Passport for Kids: The Complete Guide to DS-11, Consent Forms, and Fees

Understanding the Age Brackets: Under 16 vs. 16-17

The passport process treats two age groups differently, and knowing which one applies avoids a wasted trip to the acceptance facility. Anyone under 16 is a minor under State Department rules, regardless of maturity or travel experience. Both parents or guardians need to appear with a minor, or the absent parent must provide notarized consent. Teens who are 16 or 17 get more flexibility. They can sign Form DS-11 themselves, and many facilities accept a single parent's presence with valid ID. Even so, call the specific facility ahead of time, since local practice varies more at this age bracket than the federal rules suggest.

• Under 16: both parents or guardians appear, or notarized consent from the absent parent is required
• 16-17: the teen can sign Form DS-11, and some facilities allow a single parent's presence

The Both-Parents Rule for a Child Passport Application

Standard procedure requires both parents or guardians to appear in person with the child at the acceptance facility. Both adults sign Form DS-11 in front of an acceptance agent and show valid photo ID. When only one parent can make the appointment, that parent brings a notarized Form DS-3053, the Statement of Consent, signed in advance by the absent parent. Sole legal custody changes the requirement. A certified court order, a birth certificate listing only one legal parent, or a death certificate can stand in for the second signature. None of these substitutes are optional paperwork. The acceptance agent checks them at the counter, so bring originals rather than photos or scans.

• Both parents appear together with valid photo ID
• One parent appears with a notarized DS-3053 signed by the other parent
• Sole custody documentation (court order, birth certificate, or death certificate) replaces the second signature
• Form DS-5525 covers cases where the other parent cannot be located or reached

Passport Photo Tips for Infants and Toddlers

The photo trips up more families than any other step in a passport for kids application. It needs a plain white or off-white background, a neutral expression, and no hats or head coverings except for religious reasons. Infants who cannot sit up yet pose the biggest challenge for parents doing this for the first time. Lay the baby on a plain white sheet or blanket and photograph from directly above, so the background reads as solid white with no shadows. For a car-seat version of the same trick, drape a plain sheet over the seat back and crop out any hands holding the baby steady. Toddlers who squirm do better propped against a plain wall with a parent just out of frame, hands removed in the final crop. For flight-day prep that starts long before the photo appointment, see this guide to traveling with an infant.

• Plain white or off-white background, with no patterns or shadows
• Neutral expression, eyes open, facing the camera directly
• Photograph infants from directly above while lying on a white sheet
• For car-seat shots, drape a sheet over the seat and crop out hands
• Post offices, pharmacies, and passport-photo apps all offer compliant prints

Passport Book vs. Passport Card, Fees, and Processing Times

A passport book is required for any international flight, including trips planned around flying with children. A passport card works only for land and sea crossings to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, and it costs less than the book. Families planning a closed-loop cruise sometimes ask whether a card covers family cruise trips. It can, but only when the itinerary starts and ends at the same U.S. port and stays within the Western Hemisphere, so confirm the specific itinerary before relying on a card instead of a book. The application fee and the execution fee are billed separately, and both are set by the State Department, so confirm current 2026 pricing on the official site before the appointment. Processing tiers work the same way for kids as for adults.

• Routine service: the standard timeline and the lowest cost, best when travel is still months away
• Expedited service: a faster turnaround for an added fee
• Regional passport agency: the fastest path, but appointments are limited to travelers with imminent international travel and proof of departure

Where to Submit the DS-11 Application

Form DS-11 cannot be mailed in for a child. It has to be handed to an acceptance agent in person, with the child present alongside the paperwork. Acceptance facilities include designated post offices, public libraries, and county clerk of court offices, and coverage varies by state and city. Appointments are increasingly required rather than optional, especially at busy locations near school breaks, so walking in without one risks a wasted trip. Check the official passport acceptance facility locator before showing up, since walk-in availability differs facility by facility and changes without notice. Once the appointment is booked, keep every document together with a document packing checklist, so nothing gets left behind on travel day.

• Post offices with a designated passport acceptance window
• Public libraries that offer passport services
• County clerk of court offices in many states
• Regional passport agencies, reserved for imminent international travel

Timing the Application Around Family Travel

Passport processing does not adjust for a booked itinerary, so timing matters more than most parents expect. Families heading out over spring break trips or peak summer vacation dates compete with every other household applying in the same window, which stretches routine and even expedited timelines. The same crunch hits Holiday Travel With Kids: Best Destinations and Survival Guide (2026), when winter break overlaps with year-end office closures at passport agencies and acceptance facilities. Apply as soon as a trip is on the calendar, not after flights are booked, so a delay at the acceptance facility does not turn into a cancelled itinerary. A theme park trip or a cruise deposit both assume a valid passport is already in hand by the time final payment is due.

Next Steps: From Passport to Packed Bags

Once the passport for kids arrives, the rest of trip planning can move forward with one less unknown. Build the passport appointment into the same planning pass as flights and lodging by working through this broader family travel planning resource. Before booking, look at family travel insurance options, since a policy can cover a delayed or lost passport as well as trip cancellation. For families still choosing a destination, a list of kid-friendly destination picks pairs well with a fresh passport. And first family trip planning covers everything else on the checklist once the passport clears the mail.

Certified Birth Certificate Rules for a Child Passport

For a child passport, the birth certificate must be an official civil record, not a hospital keepsake or birth announcement. Use an original or certified copy issued by the city, county, state, or territorial vital records office. It should show the child’s full name, date and place of birth, and the parent names that prove your relationship.

Check for these details before the appointment:

• A registrar’s raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal.
• The registrar’s signature and the date the certificate was filed.
• A filing date within one year of the child’s birth, when possible.

If the certificate is missing parent names, order a long-form version before applying. Parents born in places such as New York City, Los Angeles County, or Harris County usually request this through the local vital records office. The acceptance facility sends the certificate with the application, and it is returned separately from the passport.