Passports for infants

by Bruce
(Kinross MI USA)

Question: We are planning a family trip to Jamaica. My wife's niece is planning on going, but will have her 6 month old baby with her. For a child that young, what type of passport does she need?

We were told by a travel agent that she might need a picture of mother, and baby together. Also the baby is due in August, and we will be going in February. any photo will change in that time it takes to issue it, won't it?

Answer: There is no special passport for an infant. Passports for all United States citizens are the same, except those issued to military personnel or diplomats. It is the requirements that are different. For a complete list of requirements to get a child's passport and to download the application form, click the link below.

Apply for an Infant's Passport

The mother will have to provide a document that proves her relationship to the child (e.g., a certified birth certificate) at the time of application.

Passports issued to minors are valid for 5 years. The State Department does not require that passport photos be updated prior to expiration.

Do infants need a SSN to apply for passport?

by Beth
(Auburn Me)

Answer: Although a Social Security number is not required for issuance of a passport, Section 6039E of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6039E) requires all applicants to provide their Social Security Number (SSN).

If the minor has one when you apply for the U.S. passport, it must be provided. If the minor has not been issued a SSN, enter zeros in box #5 of the passport application form DS-11 that you are completing.

You can download the application for a Social Security Number and mail it to the Social Security Administration in order to apply. It can take up to 12 weeks to receive because the child's birth record must be verified.

You can apply for a Social Security number for your baby when you apply for your baby’s birth certificate. The state agency that issues birth certificates will share your child’s information with us and we will mail the Social Security card to you. In this case, it usually take a lot less time to process.

How to Get a Child's Passport

Passport for infant

Question: I am expecting this month and will need to get a passport for my newborn shortly after. Do I need to provide pictures even though the baby will change in looks drastically over the next few years? Other than a birth certificate, are there any other documents needed?

Answer: Yes, you must provide a passport photo of your infant. Other documents needed are listed below.

1. Completed, unsigned form DS-11
2. Birth certificate (Serves as both evidence of U.S. citizenship and evidence of relationship.)
3. Parent's ID (valid driver's license)
4. Copy of each identification document
5. Two passport photos
6. Payment for fees

For complete instructions, click the link below.

Apply for Child's Passport

You should make sure your child's eyes are open in the photo. One way to do this is to drape a white sheet over one (sitting) parent, who also holds the baby's head and neck upright under the sheet while the photographer takes the photo. A second way is to place the child on a white blanket on the floor and take the photo while standing over him/her.

Can a California born infant with Syrian parents obtain a passport?

by inkspell
(ca)

Question: Father's name not on birth certificate due to mother not being married to father and he was not in the state to sign paternity form. Mother believes her baby would not be allowed to enter Saudi Arabia because father is not listed and she is not a citizen. Is this correct?

Answer: It is difficult to determine from your question if you are asking about a U.S. passport or a Saudi Arabia passport.

If your question concerns an U.S. Passport, then the baby is considered a U.S. citizen since he was born on American soill and entitled to all the rights provided by the U.S. Constitution including the right to have a U.S. passport. For full details about how to apply for a child's passport, click the link below.

Apply for Child's Passport

If your question concerns a Saudi Arabia passport, then you need to contact the consular services of the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Washington DC.

Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia

Any other questions concerning entrance into Saudi Arabia can be directed to the consular services of the Saudi Arabia embassy.

Passport for Infant with UK Citizen Father and US Citizen Mother

by Suzanne
(Kansas City, MO)

Question: We are wanting to apply for a US passport for our two month old son Andrew. I am a US citizen born here, raised here. His father is a UK citizen, born and raised UK. Andrew was born in Kansas City, MO where we both are currently living. We are waiting for fiance visa application submission before the father is able to come here.

I am wanting to know the proper procedure and paperwork regarding what his father has to do to give permission for the passport? I am actually applying for it so we can all go to see all of the family in England. Is the special circumstances form sufficient with just my signature? I was talking with Mark and they do not have notaries in England, so I do not know how to handle this. Or does he not really have to do anything since he is not a US citizen?

Answer: If only one parent appears at the time the application for a minor's passport is submitted, then a notarized Form DS-3053 must also be submitted for the non-applying parent.

According to the U.S. Embassy in London, the form can be notarized by a U.S. Notary Public, British Notary Public, or British Solicitor. The notary or solicitor must place his/her official seal upon the document. The U.S. Embassy in London can also notarize Form DS-3053. In addition to the Form DS-3053, the absent parent must provide proof of identity.

Can a newborn baby travel to another country with only a birth certificate instead of a passport and visa?

by Gayathri
(Fords, NJ, USA)

Question: I have a 1-month-old baby. I need to travel to India and will be back within 3 months. Can I take my baby without a passport? Instead of a passport, can I take her birth certificate for identification?

Answer: All U.S. citizens who travel to India must possess a current, valid passport (including infants) with a valid India visa stamped in it. You CANNOT take your baby to India using the birth certificate as identification.

You can access the instructions for obtaining a U.S. passport for a child by clicking the link below.

How to Get a Passport for a Child

For information on getting a visa, click the link below.

How to Get a Visa to India

Do I need a passport for my newborn?

