Child Passport Replacement – Which Service Should You Choose?

Children age 15 and younger are issued minor passports, valid for 5 years. Once your child turns 16, she is eligible for an adult passport valid for 10 years. When you replace a minor passport that has been lost, stolen, or mutilated, the type of passport your child will be issued will be determined by how old she is when you apply for the replacement.

If you need to replace the passport of a child age 15 or younger, please choose our minor passport service.

If your child is now age 16 or older, select the appropriate replacement service: lost passport, stolen passport, or mutilated passport replacement.

Passport Applications for Child Passport Replacement

You’ll need to prepare passport application form DS-11 to replace your child’s mutilated, stolen, or lost passport. On this application, you’ll be asked for details of your child’s most recently issued passport. If the passport is lost or stolen, and you don’t have the passport number, you can fill in “000000000” as the passport number, and provide your best guess at the issue and expiration date. But it’s best if you can provide the exact details of the missing passport. (This is why we always urge you to keep photocopies of your passports!)

Do not sign Form DS-11 until you get to the Passport Acceptance Agent!

In order to replace a lost or stolen passport, you’ll also need to submit Form DS-64. This form is an official statement on how the passport went missing. It will automatically be generated when you fill out the online passport application form.

If you are doing a child passport replacement because your child’s passport is badly damaged, you will need to write a statement explaining how the passport was damaged. This letter should be signed by the parents. Older children may also sign the statement, in addition to their parents.

What If the Whole Family Needs Replacement Passports?

We hope you never find yourself in this situation! But if you find yourself the victim of a fire, flood, or theft, you might need to replace everyone’s passport at once.

You can place multiple orders with G3passports.com, so we can help you get your new passports quickly. You will need to place a separate order for each person in your family.

When you go to the Passport Acceptance Facility, let the agent know that you will be using a passport expediting service. Make sure they seal everyone’s applications into separate envelopes, one for each member of your family.

If you have more questions, just let us know! We are here to help.

The post Child Passport Replacement – What to Do if a Passport is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged appeared first on G3Passports.

The Basics of Minor Passport Requirements

Any time you apply for a US passport for a child under age 16, you’ll need to prove two things:

• Your child is a US citizen.
• You are the legal parents of your child.

If you’re the biological parents of a child born in the US, your child’s birth certificate is all you need to show.  It will prove that your child is a US citizen, thanks to being born on US soil.  It also proves that you are the parents, and documents your child’s age.  The birth certificate additionally shows that your child is under age 16, and thus needs a minor passport and not an adult passport.

For an adopted child, you may need to show a combination of documents to prove citizenship and parenthood.

US-Born Adoptees with Amended Birth Certificates

Adopted children born in the United States are usually issued an “Amended Birth Certificate” after the adoption is finalized.  Your adopted child’s Amended Birth Certificate (ABC) will list you, the adoptive parents, as the mother and father.

If you adopted your child as a baby, and the Amended Birth Certificate was issued before your child’s first birthday, you’re in good shape.  An Amended Birth Certificate issued within one year of birth is all you need to prove citizenship and parenthood.

Where you might run in to trouble is if your child’s Amended Birth Certificate was issued more than one year after his birth. It still is proof positive that you are the parents of your child.  However, the US State Department considers an ABC issued more than a year after birth to be a “delayed birth certificate.”  Delayed birth certificates are not sufficient proof of US citizenship.  You will also need to get your child’s Original Birth Certificate, the one that lists the biological parents.  Another option is to submit the ABC along with the original Adoption Decree that shows the date of the adoption and the biological parents’ names.

Passports for Your Internationally Adopted Child

Was your adopted child born outside the United States?  In that case, your child doesn’t claim her US citizenship because of where she was born.  Instead, her claim on US citizenship is because she was adopted by US citizens.  Your child automatically becomes a US citizen once she has moved to the United States and her adoption is finalized.

You will need to submit your adoption decree to prove you are the legal parents of your child.  The best way to prove your child’s US citizenship is to submit her Certificate of Citizenship.  Certificates of Citizenship are issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Like a Naturalization Certificate, it proves that your child has become a US citizen.  How can you get a Certificate of Citizenship for your child?  It will depend on how your child came to the United States:

• Children with IR-3 or IH-3 visas: If your child’s adoption was finalized overseas, he would have been granted an IR-3 or IH-3 visa.  Once you get back to the United States with your child, USCIS will send you his Certificate of Citizenship.  You won’t need to file any extra paperwork to get the certificate.
• Children with IR-4 or IH-4 visas: If your child’s adoption was finalized in the United States, you’ll need to file for his Certificate of Citizenship.  After the final adoption or “re-adoption,” you can file Form N-600 to get the Certificate of Citizenship.

