Commercial flight passengers under the age of 18 do not need to provide photographic identification to board flights within the United States. For domestic travel, a boarding pass is the only documentation that needs to be provided by or on behalf of minors. However, children of any age, including babies, will be screened at the airport. This will mean walking them through a metal detector and having their bags and possessions X-rayed.
Minors traveling internationally need to provide a passport at the airport. There are different procedures to follow in order to obtain a passport for a child, depending on the age of the child. Minors, including babies, must have passports of their own.
You may apply for a passports through the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Parents or guardians of children under the age of 16 must complete and submit form DS-11, provide evidence of the child's U.S. citizenship, prove their relationship with the minor, present identification documents for themselves, give parental consent, submit two passport photographs of the minor and pay a fee.
Minors age 16 and 17 can apply for a passport in the same way as an adult, except the identification of a parent or guardian may be used if the 16 or 17 year old does not have her own, and parental consent may be necessary.
Accepted identification documents provided by parents on an application for a child passport include a valid driver's license, a naturalization certificate, a previous U.S. passport, a current government employee ID or a military ID.
Evidence of a child's U.S. citizenship must be provided. Accepted documents include a certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate and certificate of citizenship. For children born in other countries, a consular report of birth abroad or certification will be accepted.
