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How do I renew a child's passport?

by Tannia
(Dallas, TX , USA)

Question: My 7-year-old son's passport expired. He is disabled and it's difficult to take photos of him which I know are required for his new passport.

Answer: Passports issued to minors cannot be renewed by mail. The child must appear at a passport application acceptance facility with both parents. If one parent cannot appear, the applying parent must either provide notarized consent from the non-applying parent or evidence of sole legal custody.

One recent passport photo is required. The State Department is strict concerning passport photos and many applications are delayed due to the submission of unacceptable photos. For this reason, we usually recommend that photos be taken at a location with experience in taking passport photos.

Since you did not explain your son's disability in detail, I do not know how difficult this might be. You may try making the passport photos yourself at home. Following is a link to a website that provides passport photos from pictures taken at home.

passportphotowizard.com

For a complete list of requirements, click the link below.

Apply for a Child's Passport

For a list of passport application acceptance facilities in Dallas, click the link below.

Dallas Passport Offices

Comments for How do I renew a child's passport?

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My son cannot make it in person
by: Amy

Question: Hello my son is currently in the hospital due to heart surgery and cleft lip and palate complications. I am traveling abroad due to his medical issues I will not be able to discharge him from hospital until the day of his flight! Due to health problems concerning his heart also, doctors do not want him to catch any infections or germs. I want to know what can I do if my son has medical issues and disabilities to make it in person for applying for his first passport??

My son has been in the hospital since the day he was born he will be discharged on the 12th and the flight is on the 13th. Please let me know what can I do.

Answer: You may secure a statement regarding your child's medical condition explaining why he cannot be present at the time of submission. This must be in official hospital letterhead and duly signed by his attending physicians. You may present this with the rest of the requirements for a child's passport.

This has a good chance of working but there is no guarantee as it goes against in-person submission rule.

Renewal
by: Anonymous

Question: My husband and I are separated for 7 yrs and I'm trying to renew my 7-year-old son's passport. I don't have my sons old passport because my ex has it. I don't have any contact with him and has not been in my son's life for 5 years.

Answer: Passports issued to minors cannot be renewed. You need to apply for your child's passport the same way to applied for the first one.

If the father's name is on the birth certificate, you share custody with him even if he has not been present in the child's life for years. Therefore, his presence or consent is still required for the application.

You need to find a way to contact the father to get his consent. If you have exhausted all means to reach out to him to no avail, you may apply for your child's passport under exigent family circumstances. Use Form DS-5525 and explain in as much detail as possible the efforts you have made to contact the father regarding the application. Please note that these applications are processed on a case by case basis. There is a chance that a passport will be issued but there is no guarantee.

Life sentence
by: Anonymous

Question: My daughter is 14 years old. I want to renew her passport but her father is in prison and will be for another 15 years. How can I renew her passport? Please advise.

Answer: You may apply for your child's passport under exigent family circumstance. In addition to the requirements, you need to submit Form DS-5525 with a copy of the father's incarceration order.

Please help!
by: Anonymous

Question: My daughter is a U.S. citizen but is with my mum in Nigeria. Can I renew her passport here in the USA for her? It expires in December. Thank you.

Answer: Both parents need to appear with the child in person at an acceptance facility in order to apply for a child's passport. Passports issued to minors cannot be renewed.

If the child cannot travel to the United States, both parents need to provide a notarized statement authorizing the grandmother to apply for her passport in your behalf. The statement must be accompanied by photocopies of your government-issued IDs. They can then apply at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or Consulate General in Lagos. Both places need appointments which you can set here.

Why are both parents needed?
by: Anonymous

Question: Why do I have to have a consent form done again for my daughter who already has a passport that we need to renew. Her father is not in her life, but is listed on birth certificate.

Answer: Passports issued to minors cannot be renewed. Therefore, you need to restart the process when obtaining a new passport for a minor. This process involves securing a notarized consent from the non-applying parent whose name appears on the child's birth certificate.

If you cannot obtain the consent, we recommend speaking to an attorney about filing for sole legal custody of your child.

Renew a child's passport
by: Anonymous

Question: I have 2 questions:

1. My cousin's passport was issued in CA, can it be renewed in TX?

2. Other people told me that only Houston can they apply for renewal and get the passport back in one week in TX. Is that true? Can her parents come to Dallas to get her passport?

