Does my 16yo son need a passport book or a card to travel to Canada?

by Kathleen
(New Ulm, MN)

My now 16-year-old son was born in Germany and needed a passport to return to the US. Since then all our passports were either lost or missing. I am pretty sure they have expired.

Question: Do I need to file as lost/missing/stolen?

Answer: You only need to report the lost/missing/stolen passport if it has not expired. Otherwise, there is no need. You can file the report by calling 1-877-487-2778.

Question: Do I just file for a new passport for him?

Answer: All minors must apply for a new passport whether their previous one was lost or not. Click the link below for a complete list of requirements. Note, applicants age 16 must be accompanied by at least one parent.

New Passport Requirements

Question: His father was in the Army in Germany as well, so it was a military issue passport - does that make a difference?

Answer: No, it does not matter. He still needs to apply for a regular, tourist passport.

Question: Can we get a Passport Card for him? We are going on a trip to Toronto, Canada middle of June - is there enough time?

Answer: Passport cards can only be used for travel by land or sea. If you plan to travel by air, then you must obtain a passport book.

There is enough time to get the passport if you apply right away. Routine processing takes 4-6 weeks. If you need to get the passport faster, you can request expedited service. There is an additional fee of $60 but the application is processed in 2-3 weeks.

Question: Since he is going with a school group, it is my understanding that if he has his picture ID along with his Application for Citizenship and Certificate of a Naturalized Citizen he will be OK. However - he is a Type 1 Diabetic and we may have to leave the group. Heaven forbid - but it is always better to be safe then sorry!

Answer: It is true that he can present a photo ID and the Certificate of Naturalization if traveling by land or sea. If the group will be traveling by air, then a passport book is required.