Childrens Pasport – Does Your Child Require One?
Throughout the years, advocates against child abduction and trafficking have increased. The important role of parents to apply for their childrens passport helps to reduce this problem and protect children. While maintaining the child’s safety is very important, it still means more conditions and several procedures in most cases. However, these can be minimized if one knows all the information required to apply for a American childrens passport.
Application Process
The first thing you need to know is that your child must apply in person with both parents or guardians. Renewal of passport is not allowed by mail for minors. So children below the age of 16 whose passports have expired or are about to expire must apply for a new one by having a special form filled in.
Form DS-11
The form should be completed but it is signed only after the request of the agent. Form DS-11 is required to apply for a passport if you are U. S. A citizen. The complete but unsigned form must be presented to an agent at a passport accepting facility. Parental consent is also necessary for children under the age of 16. There is a different form for expedited American child pass ports.
Documentation
Both proof of U. S. Citizenship and proof of relationship with the parent or legal guardian must be presented in the form of primary or secondary documentation. A certified copy of the child’s birth or adoption certificate will do for proof of citizenship. This can be acquired from your State’s Department of Vital Records.
Proof of Relationship
To present a proof of your relationship with the child, you have to provide a birth certificate that clearly states the parent’s name or an adoption decree that has the adopting parents’ names on it. In other situations a court order authorizing you to have the custody or guardianship of the child can also be presented.
Foreign Birth
In case your child was born abroad, you would have to provide a certified foreign birth certificate with the parents’ names and a translation if required. A document of certification of birth abroad may also be used. Minors under sixteen, apart from needing evidence of the relationship between them and parents, will also have to provide copies of their parents’ identification plus a photocopy of each parent/guardian document.
Parental Consent
Parental consent must also be provided. Providing consent means the parents must appear with the child in front of the passport agent. If only one parent can appear, there must be a notarized statement from the other. If one parent has sole legal custody this, too, must be proved either with court order documents, or a death certificate of the other parent.