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Going abroad with an infant is daunting, but this mom has your first step covered.
Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and visited well over 50. She now splits her time between Colorado and Paris, ensuring she doesn't have to live without skiing or L'As du Fallafel.
Updated on August 22, 2023
The fact that I started thinking about applying for my daughter's passport before she was even born is perhaps the most significant testament to my love of traveling. That's right, while certain breastfeeding products were still a mystery to me one week out, I had grand plans to get my newborn a little blue book long before she entered this world.
That's how I found myself scouring the internet, trying to figure out how to get a passport for an infant. And it's why I spent the better part of an afternoon standing above my infant daughter, phone in hand, trying desperately to snap a decent baby passport photo.
It turns out, applying for a passport for a child under 16 who hasn't ever had one requires a few extra steps. For starters, you can't just order one through the mail. Also, both parents must be present with the child at the time of application, which has to take place in person at an authorized facility such as a post office or public library. (If one parent can't be present, there's a solution, but more on that later.)
Here's what you need to apply: a DS-11 passport application, proof of your baby's citizenship (a birth certificate makes it easy), the parents' IDs (a driver's license does the trick); the baby's passport photo, a $100 check made out to the U.S. Department of State, and the $35 acceptance fee.
The secret to a painless experience is having everything filled out and organized in advance. Here's how to get your baby a passport, step by step.
Anyone applying for a passport for the first time must fill out the two-page application, called a Form DS-11. You can either complete it online and then print it, or print the PDF and fill it out by hand. Either way, make sure to print it as a single-sided page, and don't sign the form until you're at the appointment.
The Department of State requires proof of your baby's citizenship, proof of your parental relationship, and proof of identification from both parents. A U.S. birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or certificate of citizenship are accepted as evidence of your baby's citizenship. If you use a birth certificate, that will also provide proof of parental relationship. If you don't, a foreign birth certificate, adoption decree, or divorce or custody decree will also work in addition to the document proving citizenship. You will need to submit both the original and a photocopy of each document, and the Department of State will mail the birth certificate back at the end of the process.
When you go to your appointment, each parent or guardian will also need to bring a driver's license, passport, or other form of authorized identification. Again, have the original and a photocopy (and make sure you get both sides of your driver's license).
The requirements for passport photos are the same no matter what age you are. The gist is that your baby must be facing the camera with their eyes open. I put down a white sheet and took my daughter's photo from above, then used Walgreens' passport photo service to crop and print the image. The Walgreens team member who printed out my child's photo even helped by Photoshopping out the wrinkles in the white sheet I used as the background.
This was by far the hardest part of the process. Some passport acceptance facilities will take the photo for you, if you find that to be easier.
Find a local passport agency, post office, or another authorized facility that accepts passport applications. Some accept walk-ins, while others require an appointment. Both parents or guardians must be present with the infant, so keep this in mind when choosing a time. If it isn't possible for both parents to attend, the parent not in attendance must fill out and submit a notarized DS-3053 consent form and a photocopy of their ID. The Department of State provides other options for when one parent can't be located or has no legal authority and when neither parent can be present.
Once you get in front of an agent, they'll confirm that the photo is indeed your baby, staple the photo to the form, and have you sign the DS-11 in their presence. You'll give them two separate payments — a $100 check made out to the U.S. Department of State and a $35 acceptance fee that you pay the agency. If you want a passport card instead of a book, the fee is $15 instead of $100. The acceptance fee is the same whether you purchase a book, card, or both. If you want the passport to be expedited, it's an extra $60.
The processing time is 10 to 13 weeks, not including mailing times. Expedited processing takes between seven and nine weeks. You also can track the application status of your baby's passport online.
