Ready to Jet: The Ultimate Guide to Applying for a Passport for Your Child

You want to apply for your baby’s passport as soon as they are born and you have their birth certificate! Even if you do not have travel plans yet, it can be a lengthy process and better have it for your next travel! If you are traveling nationally, you are not required to have a passport- all you need is a copy of your child’s birth certificate. However, to travel anywhere out of the country (by land, air, or sea), you will need.a passport for your baby/child.

The process is not very complicated and I will walk you through it step by step. The length of time it will take for you to receive the passport will depend on how quickly you get started, if you pay expedited fees, and how busy the offices are at the time. If you already have a trip planned, make sure to express that in your application and expedite your passport!

The documents you will need are:

• Complete the DS-11 Form (print only and DO NOT sign it)

• Photocopy of both parents’ ID’s

• The child’s original birth certificate (or adoption decree if applicable)

• Both parents need to be present for the appointment with their ID’s

• A 2x2 photo of the child from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. Use a white background and make sure there is nothing in the background, no headbands, accessories, etc.

• 2 checks for payment

• For divorced parents: both parents need to be present unless specified by the divorce decree/custody agreement. If this is your case, make sure to bring the original court order that states this.

You will need all of these individual items for each child so make sure to bring enough copies. Once you have gathered all the required items, you will set up an appointment at the nearest passport service location. Go to travel.state.gov , find passport service locations, and then choose which type of service you need (life-or-death, emergency service, urgent travel, etc.). The appointments are usually somewhat far out if you don’t qualify as an “emergency”, however, if you have travel plans, make sure you let the application location know and pay for expedited services plus overnight shipping. The average timeframe for receiving your passport is 8-11 weeks, but if you expedite you can get as early as 2 weeks depending on your situation.

There are two types of passports you can apply for- the book and/or the card. The book lasts 10 years (even if you have a newborn baby), and can be used to travel internationally by air. The book will be stamped anytime you travel out of the country. The card is less expensive and used only to travel norther and southern U.S. (Mexico and Canada) borders by land. The card also allows you to enter the U.S. at sea ports of entry from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. However, if you are unable to return to the States by sea, you will need a passport book to fly back into the states in the event of an emergency. You can apply for both and use them as appropriate for your different types of travel. We live in a border city and travel to and from Mexico weekly and use the kids’ passport cards. Whenever we travel trough Mexico by air, we use the passport books.

You will need to present the passport during the time of travel- at the border via land, or TSA before a flight. Be aware, you might need a permission to travel depending on the country you are traveling to. For example, if you are an American citizen and plan to travel through Mexico, you need to request a special permit in addition to the passport. You need the passport book for anyone traveling to fill out the permits for each individual traveler. Other countries might have regulations in addition to the passport, so make sure you research any additional traveling requirement if you are leaving the United States.

After you have completed the application, you will receive your original documents (birth certificates, divorce decree, etc.) in the mail- sometimes sooner than the passport. You should, however, receive a receipt or paper as proof in the event you need to travel by land before receiving your passport. You will not be able to travel within the country or on a flight until you received the book itself, however. Once you receive your passport you are ready to travel!

Bon Voyage!

For more tips and tricks on flying with toddlers, ready my blog post, Smooth Skies Ahead. Read Here