Getting a passport for a child is not hard, but it works differently from an adult passport. Kids under 16 must apply in person every time, both parents usually need to be involved, and the passport only lasts five years. Families who miss one of those rules often find out at the post office counter, a few weeks before a trip.
Here is what a US kids passport costs, what to bring, and when your child actually needs one.
Do Kids Need a Passport?
Every child, including a newborn, needs their own passport book to fly to another country. For some trips by land or sea, younger kids can use a birth certificate instead. The table below shows the common situations for US citizen children under 16.
| Trip | Passport Needed? | What Kids Under 16 Can Use |
|---|---|---|
| Flying to any foreign country | Yes | Passport book only |
| Driving into Canada | No | Birth certificate or other proof of citizenship |
| Driving into Mexico | Recommended | Kids can return to the US with a birth certificate, but check Mexico’s current entry rules before you go |
| Closed-loop cruise (leaves and returns to the same US port) | Usually no | Certified birth certificate, if the cruise line allows it |
| Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands | No | Nothing extra for domestic flights; airlines may ask for proof of age for lap infants |
Our advice: even when a birth certificate is accepted, a passport is safer. If a child gets sick on a cruise or your plans change and you need to fly home from another country, you will need a passport book.
How Much Is a Passport for Kids?
For children under 16, the State Department fee is $100 for a passport book. You also pay a $35 execution fee to the acceptance facility, such as a post office or county clerk. That makes the usual total $135, paid as two separate payments.
- Passport book: $100 application fee + $35 execution fee
- Passport card only: $15 + $35 (valid for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda, but not for flights)
- Book and card together: $115 + $35
- Expedited service: optional extra $60
Fees change from time to time, so check the current chart on travel.state.gov before you go.
What You Need to Apply
Children under 16 apply with Form DS-11, in person, at a passport acceptance facility. Bring:
- Form DS-11, filled out but not signed until the agent asks you to.
- Proof of US citizenship, usually the child’s original or certified birth certificate, plus a photocopy.
- Proof of parental relationship, which the birth certificate normally covers if it lists both parents.
- Parent ID, such as a driver’s license, plus a photocopy of the front and back.
- Parental consent. Both parents or guardians should attend. If one cannot, they can sign a notarized Form DS-3053 instead.
- One passport photo of the child.
- Payment for both fees.
The original birth certificate is mailed in with the application and returned separately, so do not plan a trip that needs it in the meantime.
Kids Passport Photo Rules
Passport photos for kids follow the same rules as adults: a plain white or off-white background, no glasses, no hats and nobody else in the frame. Children should have a neutral expression or a natural smile with both eyes open. For babies, it is acceptable if their eyes are not fully open. Lay an infant on a plain white sheet and take the photo from above if that is easier.
How Long Is a Kids Passport Valid?
A passport issued to a child under 16 is valid for five years. Adult passports, including those issued at 16 or 17, are valid for ten years. Some countries require at least six months of validity left on arrival, so check the expiration date well before you book.
Can You Renew a Child’s Passport?
Not in the usual way. A passport for a child under 16 cannot be renewed by mail or online. When it expires, you apply again in person with a new DS-11, both parents’ consent and a new photo. Teenagers aged 16 or 17 who first got their passport as a child also apply in person for their first adult passport.
How Long Does It Take?
Processing times change through the year and are longest in spring and early summer. Apply at least three months before an international trip if you can, and check the current estimates on the State Department website. Expedited service shortens the wait for an extra fee.
Kids Passport Questions
Do kids need a passport for Canada?
To fly to Canada, yes. To drive across the border, US citizen children under 16 can show a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship.
Do kids need to sign their passport?
Children 16 and older sign their own passport. For younger children, a parent can sign on the child’s behalf, or the child can sign if they are able to.
Can kids smile in passport photos?
A natural smile is allowed, as long as both eyes are open and the face is clearly visible.
Planning the rest of the trip? Our guide on how to travel with kids covers budgets, timing and what to book first.
