A passport issued before age 16 is valid for five years and cannot be renewed. Use Form DS-11 for each new application, even when the child had a passport before.
Confirm that this process applies
Use the under-16 process when the applicant has not reached age 16 on the date of application. Applicants age 16 or 17 follow a separate process with different parental-awareness rules. Do not use an adult mail or online renewal route for a child passport.
Complete Form DS-11
Complete the current Form DS-11 with the child’s legal name, citizenship information, Social Security number when one has been issued, parents’ or guardians’ information, and the most recent passport details. Do not sign the form until the acceptance agent instructs the appropriate person to sign.
Gather evidence for the child
- Original or certified evidence of the child’s U.S. citizenship, plus any photocopy required by the current instructions.
- A document showing the parent or guardian relationship, such as a qualifying birth certificate, adoption decree, or court order.
- A physical government-issued photo ID for each parent or guardian who appears, with front-and-back photocopies.
- One recent passport photo that meets the Department of State requirements.
- The current application and acceptance fees in the payment methods accepted by the facility.
Provide parental or guardian consent
In the standard case, the child and both parents or legal guardians appear together. If only one parent can appear, the application must include the exact consent or sole-authority evidence required for that situation. A nonappearing parent may generally use a notarized Form DS-3053 with a copy of the identification presented to the notary. Court orders, death certificates, adoption records, or Form DS-5525 may apply in other circumstances. Review the official instructions rather than substituting an informal letter.
Apply at an authorized location
- Find a passport acceptance facility or, when eligible for urgent service, a passport agency or center.
- Bring the child, the required adults, Form DS-11, original evidence, photocopies, photo, and payment.
- Follow the agent’s signing instructions and obtain the application receipt.
- Track the application and respond promptly if Passport Services requests additional evidence.
- Check that the name, date and place of birth, and sex marker are correct when the passport arrives.
Special cases
A third party applying with the child, a parent who cannot be located, a child subject to a custody order, or an urgent travel need can change the required proof. A child born abroad may need a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Citizenship, or other citizenship evidence. Use the current Department of State instructions for the exact facts.
Processing and mailing times can change. Check the current published times and urgent-travel appointment rules before making nonrefundable plans.
Official sources
- Department of State — Apply for a child’s passport under 16
- Department of State — Passport forms
- Department of State — Current passport fees