Traveling internationally can be educational, exciting and culturally enriching, especially for young people. Even when accompanied by an adult, however,a minor who goes abroad must have a valid personal passport. When it is time for child passport renewal, different rules apply to underage individuals and knowing those requirements can potentially eliminate frustration or wasted effort.
Must Apply In Person
An adult can complete the process via mail but a personal appearance along with the legal parents or guardian is required when a minor renews. Adults must be able to legally prove they have custody and be able to present the necessary documentation. While the rules may seem restrictive or time consuming to some, they are designed with the welfare of young people in mind in an age of abductions and trafficking.
Age Requirements
The legal definition of a child according the U. S. State Department includes anyone who has not yet reached aged sixteen. Those who are sixteen or seventeen face slightly different regulations but an eighteen-year-old is considered an adult. Anyone under age sixteen must have parental consent when renewing a travel document and due to the variations in modern family structure, there are differing rules designed to fit most domestic situations.
Proof Of Relationship
To find out what is required in any specific individual parental situation, consult a Parental Consent table, which may easily be located on line under the renewal information. The table lists exactly which documents are appropriate. Even in non-traditional family groups, proof of custody is still a stringent requirement. If no guardian or parent is available, there are additional forms to complete as a work-around.
DS-11 Form
Armed with this information, it is time to download and print the official DS-11 forms. Completion of the form will require a current address, date of birth and social security number in addition to the required parental documentation. Take care not to sign this form until in the presence of an agent or it will be considered invalid.
Bring In Expired Document
The expired document must also be available for inspection, so be sure you can still locate it. It must be physically undamaged and must be accompanied by accepted certification of the parental relationship. That proof may include the youth’s birth certificate, a decree of adoption or a report of foreign birth. Without one of those documents, a court order must be obtained that certifies custody.
Parental ID
A parent or guardian is also required to present a primary identification, which is most often a birth certificate, valid driver’s license, government or military ID or an undamaged passport. Photocopies are sometimes accepted but be sure to have the originals because they might be required in some situations. In addition, there must be a new photo that meets government standards for attachment to the new document.
Collect this information in a large envelope and call ahead to make sure you have the right form of payment. Bring all documentation, plus the young person who is renewing, to either an acceptance facility or regional agency. After the passports renewal case has been reviewed and approved, sign the forms in front of the agent. While there are always exceptions, most people who have prepared in advance will be able to complete the United States child passport renewal process in a trouble-free manner.
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