Child's Passport

Requirements for Passport Applications for Minors Age 15 and Younger

As of February 1, 2008, the Department of State will implement a new law regarding the passport applications of minor U.S. citizens age 15 and younger.

Under this new law, a person applying for a U.S. passport for a child age 15 and younger must demonstrate that both parents consent to the issuance of a passport to the child or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport.

The purpose of the new requirement is to lessen the possibility that a U.S. passport might be used by one parent to take the children without the other parent's permission and travel internationally.

All minors age 15 and younger must appear in person for a passport application. There are mainly four kinds of cases in which a parent, parents, or guardian of children age 15 and younger may apply for the child's passport: 

• Both parents apply in person at the Embassy and present: evidence of who the child's parents are and proof of identity,
  
  or
  
• One parent applies in person at the Embassy and presents: evidence of who the child's parents are, proof of identity, and a notarized written statement from the second parent consenting to issuance of a passport to the child, 
  
  or
  
• One parent applies in person at the Embassy and presents: evidence of who the child's parents are, proof of identity, and evidence of sole authority to obtain a passport for the child. 
  
  or
  
• A third-party, like a grandparent, applies in person at the Embassy on behalf of the parents and presents: evidence of who the child's parents are, proof of identity, and a notarized written statement or affidavit from both parents authorizing the third-party to obtain a passport for the child. When the statement or affidavit is from only one parent, the third-party must present evidence of sole authority to obtain a passport for the child of the authorizing parent.

Regardless of your situation, the completed passport application must be signed (executed) in person in front of a Consular Officer.

Evidence of Who the Child's Parents Are    /   Proof of Identity

Written Statement from the Second Parent

Evidence of Sole Authority to Obtain a Passport for the Child    

I Don't Have the Proof Shown Here or My Case is Different

Evidence of Who the Child's Parents Are

No matter if one parent is applying for the passport for a child or both parents are applying, you must provide evidence of being the child's parent.

For the purpose of proving you are the child's parent, the evidence does not need to be original; photocopies or faxed copies are acceptable.

Acceptable evidence of being the child's parent includes:

• U.S. or foreign birth certificate showing the names of the parents, or
• Korean Family Census Register, or
• Report or Certification of Birth Abroad issued by the State Department, or 
• Adoption decree that shows the adopting parents' names, or
• Court order establishing custody, or
• Court order establishing guardianship.  

Proof of Identity

No matter if one parent is applying for the passport for a child or both parents are applying, you must present proof of your identity. You must show that you are the person named in the evidence of being the child's parent.

Acceptable proof of identity includes:

• Drivers license, or
• Official U.S. Military ID, or
• U.S. Government ID, or 
• U.S. or foreign passport with a recognizable photo, or
• Alien Resident card issued by the U.S. I.N.S., or
• Naturalization or Citizenship Certificate issued by the U.S. I.N.S. with a recognizable photo, or
• Korean National ID, or
• Alien Registration card issued by Korean Immigration.  

Written Statement from the Second Parent

If you are applying for a passport for your child, your spouse is not appearing at the Embassy in person with you, and you do not have sole authority to obtain a passport for your child, you must bring a completed DS-3053 Statement of Consent, signed by your spouse and notarized. 

In the DS-3053 Statement of Consent, your spouse must consent to you obtaining a passport for your child. You may download DS-3053, Statement of Consent, from this web page.

If you are applying for passports for more than one child at the same time, you must have a copy or original of the signed DS-3053 Statement of Consent for each child.

Evidence of Sole Authority to Obtain a Passport for the Child

There are many examples of families in which only one parent has sole authority to obtain a passport for the child. There may be only one parent living, the parents have divorced and one parent has sole custody, or the child was not legally recognized by the father at birth. In cases like these and others, just one parent has sole authority to obtain a passport for the child.

If you are applying for a passport for your child and you have sole authority to obtain a passport, you must present evidence of your sole authority.

The evidence that you have sole authority to obtain a passport for your child does not need to be original; photocopies or faxed copies are acceptable.

Evidence includes:

• Court order granting you sole custody of your child, unless the child's travel is also restricted by the order, or 
• Adoption decree naming you as the sole parent, or 
• Court order specifically permitting you to travel with the child, or 
• U.S. or foreign birth certificate (with translation) listing you as the only parent of the child, or 
• Report or Certification of Birth Abroad, issued by the State Department, listing you as the only parent of the child, or 
• Judicial declaration of incompetence for your child's other parent, or 
• Death certificate for your child's other parent.  

I Don't Have the Proof Shown Here or My Case is Different

You may have lost your child's passport, or it was stolen, and you can't get the proof and evidence shown here before your flight leaves. There are also many cases that may not fit neatly into the regulations. If your case is different or for an urgent, valid reason, you need a passport and can't get the required documents, bring what you have and come to the Embassy. We will try to help you.

For American Citizen Services (ACS) inquiries, please e-mail us at: seoul_acs@state.gov.

The basic information on American Citizen Services may also be obtained by calling 02-397-4114. Our FAX number is 02-397-4101.

This is an official U.S. Government source for information on the WWW. Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links or information does not imply endorsement of contents.

The U.S. Embassy is closed on both U.S. and Korean holidays.


Updated January 24, 2008