Parents and children over the age of 17 applying for a passport must provide their own proof of citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate, identity documentation in the form of a driver's license or military I.D., a copy of the identity documentation and a single passport photo. Adult applicants must also complete the passport application form, waiting to sign the form at a passport acceptance facility and pay the current passport application fee at the facility. Adult passports remain valid for 10 years.
Children under the age of 16 must apply for a passport in person, with both parents present. A single parent or third party may take the child to the passport acceptance facility, so long as the parent is able to provide proof of holding sole legal custody of the child or the absent parent has signed a statement of consent. Documentation required for children's passport applications includes a completed passport application; a single passport photo of the child; proof of the child's citizenship, like a birth certificate; evidence of relationship between the parents and child, such as a birth certificate listing the parents' names; parental identification, such as a driver's license; and a copy of the parents' identification documents. Parents must pay all applicable passport fees when submitting a child's passport application, and children's passports remain valid for five years.
Teenagers who are ages 16 and 17 qualify for adult passports, valid for 10 years and must complete the same process as adult applicants. However, a parent may provide proof of identification in cases where the child does not have an acceptable form of identification. Written parental consent must also be established before the passport application is processed for a teen who is 16 or 17 years old.
Parents who need to have their family's passports renewed are able to do so through the mail, so long as all passports are for family members who were 16 or older when the original passport was issued, all passports are in good condition and were issued within the past 15 years. Children who were under 16 when their original passport was issued are not eligible to complete a renewal application and must complete the passport application process as a first time applicant.
