How to Get a Passport for a Child Under 16

The holiday flights are booked, and the assumption is that a child's passport works like an adult renewal. It does not. A child under 16 cannot renew by mail, every application is made in person on Form DS-11, and both parents have to either show up or put their consent on paper in a specific way. A passport issued to a child under 16 is good for only 5 years, so a passport from a trip five years ago has run out.

Book an in-person appointment for the child

The child has to be there. Most families apply at a post office that accepts passports. The USPS passport page says an appointment is needed for minors, and you book one through the USPS appointment scheduler.

Fill out Form DS-11 but leave it unsigned

Complete Form DS-11 in black ink. If the child gets mail at your address, put your name on the In Care Of line, as the form asks for minors. Enter the child's Social Security number if one was issued. Do not sign until the agent tells you to.

Gather proof of citizenship, parentage, and identity

Under Section D of the DS-11 instructions, bring:

• The child's US birth certificate, original or certified, with the parents' full names on it, plus a photocopy of the front and the back if anything is printed there. The original comes back to you later in a separate mailing.
• Proof the adults are the parents. The same birth certificate usually covers this.
• Each parent's original photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport, and a photocopy of the front and back.
• One 2x2 color photo of the child taken in the last 6 months on a plain white or off-white background, with no glasses.

Get the absent parent's notarized consent

If both parents cannot come, the absent parent fills in Sections 1 to 3 of Form DS-3053 and stops at Section 4. They sign that part in front of a notary, who must not be related to them. Attach a photocopy of the front and back of the ID they showed the notary. The form says the consent is valid for 90 days from the date the notary signed it. If that runs out before the appointment, you need a new one.

Pay the two fees separately

The State Department fee is paid by check or money order made out to the US Department of State. The acceptance fee is a separate payment to the post office. As of October 2026, the USPS page lists that fee as $35, and the post office takes cards for it. The DS-11 says passport fees are not refundable.

If the other parent cannot be reached. Instead of a DS-3053, a court order giving you sole legal custody, a birth certificate listing only you, or the other parent's death certificate can serve. If none of those exist, Form DS-5525 lets you explain the emergency or special family circumstances. Approval is not guaranteed.

If the trip is close. Read how to get a passport for urgent travel before you book the appointment.

Sources. Form DS-11 and instructions, Form DS-3053 statement of consent, Form DS-5525 statement of special family circumstances, USPS passport services.