A passport is a must-have for any international trip. If you are planning a foreign trip with your children, make sure your child has a valid passport with a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of departure.
A child under the age of 16, is granted a passport valid for 5 years but a child of age 16 or 17 is granted a passport which is valid for 10 years.
A child’s passport can be availed within 3 weeks but if you opt for any passport agency, they can provide you with a passport in 24 hours.
In the following 5 easy steps, you can apply for children passport.
Step-1 – Online Application Form
A child under the age of 18 is to required to fill the application for US passport in the form DS-11. The above form can be downloaded from the official site of USCIS. The form and the applicant must be physically present at the time of applying to the officials.
Note: Don’t sign the form unless you are asked to do so as the application form DS-11 is to be signed in the presence of the authority only.
Step-2 – Documents to Prove Citizenship
Along with the Form DS-11, the applicant (in this case the child) has to provide the officials with all the proof of citizenship in the US.
As the evidence of US citizenship, any of the following mentioned documents can be presented to prove the citizenship of the child:
- Citizenship Certificate
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Any previous UD passport (if any)
- Certified birth certificate
- American birth Consular Report
Note: The documents should be brought in original, no duplicates are allowed.
Step-3 – Photos
Child’s photograph is one of the essentials of the passport application process. Whether you are applying for a new passport or renewing the older one, the application should be accompanied with 1 passport size photograph in the required format only.
Step-4 – A Guarantor
A photocopy of identification proof needs to be presented in person. Identification proof proves the relationship of the parents with the child. Normally, a birth certificate having the name of both the parents is enough to prove the relationship. Otherwise old/current US passport of the parents in undamaged form along with the birth certificate can work.
Step-5 – Application to be submitted in Person
It should be noted that when you are applying the passport of a child below the age of 16 or 17, the parents/guardians must be accompanying the child to complete the formalities of the officials. However, a child of age 16 or 17 can represent himself without the aid of any senior. But to increase the parental awareness, a signed statement from both the parents must be accompanied with the application form.
In the Case of Need
Normally the passport is available in 3 weeks, but if you want to expedite the process, any passport agency can provide you with a passport in 24 hours only. They are the professional people and can help you out throughout the passport procedure.
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