ACS Services

Child’s Passport (for U.S. Citizens from birth to age 16)

Each U.S. citizen must have his or her own U.S. passport when traveling abroad, including newborns and infants.  Children’s passports are valid for a maximum of five years.  Applications for these passports are accepted in person during normal ACS hours.  The applicant - i.e. the child - must appear in person and with the following:

• The child must be accompanied by both parents or legal guardian and that person must bring his/her I.D. (such as a passport or drivers lic.)

• Proof of the child’s U.S. Citizenship (such as a previous U.S. passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Certificate of Citizenship, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate)

• Social Security number of the applicant (passport application without social security number is unacceptable and will be returned)

• Two identical passport photos (click here for details)

• The passport execution and issuances fees – available at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/get/fees/fees_837.html. They can be paid at the ACS Unit in U.S. dollars or equivalent in EUR, or by major credit card.

• A completed DS-11 Application Form

• Parental Permission and Evidence of Parentage (required for all children under age 16).  Both parents must accompany the child to the embassy to countersign the child’s passport application, presenting a copy of the child’s birth certificate showing the names of the child’s parents and their own photo IDs to prove they are those parents.  A legal guardian must bring certified documents showing that the guardianship was appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction.  There are some exceptions:

• If one parent is unable to accompany the child, that parent must provide a Statement of Consent to issuance of a passport for the child.  Please note:  it must be signed and notarized.
• If the child only has one living parent or one legal parent, the parent must provide documentary evidence of that fact (such as a custody decree, death certificate, birth certificate showing only one parent, etc)  
• This requirement can be waived in certain extenuating circumstances.  (click here for further details.)