Applying For U.S. Passports – Steps Essential When Completing An Application For A Minor

When applying for a passport in the United States, an individual must have a number of items on hand. The items include personal documentation that is required for filling out an application, if the individual is under the age of 16, the requirements will be different. The one thing that all of the applications have in common is that they all require proof of citizenship.

DS-11 Form

If a person is under sixteen years of age, they must apply in person and bring their birth certificate and social security number. Completing a DS-11 application is required and cannot be signed until an acceptance agent has reviewed the necessary documentation. Upon completing the required application, it must be submitted in person and the minor has to be accompanied by their parents or guardians. There are also forms for expedited passports available.

Birth Certificate

When submitting the birth certificate, it must have the full name of the child and the full names of any applicant’s parents. If a certificate is not available that meets the required information, there are secondary methods for proving citizenship. The additional items include a record of postnatal care from the doctor who cared for the baby after it was born.

Proof Of Citizenship

After collecting the proper information, the parents/guardians will be required to submit their identification as well. In some states, additional identification is often required and credit cards can be used for this purpose. Photocopies of the parents/guardians photo identification will be required during the application proceedings as well.

Photo ID

The photocopy needs to be printed on plain white paper that is 8 1/2 x 11 inches and needs to have a picture of the identification’s front and back. Only one side is to be used for the copies so if additional space is required for the back, a second page will be needed. Additionally, the paper must be free of any other markings and cannot be smaller or larger than the above size.

Secondary ID

In the event that a credit card is used for secondary identification, a photocopy of the card will not be required. For the personnel that are witnesses for disabled individuals, the witness must submit their identification as well. For people who are deemed identifying witnesses, they must supply proper identification and also fill out a DS-71 form as well.

Child Passports

Anyone who is under the age of 16 and wants to apply for their overseas travelling documentation must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Parents who have sole custody of their children will be required to supply the agent with additional documentation proving custody. There are times when a third party is in charge of obtaining passports and in this case, they will need to supply a notarized affidavit from the parents/guardians giving consent.

The process involved with applying for a U S passport for children under 16 is a bit more involved than other processes. This is for good reason because protecting children should be a number one priority, no matter who the person is. When children reach the age of 16, they can go through the application process unattended and will only require the basic documentation. There are also expedited American passport services available.