Passports
Passports for Minors
New U.S. Passport Requirement
(Effective March 26, 2004)
All Minors Must Appear in Person.
To enhance the accurate identification of passport applicants and aid in the prevention of international child abduction and trafficking, the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs has begun requiring the personal appearance of all minors applying for U.S. passports.
This applies to all regular, official and diplomatic passports for children under the age of 16, even if the child has previously been issued a passport. Prior to the introduction of this requirement, parents were not routinely required to bring a child under the age of 16 with them when they applied on the child's behalf. Now, when applying for a passport on behalf of a minor under the age of 16, parents are required to have their child present and submit documentation of parental relationship and consent, as well as comply with all other documentation requirements for the issuance of a passport.
The personal appearance requirement for all minors is a further step towards ensuring the integrity of the passport application process. This change will help to verify the identity of minor applicants and aid in the prevention of international child abduction and trafficking.