How to Apply for U.S. Passport for Newborn

Anyone traveling outside the U.S. must have a personal U.S. passport, regardless of age. This suggests they will need their passports if they travel overseas with their newborn baby and small children.

It is the same process to apply for a U.S. passport for a newborn child as it is for a minor child under 16. Passports to the U.S. for infants and children under 16 are valid for five years after they are issued.

Parents must submit newborns’ and kids’ U.S. passport applications in person at a passport office or other location that accepts passport applications. Follow the newborn passport application steps below to get a U.S. passport for a baby under 16 years old. These steps include:

How to Apply for U.S. Passport for Newborn 

Here are the procedures to follow to How to Apply for U.S. Passport for a Newborn 

Step 1: Fill out Form DS-11.

From the USCIS website, download Form DS-11 Application for a U.S. Passport.

• The infant in question must apply in person for a passport.
• This suggests that the child has to be present when the application is submitted in person by the parents or legal guardian.
• Give the baby’s legal name, social security number, and other personal details on Form DS-11. 
• Submit any required supporting documentation on the form.
• If you are not instructed to sign the application, do not.

Step 2: Present proof of citizenship in the United States

The following documents are acceptable as evidence of citizenship:

• A certified birth certificate from the city, county, or state
• A consular report of an American birth abroad
• A previous issue of a U.S. passport
• A naturalization certificate
• A certificate of citizenship
• Note: If you have a certified birth certificate given by the city, county, or state and have nonimmigrant status in the U.S. (H1/H4 visa, L1/L2 visa, etc.), you should bring it with you. The birth certificate must be requested at the moment of the birth. Immediately following a child’s birth, hospital staff members advise parents on filing for a Social Security number and birth certificate.

Step 3: Provide proof of your connection to the child.

You will have to provide evidence of your relationship to your newborn child as the parents. Original copies of all papers must be presented. Any of the following papers can be used as proof.

• Ideally, a certified birth certificate with the names of both parents suffices.
• If the kid was born overseas, please include the following:
• A certified foreign birth certificate for the child that lists both parents’ names.
• A child’s birth report that includes the names of both parents.
• All foreign documents must be supplied with an official or informal English translation.
• Submit an adoption decree that includes the parents’ names if the kid is adopted.
• If you are a newborn’s guardian, please provide the following:
• A custody determination by court order
• A court decree established guardianship.

If the name of a parent or guardian has changed since the original documents were issued, evidence of the name change, such as a copy of the marriage certificate, must be supplied. If only one parent can accompany the child in person, please provide Form DS-3053, “Statement of Consent,” with your application.

If only one parent is present, you must either provide evidence of your sole custody of the kid or obtain a court order so the other parent will sign the section on “exceptional circumstances” of Form DS-3053. U.S. passports from the past are not accepted as proof of relationship.

STEP 4.1: Parental Identification Documents

When applying for a new passport for their kid, the newborn’s parents must provide identification. Among the acceptable forms of identification are:

• A valid driver’s license
• a naturalization certificate
• a U.S. passport in good shape, or a current military or government I.D.

If you don’t have any, you can prove your identity with an identifying witness and secondary identification proof, as explained below.

Primary identification: You can provide the secondary forms of identification listed below to prove your identity if you don’t have any of the primary forms of identification mentioned above. Please be aware that you must deliver EVERY document. If presented alone, they are not taken into account.

Secondary identification: This consists of a social security card, a credit card, an employee I.D., and a library card. You may also bring an “Identifying Witness” with you. A person who can identify you and attest to your identity is known as an identifying witness. For this, there are a few rules. The naming witness has to:

• Be an American citizen or legal resident.
•  Possess legitimate identification (driver’s license, U.S. passport, present military or government I.D.).
•  Attend the application time in person.
• Been friends with you for at least two years.
• In front of a passport agent, complete and submit Form DS-71: Affidavit of Identifying Witness. This form is offered by the local acceptance facility or the Passport agency.

Step 4.2 is to provide a photocopy of your parent’s or guardian’s identification.

As stated in step 4, you must send a photocopy of the identification. A newborn baby’s passport application must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian together with a photocopy of each identifying document. Each newborn baby’s passport application must be accompanied by a copy of each parent or guardian’s I.D. document if you have twins or quadruplets and intend to apply for more than one passport. Application packages are not accepted. This indicates that each child would need a unique application and supporting documentation. The photocopy of your I.D. should be made on standard 8 1/2 x 11 paper in plain white, showing both the front and back. Other paper sizes cannot be used.