Second Parent Adoptions

What if your child has one biological parent and one adoptive parent?  The issue here isn’t proving your child’s US citizenship.  You’ll have an original birth certificate that shows your child was born in the US.  Instead, the concern is with parental consent.  All of your child’s legal parents need to give official consent for the passport application.

You’ll need to submit both your child’s birth certificate and your second parent adoption decree.  Both parents will need to go with your child to the Passport Acceptance Agent.  If one parent can’t go, she’ll need to fill out and notarize Form DS-3053.

One nice thing is that the passport application, Form DS-11, no longer has the spots for parents’ signatures marked as “Mother” and “Father.”  Instead, they are marked “Parent 1” and “Parent 2,” in recognition that some children have two moms or two dads!

Getting a passport for your adopted child can be a little bit tricky, but the experts at G3Passports.com are here to help!  Contact us if you have questions about your situation.

The post Get a Passport for Your Adopted Child appeared first on G3Passports.

One of the biggest myths about US passports is that newborn babies do not need passports to travel with their parents.  This is absolutely not true. Every traveler needs to have their very own passport, and that includes newborn babies!

Whether you are planning to travel internationally with your young baby, or whether you want to get your baby a passport just to prove her US citizenship, there are some special considerations for passports for newborns.  Newborn babies are subject to all the same passport requirements as any other minor passport applicant.  Today, we’ll look at some of those requirements in depth and learn what’s a little different about getting passports for newborns.

Getting a Birth Certificate for Your Newborn

The birth certificate showing your child was born in the US is the most important requirement for a minor passport.  Usually, when we talk about getting a birth certificate for a passport, we’re talking about how to get an official copy of a birth certificate.  For a newborn baby, we need to talk about how to get a birth certificate issued for the very first time!

Birth certificates are issued by the Vital Statistics Office in each US state or territory.  It’s your responsibility, as a parent, to file for your baby’s birth certificate.  You’ll need to have decided on your baby’s name before you file.  You’ll also need to provide the full names of both parents and their city, state, and date of birth.   Part of the birth certificate form will also be completed by the medical practitioner who attended your birth.  The way you’ll file for the birth certificate will depend on where your baby was born.

• Hospital birth – Every hospital has employees on staff who go around the maternity ward to help new parents file for their baby’s birth certificate.  They will give you a form to fill out, and then they will collect the form and file it for you.
• Freestanding birthing center – The staff at the birthing center will help you file for your baby’s birth certificate. much like the staff at a hospital would.
• Birth at home with a registered midwife – Your midwife will help you fill out and file the form to get your baby’s birth certificate.
• Unassisted homebirth – Some people choose to give birth without medical assistance… and for others, it’s a huge surprise when baby decides to arrive in a hurry at home or in the car!  If you are planning an unassisted homebirth, we recommend you check in advance with your state’s Vital Statistics Office to find out if any additional documents are needed.  Some states require that you provide “proof of pregnancy,” such as records of your prenatal care or affidavits from people who saw you during your pregnancy.

Filing for the birth certificate is only the first step!  You will not automatically be sent a copy of your baby’s birth certificate.  You will either need to order a copy by mail, or you will need to go to a local Vital Statistics Office in person to get a copy of your baby’s birth certificate.  You’ll need to prove that you are your baby’s parent, usually by showing your driver’s license or passport, and you’ll have to pay for the birth certificate copy.  Most places offer a large discount on a second copy of the birth certificate — if you are offered the chance to get a discount on two copies, we highly recommend you get an extra!

Social Security Number

A new law that went into effect in December 2015 means that you have to list your Social Security Number on your passport application.  This is even true for passports for newborns!  You’ll need to include your baby’s Social Security Number on her passport application… which means she’ll need to get a Social Security Number before she gets her first passport!

You’ll be able to request your baby’s Social Security Number at the same time you file for the birth certificate.  You’ll get your baby’s Social Security Card in the mail as soon as it is issued.  It usually takes 2-4 weeks for the card to arrive.

