About Baby Passports

Baby Passport Application

• Babies, as well as all minors under 16, must apply for a passport in person at a passport office. The baby must be accompanied by both parents or legal guardians. The parents must fill out a Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport (see Resources). The Form DS-11 must be filled out with the baby's full legal name and other personal information. This includes the baby's Social Security number. It is very important not to sign the Form DS-11 until asked to do so by a U.S. passport agent at a passport office.

Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

• To obtain a baby passport, proof of U.S. citizenship must accompany the Form DS-11. Proof can include a previously issued passport if it was not damaged, a certified birth certificate or a consular report of American birth abroad. The U.S. passport office also accepts a consular certification of birth, a naturalization certificate or a certificate of citizenship. All documents must be originals. Copies are not accepted. Any document that you submit with the baby passport application will be returned, along with the new passport.

Evidence of Relationship

• Parents of the baby must also submit proof of their relationship to the child. This is covered by the baby's certified U.S. birth certificate, certified consular report of American birth abroad, or through a certified foreign birth certificate if the names of both parents are on it. The U.S. passport office also accepts an adoption decree, court order of custody or court order establishing guardianship as long as both parents are listed on the document. Evidence of a legal name change must be submitted if the name of any of the parents or guardians changed since the documents were issued. This can be a marriage certificate or court document establishing a legal name change. An old passport is not considered evidence of relationship.

Parent Identification and Consent

• Both parents must identify themselves to U.S. passport officials with valid photo identification. This can be a valid U.S. passport, a driver's license or other government-issued ID. Both parents must then provide consent for the baby to obtain a U.S. passport. This is done by signing the Form DS-11 in front of the U.S. passport agent when instructed. One parent can do this alone if she gets a notarized Statement of Consent Form DS-3053 from the other parent (see Resources). Single parents must provide proof of their sole legal custody. This can be a certified birth certificate showing the person as the only parent, an adoption decree, a court order or a death certificate of the other parent.

Other Requirements

• The baby passport application package must also include the passport fee. You must also include two passport-sized photos of the baby. Processing the baby passport takes about one month. It can be sped up to as little as two weeks for an extra fee. When the passport arrives, it must be signed to be valid. If the child is too young to sign his own name, a parent should sign and place her relationship to the child in parentheses.