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Must BOTH parents be present when renewing a passport of a 16yo minor?

by DIanna
(Seattle, WA USA)

Question: Our daughter is turning 16 on Wednesday and we are traveling on June 16. We want to wait until she is 16 so her passport will be valid for a longer time.

Do both parents need to accompany her for the renewal? If not, does the other parent have to provide notarized consent? Can we make an appointment for the expedited service even though we will be traveling in 3 weeks (not two)? Will we be turned away from the appointment?

Please advise. Thank you in advance.

Answer: Both parents are not required to appear when a minor age 16 submits an application for a passport. Only one parent is required. This parent must also present valid photo ID if the minor does not have his or her own .

Concerning parental consent, the State Department states that minors age 16 or 17 must "establish parental consent." They go on to say that this should be "implied on the application." When it is not, the minor "may be requested to provide written parental consent."

Regional passport agencies only attend to applicants whose departure date is within two weeks. The only way you can submit the application sooner is if you also need to obtain travel visas. In this case, the agency allows you to make an appointment up to four weeks before your departure date.

Click the link below for information about the agency that serves your state.

Seattle Passport Agency

Comments for Must BOTH parents be present when renewing a passport of a 16yo minor?

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Renew
by: Alejandra

Question: Does my husband need to be present to renew my son's passport? He is under 16, but my husband cannot be present for work.

Answer: Both custodial parents need to appear with the child when the passport application is submitted. If the father cannot be present, he may complete Form DS-3053 and have it notarized. You may then submit the notarized form with a photocopy of his ID.

How can I renew my child's (under 16) passport?
by: Anonymous

Question: My child currently has a passport and the father has agreed, now it is time for renewal but the father has moved away and has no contact on where to find him, what do I need to do?

Answer: Passports of minors cannot be renewed. You need to apply for a new passport exactly the same way as the previous one.

You need the father's consent for the application if you do not have sole legal custody of the child. Social media is usually a good place to find a person you have lost contact with.

Renewal of minor under 16 yo
by: Anonymous

Question: Do both parents have to be present to renew passports for children under 16? If they were both present to apply for the first time together, and this is merely a renewal, why would both parents have to be present?

Answer: Passports issued to minors age 15 and under cannot be renewed. You need to submit a new application the same way you did for the previous passports so both parents still need to be present.

This is a misleading article. Read this!!
by: Anonymous

Question: FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16
To submit an application for a child under age 16, both parents or the child's legal guardian(s) must appear and present all of the following:
- Evidence of the child's U.S. citizenship
- Evidence of the child's relationship to parents/guardian(s) (Example: a birth certificate or consular report of birth abroad listing the names of the
parent(s)/guardian(s) and child)
- Original parental/guardian government-issued identification and a photocopy of the front and back
If only one parent/guardian can appear, you must also submit one of the following:
- The second parent's notarized written statement or DS-3053 (including the child's full name and date of birth) consenting to the passport
issuance for the child. The notarized statement cannot be more than three months old, must be signed and notarized on the same day, and must
come with a photocopy of the front and back side of the second parent's government-issued photo identification.
- The second parent's death certificate (if second parent is deceased)
- Evidence of sole authority to apply (Example: a court order granting sole legal custody or a birth certificate listing only one parent)
- A written statement (made under penalty of perjury) or DS-5525 explaining, in detail, why the second parent cannot be reached

Answer: This FAQ is about passports for a 16-year-old, not under. May I ask what is misleading so we can clarify?

Mrs. Deugo
by: Anonymous

Question: Can you please help me. My daughter's ex-partner as renewed their daughter's passport without her consent. What can we do?

Answer: If the passport has already been issued, you need to speak to a lawyer regarding the passport issuance and possible revocation.

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