Passport FAQs
A United States passport is an internationally recognized travel document that confirms the identity and nationality of its holder. It serves as a formal request from the issuing government to foreign governments to allow the bearer to travel or reside in their territories and to provide them with all lawful aid and protection.
You can get forms in person at passport acceptance facilities, such as Post Offices, courthouses, or municipal offices, or you can download the application from the U.S. Department of State.
In the designated space for the signature, the parent must print the child’s name and then sign their name. Next to the parent’s signature, write “(mother)” or “(father)” in parentheses to indicate to the State Department who signed on behalf of the child.
Yes, the Passport Agency will return your old, canceled passport, although it might arrive separately from your new passport. It’s advisable to keep the old passport secure as it serves as proof of your U.S. citizenship.
If you were born in the U.S. and no birth record is available, you will need multiple documents to prove your citizenship. These include a letter from the Vital Statistics office in your birth state stating your name and the years searched for your birth record. The letter confirming that no record was found must be issued by an official from the Vital Statistics office.
If you were born outside the U.S. and your U.S. parent(s) did not register your birth at the U.S. embassy or consulate, you will need the following:
- Your foreign birth certificate with your parents’ names
- Proof of your parent(s) U.S. citizenship
- Your parents’ marriage certificate
Promptly report your child’s birth abroad to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to establish an official record of the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. This official record, known as the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240), is a fundamental document for U.S. citizenship. Once the registration is approved, you will receive the original FS-240 document.
A Consular Report of Birth can only be prepared at a U.S. embassy or consulate. It cannot be issued if the child is already in the United States or if the individual is 18 years of age or older at the time of application.
If one or both of your parents were U.S. citizens when you were born abroad, they should have registered your birth at a U.S. embassy or consulate and obtained a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240). This form serves as legal proof of birth and U.S. citizenship.
To change the name on your passport, you will need to apply for an amendment to your current passport within one year of its issuance date. Submit the following documents:
- Your current valid passport
- Certified documentation of your name change (e.g., marriage certificate, divorce decree with your new name)
- Two recent passport photos
Parents can request that their children’s names be added to the U.S. passport name-check system. The Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program (CPIAP) offers:
- Notification to parents of passport applications made for their minor children
- Denial of passport issuance if appropriate court orders are on file with CPIAP
Generally, both parents or legal guardians will appear in person with the child, with proof of ID. Both parents must consent, but one person can appear in person with a consent document from the other parent.
Children this age can appear in person and apply for their passports, but the government may require parental consent.
Yes. We are a passport expediting agency. We can help you get a passport in a very short period, sometimes as quickly as same-day.