Answer: 1. Passports issued to minors or when one was still a minor cannot be renewed. Having said that, one may apply for a minor's passport in a different state from where the old passport was issued.

2. In order to obtain a passport in less than 2 weeks, the application must be submitted at a regional passport agency. There are three regional agencies in Texas: one in Dallas, another in El Paso, and the one in Houston. The parents may appear with the child at the Dallas agency if it's the most convenient. The agency's address and schedule is as follows:

Earle Cabell Federal Building
1100 Commerce St, Suite 1120
Dallas, TX 75242

8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Monday through Thursday

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Friday

Please call 1-877-487-2778 or log on to the online appointment system to set an appointment. Please bear in mind that evidence of immediate international travel in 2 weeks (or 4 weeks if a visa is also needed) is also required on top of the requirements.

Renewing a Passport
by: Anonymous

Question: Does my husband and I have to be there with my 13 years old son at the facility to renew his passport? If so, what do I bring?

Answer: Passports issued to minors cannot be renewed. In order to obtain a new passport for your child, both parents must appear with the child in person at a nearby acceptance facility. You will need the following:

1. Form DS-11
2. Evidence of U.S. citizenship
3. Both parents' government-issued ID
4. Photocopy of both parents' IDs
5. One passport photo
6. Payment for fees

Please help
by: Hebelin

Question: My son is 8 years old and I am planing on going to Mexico driving next week. He's passport expired on 4/4/17. Can he come back into the US with his birth certificate? Should I carry his expired passport as well?

Answer: All U.S. citizens, regardless of age, are required to be in possession of a valid passport book or passport card in order to travel to Mexico by land and return to the United States. A birth certificate will not suffice.

My passport
by: Anonymous

Question: I have my passport from when I was 7 years old. It is in perfect condition but of course my photo is when I was a child and I was a minor at the time. Can this passport be renewed now that I am an adult or do I need to apply for a new passport as an adult?

Answer: You need to apply in person for a new passport at an application acceptance facility. Click the links below for more information.

New Passport Requirements

Application Acceptance Facility Locations

Renew passport
by: Siham

Question: My 13-year-old son's passport expired and I want to renew it for him because we plan to travel overseas. Do I have to bring my son with me or is it not necessary? Please respond me soon as possible.

Answer: Your son must apply in person for a new passport. He must be accompanied by both parents. For more information, click here.

how to travel to the United States from mexico having passport expired
by: Anonymous

Question: My nephews are in Mexico and they are US Citizens. Their passports are expired and their mom is illegal. She wants to bring them back. How can she renew the passports?

Answer: Your nephews should can apply for new passports at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate general. Both parents are required to appear with minors. If parents cannot appear, then a third parent can appear with the minors and submit notarized consent from the parents to apply for the parents. For more information, contact the U.S. embassy or consulate general in Mexico.

Edwin Francis
by: Anonymous

To be frank I was pretty much impressed by the kind of information that is available in this web site. I was trying to get my 15 year old daughter a passport and I was not sure of the formalities involved in the same. This web site really helped me out.

Renewing a minor's passport
by: Anonymous

Question: My son is 5 years old, and I'm renewing his application. Should I write my name for the applicant's name?

Answer: You write your son's name on the application form.

when should I renew a passport for my child?
by: Anonymous

Question: When should I renew a passport for my child?

Answer: The expiration date can be found on the information page (inside cover). Depending on your travel plans, you may need to initiate the application process 3-9 months prior to the expiration date. You need to take into consideration the entry requirements for any country you plan to visit. Many countries require 3-6 months validity remaining in a passport before they will allow a visitor to enter. Add to that the 4-6 weeks for routine processing of the passport application.

both parents overseas
by: Anonymous

Both my husband and I are overseas. Can my mother renew my sons passport without us being present?

=============

Your mother can appear with your sons at a passport application acceptance facility and submit a notarized written statement or affidavit from both parents authorizing her to apply for the passports. She also needs to submit the appropriate application form and supporting documents for obtaining passport for minors.

renewal of minor passport
by: priscila

Do I need my son's birth certificate to renewal his passport? He is only 7 years old.

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Yes, you must present the original or a certified copy of your son's birth certificate in order to get a new passport for him.

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