Minor Passport FAQ

Getting a passport for a minor (age 15 or younger) is more complicated than getting an adult passport. Based on our over 20 years helping readers with their travel document needs, this can lead to a lot of questions if your child needs a passport.

If you arrived on this page of our website, you may want to first read through our complete guide to getting a passport for a minor where you will find details of the process, links to the forms you need to fill out, current passport fees for a child's passport, and what additional information you need to provide with a minor's passport application.

On this page, you will find answers to specific questions about fees, documents, names, and many other unique cases submitted by our readers.

If you have further questions after reading the step-by-step instructions, you can return to this page and search for answers to questions similar to your own.

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For each of the questions in the FAQ below, click the link to access the complete answers.

Frequently Asked Questions about Passports for Minors

Renewal of passport issued to a minor child  Informaton about applying to renew a child's passport. Answers to questions about requirements, documents, consent and more.

Passport for child born in the United States but raised abroad  The mother of the child gave birth here in the US and shortly thereafter the child went back to Mexico. Apparently, there is no clarity as to the procdure ...

Getting Passports for Infants  Answers to questions about getting United States passports for infants.

Passports for children in foster care  Question: I'm the social worker for a 15 year girl in foster care. No one knows where her parents are located, so no signatures can be obtained. After ...

Can my minor children get passports without their fathers consent?  Question: I have sole custody of my 2 children ages 13 & 10. Their father has made no effort to see them in over 6 years. Can they still get their passports ...

Can you get a passport for my minor child if he is already out of the country?  Question: I have a friend that sent his son to Mexico with his family and did not get the passport before his son left. He thought that he would be able ...

Minor travel to a US territory  Question: My sons' mother lives in Guam. They would like to visit her this summer. Can they travel to a US territory without a passport?

Is a child born to Canadian mother and U.S. citizen father eligible for a passport?  Questions pertaining to passport eligibility for 10 year old child born in Canada to a Canadian mother. Mother and child have resided in Canada for 10 ...

Can I get a passport renewal for adult with previous passport issued as a minor  Question: My daughter's now expired passport was issued in 2006 when she was 14. She is now 19 and requires a new passport. Your website says that passport renewal by mail is not available if the previous passport was issued when the citizen was a minor. Does this rule apply...

Can I use a regular photo of my child for his passport?  Question: My child is currently in a different country but since he is a US citizen I have to have his passport made on the mainland, therefore he is ...

How do I expedite my children's passports without airline tickets?  Question: I am so short of time to renew or get new passports for my children. I know it can be done but it seems every passport service agency that I've inquired are all asking for a plane ticket as one of the requirements but in our case were not flying...

Do I have the necessary documents to renew passport for my foreign-born adopted child?  Question: My husband and I are both US-born citizens. We adopted our son from Russia in 2003. He is now 9 years old. He has a US passport which expired ...

Guide to Using a Stepparent's Surname on a Minor's Passport  Question: There has been an influx of requests for this type of name change in recent years, so it's important to know the challenges the natural parent and stepparent may face.

Guide to Using a Guardian's Surname on a Minor's Passport  Question: Can a guardian's surname that is different from the child's parents' be used, legally, on a child's passport?

Does a US birth certificate of a foreign born adopted child serve as proof of citizenship?  Question: My daughter was adopted from Guatemala. We immigrated her to the US on a Guatemalan passport. She had a green card. We recently completed ...

Passport for Minor Child with No Contact with Mother  Question: My husband has his two children from another marriage. We have been trying to contact her via phone and through a lawyer to have her sign the ...

Can One Parent Apply for a Passport for a Minor  Answers to questions about one parent applying for a passport for a minor age 15 or younger.

Children Traveling to Canada with Guardians  Question: We have 4 children who have a status of Termination of parental rights. They will be in our home for 3 months before we can adopt them. We ...

Passport Name Change For Adopted Child  Question: I've read conflicting reports. One states the adopted child needs a complete new passport. Another states the existing passport can be mailed ...

Passport for a Child Born out of Wedlock  Question: My son was born out of wedlock and his father is not willing to sign for him a passport. He has not been legitimized, although his father ...

Where can I take a minor to apply for a passport on Saturdays?  Question: I work during the days and will be able to only take my child on Saturday for the passport papers. Where can I take her in Hollywood or Miami ...

Is there anyway to get a passport for my child without their father's notarized statement?  Question: I'm planning on taking my two kids to Canada to visit my boyfriend's family in a few months. Their dad and I are not civil so when asked by ...

Can you apply for a passport for a child for whom you do not have custody?  Question: Daughter's biological mother would like to apply for a passport for her but she does not have custody of her and also does not live with her....

Is father's signature required to get passprt for a child?  Question: My daughter's father is not on her birth certificate, but he pays child support. Also, paternity has been establish. He refuses to sign the ...

If I allow my ex-wife to get passports for my kids now, will I have the right to stop her from taking them abroad later?  Question: My ex-wife wants to obtain passports to take my children on a vacation to France. I am not opposed to them going on that particular trip, but ...

Can I use the online service to obtain a passport for my minor child?  Question: My daughter needs a passport for next month, March 2011. She is 13. Can I do it online?

Answer: You cannot apply for a passport online ...

Passport for Child without Parent's Consent  Answer to questions about passports for children obtained without the consent of one parent.

Can I get passports for my children if they are not U.S. citizens but I am?  Question: I am their mother and a U.S. citizen. The kids were born in Canada. Can I still apply for a passport for them?

Answer: First of all, United ...

Can I get my minor child's passport suspended?  Question: My ex-wife lied to me to get me to sign off for my son to get a passport. She asked me to sign so she could take my kids to Honduras to see ...

How can I be notified if anyone files for a passport under my child's name?  Question: Is there a data base that my child's name can be put into so I can be notified if anyone applies for a passport for him?

