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Complete and Submit Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport
- Must apply in person with both parents/guardian(s)
- Must provide the additional documentation required by Form DS-11 (Must not sign the application until instructed to do so by the Acceptance Agent
- Must provide your SSN in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6039E
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Submit Evidence of U.S. Citizenship
- Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport
- Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state*
Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth - Naturalization Certificate Certificate of Citizenship
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Submit Evidence of Relationship
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must submit evidence of their relationship to the minor applicant. Previous U.S. passports are not acceptable as evidence of relationship. Evidence of a legal name change must be submitted, if the name of a parent/guardian has changed since the original documents were issued (e.g. photocopy of a marriage certificate, etc.)
- Minor’s certified U.S. birth certificate with both parents’ names
- Minor’s certified Foreign Birth Certificate with both parents’ names*
- Minor’s Report of Birth Abroad with both parents’ names
- Adoption Decree with adopting parents’ names*
- Court Order establishing custody
- Court Order establishing guardianship
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Present Previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport
- Naturalization Certificate
- Valid Driver’s License
- Current Government Employee ID (city, state or federal)
- Current Military ID (military and dependents) t Identification of Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
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Submit a Photocopy of Each Parent/Guardian ID Document To Be Presented (STEP 4)
A photocopy of each identification document to be presented by a parent or guardian must be submitted with the minor’s passport application. If you are applying for multiple minors at one time, you must include a photocopy of each parent/guardian ID document presented with each minor’s individual passport application.
- Photocopy must be on plain white, 8 1/2 x 11″ standard paper stock, showing the front and the back of your ID
- Photocopy must contain images on only one-side of each page submitted. If copies cannot be made on the same side of one page, you may present two separate pages; one displaying the front of the ID and the second displaying the back of the ID.
- The paper should be free of other images and/or markings.
- The 8 1/2 x 11″ paper size cannot be substituted with a larger or smaller size paper, even if the alternative folds down to the 8 1/2 x 11″ size.
- You may enlarge the image of your ID on the 8 1/2 x 11″ page, but you may not decrease the size of the image.
Other situations that require a photocopy of identification, but are less common, include:
- If you are presenting Secondary Identification, you must provide a photocopy each document being presented with your application
- An assistant to a disable applicant who witnesses the signature or signs on the disabled customer’s behalf must present a photocopy of his or her ID.
- A person acting as an Identifying Witness (Form DS-71) must present a photocopy of his or her ID.
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Provide Parental Consent
Both parents must provide consent authorizing passport issuance for a minor under age 16. See the scenarios below, and follow the instruction that best applies to your circumstance:
Both Parents MUST: - Appear in person with the minor
- Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
One Parent MUST: - Appear in person with the minor
- Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
- Submit the second parents’ notarized Statement of Consent (Form DS-3053)
One Parent
(with sole legal custody)
MUST:- Appear in person with the minor
- Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
- Submit primary evidence of sole authority to apply for the child with one of the following:
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- Minor’s certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate listing only the applying parent
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350) listing only the applying parent
- Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child’s travel is restricted by that order)
- Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adopting parent)
- Court order specifically permitting applying parent’s or guardian’s travel with the child
- Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent
- Death certificate of non-applying parent
NOTE: If none of the above documentation is available, the applying parent must submit Form DS-3053 stating why the non-applying parent/guardian’s consent cannot be obtained
A Third Party
(in Loco Parentis applying on behalf of a minor under the age of 16)
MUST:- Appear in person with the minor
- Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
- Submit primary evidence of sole authority to apply for the child with one of the following:
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- Minor’s certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate listing only the applying parent
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350) listing only the applying parent
- Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child’s travel is restricted by that order)
- Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adopting parent)
- Court order specifically permitting applying parent’s or guardian’s travel with the child
- Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent
- Death certificate of non-applying parent
NOTE: If none of the above documentation is available, the applying parent must submit Form DS-3053 stating why the non-applying parent/guardian’s consent cannot be obtained
*IMPORTANT NOTE: The written consent from the non-applying parent that accompanies an application for a new passport must be less than 3 months old. New written consent from the non-applying parent must be obtained and submitted with any future passport application for the minor under age 16.
Get the most current passport requirement information at the U.S. Department of State website at http://travel.state.gov or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center at 877-4USA-PPT.