Passport Photos for Babies

Your newborn baby is going to need a passport photo!  Getting an appropriate passport photo for a tiny baby can pose some challenges.  We actually think it works best to take your baby’s passport photo yourself!  Here are a few points to keep in mind:

• Try to get a photo with your baby’s eyes open, if you can… but if you can’t, don’t sweat it.  The State Department understands that it’s hard to keep a newborn’s eyes open, and they will accept baby passport photos with eyes closed.
• Don’t have anything on your baby’s head — no hats, headbands, or hairbows.
• No pacifiers, toys, parents’ hands, or other objects can be in the photo with the baby.

Visiting the Passport Acceptance Agent

Yes, even babies have to go in person to the Passport Acceptance Facility!  But it’s totally fine if baby sleeps through the whole visit to the Passport Acceptance Agent.

Do you have other questions about passports for newborns? Ask us in the comments, or call us today!

The post Passports for Newborns – What Does Your Tiny Traveler Need? appeared first on G3Passports.

Parental Consent: The Basics

The US State Department has firm rules in place for children’s passport applications.  They will not issue a passport to a child under age 16 unless they have proof that all of the child’s parents and legal guardians want the child to get a passport.  These rules are in place to prevent international child abduction.

There are two ways to prove parental consent for a minor passport.  Parents and guardians can either:

1. Go in person to the Passport Acceptance Facility along with the child, or
2. Sign and notarize Form DS-3053, the “Statement of Consent.”

Please note that at least one parent/guardian must accompany the child to the Passport Acceptance Facility… and yes, the child does need to show up in person, too!

Now we’ll consider a few scenarios, and explain what parental consent requirements are needed for each.  If you don’t see your situation listed below, contact us!

I’m divorced, and have full custody of my children.  Do I still need parental consent from the non-custodial parent?

Yes, parental consent is needed from both parents, whether they have custody of the child or not.

My child doesn’t have a father listed on her birth certificate. 

A single mother whose child does not have a father listed on the birth certificate doesn’t need to get parental consent from the father.  All that is needed is for the mother to take the child in person to the Passport Acceptance Facility.

My child’s father is deceased.

Widowed parents will need to bring an original copy of the death certificate to show why parental consent will be given by only one parent.

My child’s mother abandoned us, and I have no way of contacting her.

If you have no way of getting consent from your child’s other parent — either because you cannot locate them, or because they are imprisoned or incapacitated, or because they are overseas and you need to get your child a passport urgently — you have the option of filing Form DS-5525, the “Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances.”  On this form, you’ll explain why it’s not possible for you to get consent from the other parent.  If you hold sole custody of your child, you should also submit original or certified copies of your court documents granting you custody.

I adopted my child.

You will need to provide an original or certified copy of the adoption decree, along with your child’s birth certificate.

I’m remarried.  Can my current husband give his consent, as the stepfather?

No, stepparents can not give parental consent for a child’s passport application, and do not need to. Parental consent must still be given by both parents who are listed on the birth certificate.

I am the legal guardian of a child whose parents have had their parental rights terminated by the court.

Please bring an original or certified copy of the guardianship order that shows that the biological parents no longer hold parental rights.  You’ll also need the child’s original birth certificate.

I am a foster parent, and would like to get my foster child a passport so he can join us on a family trip.

This one is going to be tricky!  Fostering a child is a form of temporary guardianship.  Unless the child’s parents have permanently lost their parental rights, they will need to give their consent for the passport application.  This will include having at least one parent go with the child to the Passport Acceptance Agent.

I’m worried that my child’s other parent will take him out of the US without my consent.  Is there any way to ensure that my child can not be issued a passport?

Parents or guardians who are concerned about the possibility of international child abduction can request to be enrolled in the “Child’s Passport Issuance Alert Program” by filing a form with the State Department.

The post Minor Passports: Parental Consent for Single Parents appeared first on G3Passports.

Parental Consent for Teenager’s Passports

Until your child’s 16th birthday, getting a US passport requires the specific consent of both parents.  You can give your consent for your child’s passport by accompanying your child to the Passport Acceptance Agent.  If both parents go in person to the Passport Acceptance Facility, great!  If one of you can’t go, you’d have to sign and notarize form DS-3053, the official Statement of Consent.

