Getting a passport for a child

The passportphoto.digital team · August 5, 2026 · 3 min read

The under-16 rules exist to prevent international child abduction, which is why they are strict and why acceptance agents do not have discretion to waive them. Knowing the consent rules before you go saves a wasted trip.

The short version

Both parents or legal guardians must consent, and the child must appear in person regardless of age.
If one parent cannot attend, they sign Form DS-3053 in front of a notary, and it must be dated within three months.
Children's passports are valid five years, not ten, and can never be renewed by mail.

The consent rule

For an applicant under 16, both parents or legal guardians must consent to the passport being issued. The usual way to satisfy this is for both to appear at the acceptance facility with the child, with identification.

If only one parent can attend, the absent parent completes Form DS-3053, signs it in front of a notary, and includes a photocopy of the front and back of their ID. That form has to be dated within three months of the application — an older one is not accepted, which catches families who prepared early.

If one parent has sole legal authority, bring the document that proves it: a court order granting sole custody, a birth certificate listing only one parent, a death certificate, or an incapacity order. The acceptance agent needs to see the document, not a description of it.

What to bring

Form DS-11, unsigned. The child's proof of citizenship, original or certified — usually a certified birth certificate that names both parents. Proof of your parental relationship, which the same birth certificate normally provides. Photo ID for each parent present, plus photocopies. One 2 × 2 inch photo of the child. And the two fees.

The child appears in person. This applies to newborns as much as to fifteen-year-olds, and there is no exception for infants who obviously cannot participate. The agent needs to see the applicant.

Photocopies matter here as much as anywhere. Every ID needs a photocopy of the front and back on plain white paper, and that includes the absent parent's ID attached to the DS-3053.

The photo, when the applicant is a baby

The specification does not change with age. Still 2 × 2 inches, still a plain white background, still nobody else in the frame. What relaxes is expression: infants may have their mouth open, and newborns are not expected to have both eyes open.

The rule that does not relax is that no one else may appear — no hands supporting the head, no arm at the edge of the frame, no shadow of the person holding the camera. This is the most common failure on infant photos and it is the reason counter photos of babies so often come back rejected.

The technique that works is to lay the baby on a plain white sheet and shoot from directly above, with the light coming from a window rather than from overhead. For a toddler, a white wall and someone standing behind you making noise gets you a forward-facing shot faster than any amount of coaxing.

Sixteen and seventeen

The rules shift at 16. Applicants aged 16 and 17 apply for themselves, in person, using Form DS-11, and pay the adult fee. Two-parent consent is no longer required, but the State Department does ask for evidence of parental awareness — usually a parent attending with ID, or a signed statement.

A passport issued at 16 or older is valid for ten years and can be renewed by mail later. A passport issued at 15 is valid for five years and can never be renewed by mail, which is worth knowing when a birthday is close: applying a few weeks after a sixteenth birthday rather than a few weeks before changes both the validity and every future renewal.

That difference is the single most useful thing to know about timing a teenager's passport application.

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Frequently asked

Do both parents have to be present for a child's passport?+

Both must consent. If one cannot attend, they submit a notarized Form DS-3053 dated within the last three months, with a photocopy of their ID.

Does the child have to come along?+

Yes, at any age, including newborns. The applicant must appear in person.

How long is a child's passport valid?+

Five years for anyone under 16, compared with ten years for 16 and older.

Can a child's passport be renewed by mail?+

No. Any passport issued before the holder turned 16 requires a new in-person DS-11 application.

Can I hold my baby for the photo?+

No. No other person may appear in the frame, including hands. Lay the baby on a plain white sheet and photograph from directly above.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees, forms and processing times are revised regularly — the linked government page is the authority. Written and maintained by the passportphoto.digital team.