What You Need to Know About Child Passport Applications

World travel is your child’s opportunity to grow and acquire knowledge that will serve him/her for a lifetime. But for a child to travel, he needs a passport that will serve him in threefold ways: as a primary form of photo identification; gives parents’ peace of mind as the child has an official ID; and serves as the child’s pass for future globetrotting.

Applying for a child’s passport

• Fill up the DS-11 form

The Form DS-11 is the Application for U.S. Passport. After a computer printout, fill it up by hand or do it online using black ink. The young child will be assisted by his parent or guardian and the older ones can fill it up by themselves with parent’s guidance.

• Primary evidence that the child is a U.S. citizen

One of the following can be used as proof of citizenship. Remember that notarized copies and photocopies are not accepted.

A full certified U.S. Birth Certificate that meet all of the following requirements:

*Issued by City, County, or State of birth

*Lists bearer’s full name, date of birth, and place of birth

*Lists parent(s) full names

*Has date filed with registrar’s office (must be within one year of birth)

*Signed by the registrar

*Multicolored seal of registrar is embossed and impressed

2.2 Last U.S. Passport is expired but stayed undamaged

2.3 Consular Report of Birth Abroad

2.4 Certificate of Naturalization

2.5 Certificate of Citizenship

Evidence of relationship between child and parent(s)/guardian(s)

Child’s parents must submit evidence of parenthood through a certified U.S. birth certificate; other documents that may be used as evidence of parental relationship are:

3.1 U.S. birth certificate;

3.2 Foreign birth certificate;

3.3 Adoption decree;

3.4 Divorce/ Custody decree; and

3.5 Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a United States Citizen (FS-240).

Photo Id

Every traveller must submit a photo and babies do not make the best subject. Rite Aid Passport Photo has a way of taking baby’s picture. They are good in taking pictures that are right for passports for they know all government regulations. Without leaving your home, you get your passport photos. Just follow two simple steps: have your photo uploaded and pay. In a while, you will receive passport photos delivered right at your doorsteps.

After the application is submitted, the parent or child must present one of the following primary photo identification documents:

4.1 a valid driver’s license and

4.2 current, undamaged U.S. Passport if issued less than 15 years ago.

5. Both parents or guardians should appear with the child. If one parent/guardian cannot be present, the non-applying parent or guardian must provide written consent for the issuance of a passport for the minor child and must:

5.1 Sign and date Form DS-3053 in the presence of a Certified Notary Public, and

5.2 Submit a photocopy of the front and back side of the ID that was presented to the Notary Public with Form DS-3053.

• Payment of applicable fee

Refer listing of current passport fees and acceptable methods of payment.

Now that the passport application process is done and Form DS-11 has been submitted complete with all documents; in a matter of time, the child will receive his/her new passport book and new passport card with the citizenship documents in separate