For teens age 16 and 17, full parental consent is not required.  What’s needed instead is called “parental awareness.”  16- and 17- year-olds need to show that their parents know that they have applied for a passport.  There are two ways to demonstrate parental awareness for your teenager’s passport request:

• Accompany your teen to the Passport Acceptance Agent.
• Write a letter addressed to “US Department of State, Passport Agency” stating that you wish for your child to be issued a passport.  This letter should be signed in ink.  Submit a copy of your passport or driver’s license along with the letter.

Under State Department regulations, teens age 16 or 17 only need to show parental awareness from one parent, but in our experience, it’s better to have it from both parents.  Some Passport Acceptance Agents are over-cautious and unwilling to execute passport applications from teens unless than have confirmation from both parents.

Identification Requirements for Teen Passport Applicants

When your teen goes to the Passport Acceptance Facility, they will need to show official identification. The following documents can all be used as proof of identity:

• State issued driver’s license
• State issued learner’s permit
• State issued non-driver ID
• Passport book (even if recently expired)
• Passport card (even if expired)

If your teen doesn’t have any of those official IDs, they will need to submit a combination of secondary forms of identification, such as a school ID card, Social Security Card, work ID card, health insurance card, or club membership card.

Passport Renewals for Teens

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a passport renewal for a teenager.  Even if your teen has a passport that was issued before he or she turned 16, it can’t be renewed.  Instead, the new adult passport process must be used.  Only passports that were issued after the applicant turned 16 can be renewed.

The good news is that you’ll only need to go through this once. By the time your teenager’s passport expires, he’ll be well over age 18 and able to get a new passport via the much simpler passport renewal process!

The post Teenager’s Passports: How to Get a New Passport for Teens Age 16-17 appeared first on G3Passports.

Tip 1: Keep an eye on your Child’s Passport validity.

If the whole family applied for passports at the same time, bear in mind that the kids’ passports are going to expire long before mom and dad’s! Minor passports issued to US citizens age 15 and under are valid for only 5 years, rather than the 10 years issued to adults.

Another important thing to remember is that there is no such thing as a passport renewal for kids! Only adult passports – the ten-year passports issued to travelers age 16 and older – can be renewed. Kids who are still under age 16 will need to go through the minor passport procedure again to get a new passport. If your son or daughter is now 16 or older, the new adult passport procedure will be used to issue their new passport.

Tip 2: Plan your visit to the Passport Acceptance Agent.

When a child applies for a US passport, both parents will have to demonstrate that they want the child’s passport to be issued. The easiest way to do this is to have both parents accompany the child to the Passport Acceptance Agent. (If only one parent can accompany the child, the other parent will have to complete Form DS-3503 and have it notarized.) Passport Acceptance Agents are typically located in major post offices, or at other government facilities such as Clerk of the Court offices, and most of them require appointments to be scheduled in advance. We recommend that you plan your visit to the Passport Acceptance Agent to make it convenient for the whole family. Perhaps it’s most efficient for you to go to a location near your office, or one near your child’s school so she doesn’t have to miss too many classes. Some locations also have evening hours, which are great for working parents!

Tip 3: Consider taking your young child’s passport photo yourself.

A school age child can be trusted to sit patiently on a photographer’s stool to have a passport photo taken, but what if you have a wiggly toddler, or a tiny baby who can’t sit up yet? If you have a digital camera, or even a smartphone with a good camera, you can take your child’s passport photo yourself. You can format the photo to State Department specifications by uploading it into their photo cropping tool online or by using a website like PassportPhoto4You. You can then print your photo yourself if you have a good color printer and photo paper, or you can have it printed at a drug store or office supply store that offers photo printing services.

Here are our tips to get a good passport photo of your child:

• Take the photo in a well-lit area, against a plain white wall or blanket. There should not be anything in the background of the photo, or any shadows across your child’s face. For young babies, we recommend having the baby lie on a white sheet or blanket on the floor, while you snap the photo from above.
• Your child’s head should be bare – no hats or headbands.
• There should be no other items in the photo with your child – no chairs, toys, pacifiers, bottles, or parent’s hands!
• Your child should look straight at the camera and have a relatively neutral expression. Both eyes should be open, but the State Department is often lenient about this requirement for newborn babies.
• Take a lot of photos and choose a cute one!

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