Obtaining a Passport for a Baby
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Fill out the application
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Download and fill out the official passport application for minors, form DS-11. See the Resources section below to download a copy.
Have passport photos taken
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Have professional passport photos taken or follow passport photo guidelines to take your own. You'll need two identical copies of photos that are two inches by two inches printed on quality photo paper. The face should be between one inch and 1 3/8 inch long. The background must be white, so drape the baby carrier in a white sheet and keep all other objects, like baby toys, a parent's hand or a pacifier out of the photo. Make sure the baby's eyes are open and looking toward the camera. When you apply for the passport, the photo must be current enough to capture your baby's current appearance.
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Gather Needed Documents
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You will need to prove your child's citizenship, your relationship to the child and your own citizenship. Gather the needed documents, including your child's certified birth certificate or naturalization certificate and your own valid driver's license or current passport. If your names do not appear on the birth certificate as the parents, you will also need an official adoption decree or court order that proves custody.
Submit the Application in Person
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Take the application, photos and legal documents to a passport agency. Both parents who have custody are required to sign a passport for a minor in the presence of a passport acceptance agent. If one of the parents cannot appear, she must submit a notarized Statement of Consent, also found in the Resources section below. On the line where the minor's signature goes, parents may print the child's name and sign their own signature above it.
Pay the Fee
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As of April 2009, a passport booklet fee for a minor is $85 and a passport card fee for a minor is $35.
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