How to Get a Passport for Your Baby

Planning your baby's first trip abroad? Here's the surprise for a lot of new parents: infants need their own U.S. passport— they can't travel on yours — and applying for a child under 16 has stricter rules than an adult application. This guide walks through how to get a passport for your baby, step by step, so you can book that trip with confidence.

Start early — processing takes weeks

Apply well before any travel. Standard processing for a child passport typically runs several weeks, with expedited service available for an extra fee. If you have a trip on the calendar, treat this like a deadline and build in buffer.

The both-parents rule

This is the part that trips people up. For a child under 16, both parents or legal guardians must consent, and the application generally has to be submitted in person— you can't renew or apply online for a young child. In practice:

• The easiest path is for both parents to appear together with the child at an acceptance facility.
• If one parent can't be there, they typically sign a notarized consent form (Form DS-3053) that the present parent brings along.
• If you have sole legal custody, you bring documentation proving it.

What you'll need to bring

1. Form DS-11

Complete Form DS-11 (Application for a U.S. Passport) — but do not sign it until the acceptance agent tells you to. You can fill it out online and print it, or complete it by hand.

2. Proof of citizenship

Your baby's certified birth certificateis the standard proof — the one with the registrar's seal, listing both parents. Not sure how to get it? See our guide on how to get a birth certificate for your newborn. You submit the original (it's returned to you) plus a photocopy.

3. Parents' IDs and photocopies

Each consenting parent brings a valid photo ID (driver's license or passport) and a photocopy of it. Bring proof of your relationship to the child too — the birth certificate listing you as a parent usually covers this.

4. A passport photo

Your baby needs a standard 2x2-inch passport photo with a plain white background, eyes open if possible, and no other people or hands visible in the frame. Photographing a newborn is famously tricky — laying the baby on a plain white sheet works well.

5. The fees

Budget for two charges: the application fee for a child passport book plus an execution (acceptance) fee. Expedited service costs extra. Check the current amounts on the official State Department site before you go.

Step-by-step summary

• Get your baby's certified birth certificate (and a photocopy).
• Take a compliant passport photo.
• Fill out Form DS-11 — but don't sign it yet.
• Book an appointment at an acceptance facility.
• Both parents attend with the baby (or bring a notarized DS-3053 if one can't).
• Pay the application and execution fees; consider expedited service if you're short on time.

A passport often isn't on the standard newborn checklist, but if international travel is in your future it belongs there. FirstDays keeps all your new-baby paperwork — birth certificate, SSN, insurance, and more — on one deadline-aware checklist. Start free.