Use only one side of a piece of paper. You may increase the image of your I.D. on the 8 1/2 x 11′′ paper when making a Xerox, but you may not make the image smaller. You must include photocopies with your application if you have any secondary identification. A photocopy of the applicant’s I.D. must be provided by the applicant’s assistant, who witnesses the signature or signs on the applicant’s behalf if the applicant is impaired.

Additionally, a photocopy of the witness’s I.D. is required when serving as an identifying witness (Form DS-71).

Step 5: One or both parents are not present

The DS-11 must be signed in person by both parents of a newborn child in the presence of the Acceptance Agent. There are a few exceptions, though.

One set of parents To obtain a passport for a newborn child in the United States, just one parent must comply with the following requirements:

• Appear in person with the child
• Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
• Provide and submit the second parents’ notarized Statement of Consent (Form DS-3053)

For an outside submission

If a newborn baby’s parents are applying through a third party, they must provide the following:

A notarized written statement or affidavit from the newborn’s guardians, parents, or both, allowing a third party to apply for a passport, must be submitted. The third party must provide proof of the authorizing parent’s or guardian’s sole custody when only one parent or guardian has signed the statement of an affidavit. If one parent has sole custody of the child and wants to apply for a newborn’s passport in the USA. The applicant, if only one parent, must complete the following. If a letter from the non-accommodating parent is produced, it must be recent—no older than three months.

Bring the newborn in person.

In front of an acceptance agent, sign Form DS-11. Present one of the following as proof that you have the exclusive right to apply for the newborn:

• If a letter from the non-accommodating parent is produced, it must be recent—no older than three months.
• The newborn’s verified U.S. birth certificate, which solely includes the parent who is applying.
• Only the parent applying should be listed on the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Birth Abroad Certification (Form DS-1350).
• Unless the order restricts the child’s travel, a court order awarding sole custody to the parent making the application
• adoption ruling (if applying parent is a sole adopting parent)
• a court order expressly allowing the applying parent or guardian to accompany the child
• judicial declaration of the non-applying parent’s incapacity
• Death record for the parent who is not applying

The single parent must submit a form DS-3053 explaining why the non-applying parent or guardian’s consent is unavailable or cannot be obtained at the time of the passport application if they do not have any of the documents mentioned earlier.

• Provide two passport photos and pay the fees in STEP 6
• Please offer two newborn infant color photographs.
• Similar photographs must be 2 by 2 inches in size.
• Given how rapidly appearances vary, the images must be recent.
• A basic white or off-white background must be present in the photograph, showing the baby’s face from the front.
• There shouldn’t be anyone else in the picture.
• If the infant cannot sit up alone, the photo may be taken with the infant lying flat on a white surface.

Read Also: How to Apply for a U.S. Visa Online

Fees in U.S. dollars for newborn passport applications.

•  Passport Book & Card for minors and newborns: $95 for the application; $35 for the execution, and the form required: DS-11
• The application is for a minor or newborn passport book, and the application fee is $80 plus a $35 execution charge. The form required: DS-11
• Minor Passport Card Application Type Application Fee: $15 Execution Fee: $35 The form required: DS-11

Process Duration

A baby or child’s passport application will take 4 to 6 weeks to process. However, there is extra pay for expedited processing. If done at the agency, the processing time for expedited service is 3 weeks or 8 business days. The cost of the expedited service is USD 60.

Additional Details: These few suggestions will aid the application procedure.

 Capturing a newborn

Laying your baby on its back on a white sheet, making sure there are no shadows on the baby’s face, is the optimum position for taking a passport photo of your child. Another method is to set the baby in the car seat first, then cover the seat with a white sheet. These two approaches guarantee that the baby’s head will be supported during the photograph.

Application Guidance

Applying for the newborn’s passport locally at a USPS post office may be preferable. You can get your picture taken there, have your papers notarized, and send a pre-paid postage envelope to obtain the baby’s passport. The best and fastest method is to visit a nearby Passport Agency in person. To make sure you are headed in the correct direction, check the Department of State website and your state’s vital records. When you visit the Passport Agency, bring identification with you.

In conclusion, this article has covered all of the requirements and procedures for applying for a passport for a newborn in the USA.

FAQS

How long does it take to get a baby’s passport?

It might take 6 to 8 weeks for a newborn or child’s passport application to be processed. However, faster processing can be had at an extra cost. 

When may a baby apply for a passport?

Any child can apply for a passport. Every minor seeking a passport must submit a Form DS-11 in person. Form DS-82 cannot be used to renew a passport. Please be aware that under-16-year-olds’ passports are only good for five years.