Question: We're traveling in early July and our son will be under 2 months old. We have not received the birth certificate yet to apply for a passport. What would you recommend we do?

Can we travel with him by adding his name to our passports? Thanks for the advice in advance. Please advise asap.

Answer: Yes, your newborn must have a passport in order to exit and re-enter the United States. You cannot add the name of a baby to a passport. Each U.S. citizen must have his or her own passport.

What you can do is contact the vital records office of the state in which your child was born. This is the state agency that issued birth certificates.

You can request to know the status of your baby's birth certificate and ask whether the process can be expedited or not. Many states expedite birth certificates for an extra fee. For more information, click the link below.

Where to Get a Birth Certificate

For a complete list of passport requirements for an infant, click the link below.

Apply for an Infant's Passport

Passport for Baby Born in US to British Citizens

by Catherine
(Atlanta, Ga, USA)

Question: Can I get a passport for our new baby born in Atlanta, GA even though we are both British citizens with B2 visas? We can only provide our UK passports and driver's license as proof of ID. Will these be acceptable documents?

Adsense: Your child's original or certified birth certificate will serve as both evidence of his or her U.S. citizenship and relationship to parents. Concerning proof of identification, the State Department requires the document to be from the same state in which you are applying.

If you apply at an Acceptance Facility and submit out-of-state primary identification, you must present a second ID, as well. The second ID must contain as much of the following information as possible: your photo, full name, date of birth, and the document issuance date.

One suggestion is that you apply for an Identification Card from the Georgia Department of Driver Services. Click the link for complete details.

Applying for a Georgia ID Card

Note, you need a Social Security card in order to apply for the Georgia ID Card. If you do not possess a SS card, you can learn how to get one by clicking the link below.

Social Security Numbers For Noncitizens

Finally, you can click the link below for a complete list of requirements for obtaining the passport for your baby.

Get Passport for Infant

Does a newborn need a visa if entering her parents' country or just a passport?

by Bianca
(South Africa)

Question: I'm a South African 17-year-old and have an American green card because I lived in the U.S. I'm pregnant and going to give birth in NJ with my family. I want my baby to be an American citizen. How long will my newborn's passport take to process? I want to go back to South Africa as soon as I get her passport. Does she need a visa to enter her parents' country (South Africa) or just the passport?

Answer: Your child will have dual citizenship at birth and, therefore, will not need a visa to enter South Africa. Your baby will need both a South African passport and an American passport.

You can obtain the South African passport through the representative of the South African government in the United States. Click the link below for more information.

Department of Home Affairs - Republic of South Africa

You can get the American passport quickly at the nearest regional agency or through a registered passport expediter. Usually, an original birth certificate is required. This can take up to 6 weeks to obtain. If you can prove that you need to travel in less than 30 days, you can present the hospital birth record instead of the birth certificate. For a more information, click the links below.

Passport for a Minor

New York Passport Agency

Registered Passport Expediter

Another option is to obtain the South African passport in order to depart the United States and return to South Africa. In South Africa, you could visit the Embassy of the United States in Pretoria or one of the consulates in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg in order to get the passport for your baby.

U.S. Passports in South Africa

If you have been outside the United States for more than a year or you plan to return immediately for an extended period of time to South Africa after the birth, you should speak with a representative of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Passport for 1 yr old with no birth certificate

by Tyra
(Baltimore)

Question: My daughter has a certificate of live birth from the hospital but does not have a U.S. birth certificate. How do I get her a passport?

Answer: If your daughter was born in the United States and cannot present primary evidence of U.S. citizenship because her U.S. Birth Certificate was not filed within the first year of her birth, you may submit a combination of the following documents. Note, you should submit as many as possible.

A Delayed U.S. Birth Certificate filed more than one year after the birth may be acceptable if it lists the documentation used to create it (preferably early public records) and
it is signed by the birth attendant or lists an affidavit signed by the parents.

Early public records submitted with a birth record or Letter of No Record. Early public records should show name, date of birth and place of birth. Examples of early public records include baptismal certificate, hospital birth certificate and doctor's record of post-natal care.

A state-issued Letter of No Record showing name, date of birth, year for which a birth record was searched and acknowledgment that no birth certificate was found on file. A Letter of No Record must be submitted together with Early Public Records.

Form DS-10: Birth Affidavit as evidence of your U.S. citizenship. The birth affidavit must be notarized, submitted in person with Form DS-11, submitted together with early public records, completed by an affiant who has personal knowledge of birth in the U.S. and state briefly how the affiant's knowledge was acquired. It should be completed by an older blood relative, the attending physician or any other person who has personal knowledge of the birth.

What documents do I need to take for my baby to get his passport?

by Stacey
(Tyler,Tx,USA)

Question: Requisitions to be taken at office in order to proceed with passport application.

Answer: The following documents are required in order to apply for a passport for an infant.

* Completed, unsigned Form DS-11
* Evidence of citizenship
* Evidence of relationship
* Identification of parent(s)
* Photocopy of identification document(s)
* One passport photo

Both parents are required to appear with the child. If you apply for your child alone, then you must either provide a notarized consent from the father or proof of sole legal custody.

For complete instructions, click the link below.

Apply for Passport for Infant