Both parents/guardians must authorize the issuance of the child’s passport. The best way to do this is for both parents/guardians to go with the child in person to apply for the passport.
What if both parents/guardians cannot appear in person?
| You have sole legal authority |
You must submit evidence of this with the application. Examples include:
- Complete court order granting you sole legal custody of the child, such as a divorce decree or other custody order
- Complete court order specifically permitting you to apply for your child’s passport (photocopy is acceptable)
- Certified copy of the child’s birth certificate listing you as the only parent
- Certified copy of an adoption decree listing you as the only parent
- Certified copy of the judicial declaration of incompetence of the parent that cannot appear in person
- Certified copy of the death certificate of the parent that cannot appear in person
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| One parent unable to appear |
If one parent/guardian cannot go with the child to apply for the passport, they can give permission by completing Form DS-3053 “Statement of Consent.” You must submit the completed form with the child’s passport application. The parent that cannot go with the child must:
- Sign and date Form DS-3053 in the presence of a certified notary public, and
- Submit a photocopy of the front and back side of the ID that they present to the notary public with Form DS-3053.
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| You cannot locate the other parent |
You must submit Form DS-5525 “Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances.”
- Please complete the form with as much detail as possible.
- We may ask for additional information (e.g., custody order, incarceration order, restraining order) to protect against international parental child abduction.
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| Neither parent able to appear |
A third party may apply for the child’s passport with a notarized statement from both parents/guardians giving that third party permission to apply for the child.
- The statement must include a photocopy of the parents/guardians’ identification.
- When the statement is from only one parent/guardian, the third party must present evidence of sole custody of the consenting parent/guardian.
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Please Note: Written authorization from the parent that cannot appear in person must be less than three months old.
