Should you put child's full name on the passport?

by Karen
(Broomfield, CO, USA)

Question: We are getting ready to get our 15-year-old son a passport so he can do some mission work in Mexico and have in case we ever go on a cruise. He has two middle names. Should we, on the passport have his full name or just his first and last?

Answer: The passport application Form DS-11, which is used to obtain a passport for a minor, asks for full name. In the section that requests the name of the applicant, there is a space for "Last" followed by "First & Middle". In this space, you should include your son's first name and both his middle names.

Obtaining a new passport requires that your son provide both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. These documents should have the full name of your son on them, including his two middle names.

My children have two middle names as well. They also have dual citizenship. Their two middle names are included on all their passports.

Sometimes, forms are not well designed for people with two or more middle names. For example, when applying for a Social Security card, one of my sons received his card with his first name, one middle name and a hyphenated last name. We had to return to the Social Security office to change it.

This is not a problem with the passport application form.

For full instructions on getting a passport for a minor, visit the following web page.

Passport for Child