Passports Requirements for Children

In the midst of Illinois winter, many families seek warm refuge in milder climates, even if only for a brief vacation. Often these vacations extend beyond the United States’ borders, which then require passports allowing the travel.

If your family unit is intact, meaning Husband, Wife and children live together, then the task of obtaining the passports is no more difficult than submitting the required paperwork to an authorized passport application acceptance facility. However, if your family is divided by divorce, or the parents of a child/children under 16 were never married and the parents live separate, the process is significantly more complicated.

If your child is under the age of 16, you will need the following items to obtain a minors passport:

Evidence of U.S. Citizenship; Evidence of Parental Relationship; Photo Identification; Parental consent (from both parents); Passport Photo; Application Forms issued by the U.S. Department of State; and any required fees.

In a family law situation, the typical problem arises with parental consent. If you cannot obtain the consent of the other parent, you will need to obtain a certified court order allowing the travel and authorizing you to obtain a passport for your child. This could be a timely process, so make sure you pursue remedies well in advance of your vacation.