Your 8-month-old doesn't need a passport to take a cross-country flight to see the grandparents, or for a road trip within the United States. If you're flying to a destination that's outside the United States and is not a U.S. territory, such as Puerto Rico, your baby does need her own passport. A baby does not require a passport for a closed-loop cruise; that is, one departing from and returning to the same U.S. port. However, if your cruise docks in a non-U.S. territory, your baby needs a passport to disembark. One difference between passport requirements for adults and children involves driving into Canada. If this is your plan, you need a passport, but your baby only needs proof of citizenship. A copy of her birth certificate is sufficient. If you have any questions about passport requirements, contact your destination country's embassy.
Before you can apply for your baby's passport, you need a passport photo. This is tricky with a baby, as the U.S. Department of State has strict regulations about acceptable photos. You may visit a local photo shop to have her photo taken. If she's able to sit up on her own, you might try supporting her body from a position outside of the photo area, or ask the photographer to take your baby's picture from above as she lies on a white sheet. Another option is to take the photo yourself at home. An acceptable photo is 2-inches-by-2-inches square and printed on high-quality photo paper in color. Your baby's eyes must be open, and the photo should be sized so her head measures between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from the top of her head to the bottom of her chin.
Because passport processing can take as long as two months, start the application process as soon as you plan your trip. Both parents or legal guardians must take the baby to apply for her passport. Visit a local passport acceptance facility -- local government offices and post offices often hold this title -- and fill out application form DS-11. Bring the infant's passport photo and her original birth certificate (make copies to keep at home). Both parents must have valid government-issued IDs, such as driver's licenses or passports, and must provide photocopies of their IDs. Submit the baby's birth certificate and your ID copies, pay a processing fee and sign the application form in front of an agent.
Passport requirements aside, your trip with an 8-month-old is bound to have some hiccups. She might be crawling, and even if she's not, her desire to move might make her cranky about being contained in a car seat for long periods. Build extra time into a car trip so she can crawl or scoot around on a picnic blanket set on grass, or bounce her as you walk up and down the plane aisle. She might babble quite a bit, so a pacifier and snacks such as finely chopped fruit and baby cereal will keep her mouth busy. A bag of teething ring and chew toys might ease teething pain. Your 8-month-old might experience stranger anxiety, says MayoClinic, and crowded areas can be frightening to her. Hold her close in the airport or in packed rest stops and keep comfort items such as a blanket or soft stuffed animal within reach.
