pro Tip:

Even though a passport isn't required for land or sea crossings with young children, many families choose to get one anyway. It can make border crossings smoother, especially when re-entering the U.S., and avoids problems if plans change and you end up flying home instead of driving.

How Soon After Birth Can a Baby Get a Passport?

There is no required waiting period or minimum age. Parents can apply as soon as they have the documents needed for the application.

For a baby born in the United States, the main timing issue is usually obtaining a certified birth certificate. The hospital record or decorative certificate given to parents after delivery is not sufficient. You need an official, physical birth certificate issued by the appropriate state, county, or city vital-records office.

How quickly the certified certificate becomes available depends on where the birth was registered. If you have upcoming travel, check the vital-records office's processing time before making firm plans.

A Practical Newborn Passport Timeline

1. The hospital or birth center reports the birth.
2. The state or local authority registers the birth.
3. The parents obtain a certified birth certificate.
4. The parents complete Form DS-11 and gather the supporting documents.
5. The baby's passport photo is taken.
6. The parents and baby attend an appointment at a passport acceptance facility.
7. The application is processed and the passport is mailed.

Passport processing time begins after the application reaches the processing agency. It does not include the time needed to obtain a birth certificate, find an appointment, or mail the application and completed passport.

What Do You Need to Get a Passport for a Baby?

Bring the following to the appointment:

• The baby's completed but unsigned Form DS-11
• The baby's physical evidence of U.S. citizenship
• Proof of the parents' or guardians' relationship to the baby
• A physical photo ID for each parent or guardian
• A photocopy of the baby's citizenship evidence
• Photocopies of the front and back of each parent's or guardian's ID
• One passport photo of the baby
• Payment for the application and acceptance fees
• Any additional consent or custody documents required for your situation

Birth Certificate Requirements

A certified U.S. birth certificate serves two purposes: it proves the baby's citizenship and shows the relationship between the baby and the parent or parents named on it.

Bring the original certified certificate or an official replacement. Digital birth certificates and ordinary photocopies are not accepted as citizenship evidence. You also have to provide a photocopy, but the photocopy does not replace the physical certified document.

The original citizenship document is submitted with the application and returned separately after passport processing. It may arrive separately from the new passport.

Does a Newborn Need a Social Security Number to Get a Passport?

You must provide the baby's Social Security number if one has been issued.

If the Social Security Administration has never issued a number to the baby, include a signed and dated statement with the application. The Department of State instructs applicants to use the following wording:

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the following is true and correct: My child has never been issued a Social Security number by the Social Security Administration.

Do not use this statement if a number has already been issued but you have not received the card or do not know the number. In that situation, contact the Social Security Administration for assistance.

How to Take a Passport Photo of a Baby

A newborn passport photo must follow the same basic size, color, quality, and background rules as any other passport photo. The challenge is keeping the baby facing the camera without another person appearing in the picture.

Two methods recommended by the Department of State are:

• Lay the baby on a plain white or off-white sheet and take the photo from directly above.
• Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white sheet, place the baby in the seat, and take the photo facing the baby.

Make sure that:

• The baby faces the camera.
• The baby's entire face is visible.
• No parent, hand, or other person appears in the photo.
• The background is plain white or off-white.
• There are no shadows on the baby's face or background.
• The photo is clear, in color, and taken within the last six months.
• A pacifier, toy, blanket, clothing, or hand does not cover any part of the face.
• The image has not been digitally altered, enhanced, or generated with artificial intelligence.

It is acceptable if a young baby's eyes are not entirely open. The baby should still face the camera, and the full face must be visible.

If you use a professional photo service, confirm before visiting that the location takes passport photos of newborns. Not every photo provider is equipped or willing to photograph very young babies. See our complete passport photo requirements for dimensions and additional examples.

Does the Baby Have to Attend the Passport Appointment?

Yes. The baby must appear in person when the application is submitted—even if the baby is only a few days or weeks old.

Applications for children under 16 are submitted at an authorized passport acceptance facility, such as a participating post office, library, or local government office. Some locations require appointments, while others may accept walk-ins. Use our passport office directory to find nearby facilities.

The acceptance agent will review the documents, verify the parents' identification, administer an oath, witness the signature, and collect the application.

Do Both Parents Have to Be Present?

Both parents or legal guardians should normally appear with the baby and approve the passport application.

If one parent cannot attend, the absent parent will generally need to provide a notarized Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent, and a photocopy of the identification presented to the notary. Form DS-3053 and related notarized statements must be submitted within 90 days after they are signed or notarized.

Different documentation may be required if:

• One parent has sole legal custody.
• Only one parent is listed on the birth certificate or adoption decree.
• One parent is deceased.
• The other parent cannot be located.
• A guardian or another adult is applying with the baby.
• A court order controls whether a passport may be issued.

These situations can be more complicated. Review the consent and custody instructions in our complete child passport guide before the appointment.

Related: Getting a passport for a child when the grandparents have temporary custody.

How Much Does a Baby Passport Cost?

A baby pays the passport fees charged to all applicants under age 16. The total depends on whether you request a passport book, passport card, or both and whether you add expedited processing or faster return delivery.

Two separate payments are generally required:

• An application fee paid to the U.S. Department of State
• An execution or acceptance fee paid to the passport acceptance facility

Because fees and delivery charges can change, check our current U.S. passport fee guide before your appointment. Also ask the acceptance facility which payment methods it accepts.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Passport for a Baby?

The processing time is the same as it is for other first-time passport applicants. However, parents should account for more than the advertised government processing time.

Your complete timeline may include:

• Waiting for the certified birth certificate
• Waiting for an appointment at an acceptance facility
• Mailing time between the facility and the processing agency
• Government passport processing
• Delivery of the finished passport

Current processing times are 4 to 6 weeks for routine service and 2 to 3 weeks for expedited service, not including mailing time. Urgent processing in less than two weeks is avaliable at regional passport agencies. Processing times may change with demand and do not include mailing.

If your baby is traveling internationally soon, expedited service may be available for an additional fee. Families with urgent travel may qualify to apply at a regional passport agency, but appointments are limited and proof of qualifying international travel is required. Learn more about expedited passport service for a minor.

What If the Baby Was Born Outside the United States?

A baby born outside the United States may have acquired U.S. citizenship at birth through one or both parents, but citizenship is not automatic in every situation. The requirements depend on the parents' citizenship, marital status, and physical presence in the United States before the birth.

Parents generally report the birth to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. They may also apply for the baby's first passport, often as part of the same process.

Contact the U.S. embassy or consulate serving the place where the baby was born for instructions. Do not make international travel plans based only on the expectation that citizenship or a passport will be approved.

After Your Baby's Passport Arrives

Check the passport immediately to make sure the baby's name, date of birth, place of birth, and sex are correct.

A parent or guardian should sign the passport for a child who is too young to sign. Print the child's full name on the signature line, sign your own name next to it, and write your relationship to the child, such as “mother,” “father,” or “guardian.”

A passport issued to a child under 16 is valid for five years. It cannot be renewed by mail. When it expires, the child must apply in person again using Form DS-11.

Related: What to do when your new passport arrives

Frequently Asked Questions

Prepare Before You Make the Appointment

The most common newborn-specific delays happen before the application is submitted: the certified birth certificate is not yet available, the baby's photo doesn't meet the requirements, a parent is absent without the correct consent documents, or the family has not addressed the Social Security number requirement.

Gather and review everything before the appointment. A few extra minutes of preparation can prevent the family from having to schedule another visit.