Answer: Yes, there ...

How to get a passport for a child who has not seen his father in over 10 years?  Question: I would like to take my son to Canada so he'll need a passport. The problem is we don't have contact or dealings with his father. It has ...

How do I find out if a passport was issued to my child?  Question: I have primary custody of my children. My ex-wife has recently moved to Canada with her new husband. My children go to spend summer vacations ...

My Adopted Daughter had a Passport under a Different Name  Question: I adopted my daughter in 2005 from Guatemala as a single parent. She was issued a passport to enter the United States but since then I have ...

Passport for minor about to turn 16  Question: I need a passport for my son for travel in early June. He will turn 16 1 month before we leave. In order to get the passport in time, it ...

Traveling Minor  Question: If a father is taking his minor child out of the country, and the parents are still legally married, does the mother have to sign a consent ...

Can my 9 year old daughter obtain a passport without my permission?  Question: The mother and I made an agreement that she was taking my daughter on a cruise. I later found out that she(the mother) was not attending this ...

Passport requirements for a minor with only one parent listed on their birth certificate  Question: I am a single parent listed on my child's birth certificate. My child needs to get a passport but it ask for both parents. What can I do or ...

Change Minor Son's Name in Passport  Question: I changed my son's first name last year. What forms do I need to file for a new passport? And can I do it through the mail?

I need his passport ...

Can a Circuit Court Judge force a parent to sign form DS-11 for non medical reasons?  Question: My son has joint legal custody and the mother has physical custody of our two-year-old grandson. The mother filed through her attorney to have ...

My child has autism and needs a passport  Question: I tried to get a passport for my child who is 14 years old at the local post office. I tried to explain to the women working there that my ...

Need Passport for My Children  Question: I was deported to Colombia. My children are in New York with my mother. They want to come see me. My son had a passport before. He came to ...

Do I need to provide photos of my one-month-old child in order to get a passport for him?  Question: My child is only one-month old. Do I still need to provide his photos in order to obtain passport for him?

Answer: Two identical photos ...

passport for child in adoptive placement  Question: We have signed papers for adoptive placement. We were fostering. 4 year old will not be officially adopted by us until after our trip.

Answer:...

Is a minor's previous passport that has not expired enough identification to get a new one?  Question: My minor daughter's passport expires in Oct 2010. Since her current passport has not expired yet, is it enough documentation to take to get ...

Passport for child with notarized letter from parents  Question: Can I obtain a passport for a child with a notarized letter from her parents, her original birth certificate and her SSN? I am...

Do I have to submit the original documents for evidence of US citizenship and evidence of relationship or can I provide photocopies?  Question: My child is a minor under 16 and born outside of the US (in Taiwan). As Evidence of U.S. Citizenship I will present his Certificate of Citizenship(...

Items required for passport for child and what is the age limit to be considered a minor?  Question: I understand the evidence of citizenship would be a Birth Certificate. Is that correct? What is 'evidence of identity?'

Is a 14 year old ...

I am USA citizen and my child is not. Can she get USA passport?  Question: I became USA citizen two years ago. My daughter is 14 and holds permanent resident card. Can I apply for USA passport for her without applying ...

How do I apply for 2 international adopted children as our adoption has been finalized?  Question: My husband and I adopted 2 girls from the Philippines. The adoption was finalized on Dec 7, 09 and we're planning a vacation to the Philippines ...

American citizen father with daughter born in Winnipeg, Canada. - how to get passport for her?  Question: My daughter was born in Winnipeg, CA (mother and daughter coming back to the United States on Canadian passports)

State Dept website states ...

Unable to locate my child's father to obtain notarized consent.  Question: My daughter's passport just expired 3/1/10, at the time I obtained that passport I was able to locate her father in jail and he was able to ...

Can I apply for a passport for my daughter who is a green card holder?  Question: She has had a green card for 5 years. Both parents are citizens living together. Can we apply for a passport for our daughter or do we have ...

My 9 year son's passport expired last year. What form do I need to fill out to renew his passport?  Question: My son's passport expired in October 2009. I would like to renew his passport and was wondering which forms I need to fill out for his renewal....

Does a minor under the age of 16 need to be present at the time of application?  Question: If a parent is applying in person at a passport office, does the applying minor child need to be present?

Answer: Yes, minors must appear ...

When is a child legal to obtain their own passport:?  Question: If a child is a minor and is living with someone other than the biological parents, what information is needed to obtain a passport?

Answer:...

How do I get a passport for a child born to English mother and American father?  Question: Please, could you provide me with information on obtaining a US passport for my child, her father has legally signed court papers in CA as ...

Will a notarized statement from her grandparents passing custody to me and her birth certificate allow me to get her a passport?  Question: Eight months ago through a paternity test, I found out that I have a 14 year old daughter in Washington State. Her mother had passed away ...

What paperwork do I need and what is the cost of getting passports for my children?  Question: My childrens' passports expire in April. I need to have new ones for a trip in July. Since I cannot "renew" their passports, what paperwork ...

Expired child's passport  Question: My granddaughter has an expired passport. She is now 14 & I want to take her to Europe when she is 15. Can I apply for a passport for her or ...

Post office kept my child's passport application  Question: My question is two part, First I am in Afghanistan with the 3-4 Marines and my daughter is 17 years old. I sent her in the other day to the ...

Where do I go to obtain a minors passport?  Question: Whom do I take the form to get a minors passport? (I haven't done this before)

Answer: You can apply for a passport for a minor at the ...

Can we get passports for grandchildren for whom we have temporary custody?  Question: We are the grandparents of 3 grandchildren and have court ordered TEMPORARY CUSTODY that has lasted more than 3 years. The children were abandoned ...

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