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Did you know that a child passport is only good for five years? Adult passports are valid for ten years, so it’s all too common for families to forget to renew their children’s passports when they expire. If your child has a passport, do yourself a favor and go check the expiration date. Has it expired already? Is it going to expire in the next six months? If so, you’ll need to get it replaced before traveling. Here’s how to renew a child passport.
How to Renew a Child Passport
You’re only eligible to apply for a passport renewal using Form DS-82 if you got your last passport after you turned 16. For children under 16, you cannot renew their passport; instead, you must replace the expired passport with a new one, which requires an in-person visit to a passport office or post office.
The procedure to get a new passport for your child depends on their age:
- Under 16 Years Old: Apply for a new child passport, which will be valid for 5 years. Use Form DS-11 and apply in person with both parents or guardians present.
- 16 Years or Older: Apply for an adult passport, which will be valid for 10 years. Use Form DS-11 for a first-time application or Form DS-82 for renewal if the previous passport was issued when they were 16 or older.
Step 1: Gather your documents
Here’s what you need to renew a child passport if your child is under 16:
- Passport Application Form DS-11. This is the same form you’d use if you were applying for a passport for the first time. Use black ink, and don’t sign it until you’re at the passport office and the acceptance agent tells you to do so.
- Proof of citizenship for the child. You can use your child’s birth certificate or their expired passport for this, as long as it’s in good condition.
- Proof of your relationship to the child. For this, you can use a birth certificate with both parents’ names, a Report of Birth Abroad with both parents’ names, an adoption decree with both parents’ names, or a court order establishing custody or guardianship. If you don’t have a copy of your child’s birth certificate, you can visit the US Government’s vital documents website for instructions on how to obtain one in your state.
- Proof of identity for both parents.
- Parental consent: For a child under the age of 16 to get a passport, both parents must consent. But what if both parents can’t go to the passport office? Or what if you’re a single parent? In that case, you’ll need one of the following documents: A notarized statement of consent from the absent parent, or evidence that the parent who brought the child in has sole custody.
- DS-3053 The DS-3053 Passport Application Form is used alongside the DS-11 passport form for child passport applications. The DS-3053 is only necessary if one parent or guardian cannot attend the Passport Acceptance Agency visit. The missing parent can complete this form and have it notarized to be used as a permission slip for the acceptance agent. In the event that one parent or guardian is missing and their notarized consent cannot be obtained, the DS-5525 passport form may be necessary.
- DS-5525 The DS-5525 Passport Application Form is used when consent from a parent or guardian is not able to be obtained. Minor passport applicants aged 15 and younger require the consent of both parents/guardians. In the event that there is a missing parent or guardian and their consent cannot be obtained, you will need to provide the DS-5525 alongside the DS-11 passport form. Your statement in the form must explain the reason why you cannot obtain the notarized statement of consent. You must justify that there are exigent or special family circumstances that make two parent/guardian consent unobtainable. Completion of this form does not guarantee passport issuance. Your request may qualify as a special family circumstance if the minor’s family situation makes it exceptionally difficult or impossible for one or both of the minor’s custodial parents/legal guardians to provide the notarized, written consent.
- Recent Passport photo: Make sure your passport photo is government-compliant. We recommend the G3 Passport & Visa Photobooth mobile app so you can take a compliant photo that you approve.
If Your Child is 16-17
The application process is slightly different for 16 and 17-year-old applicants, even though they are technically still minors. The adult passport with ten-year validity is issued to everyone aged 16 and older. Here’s what you need to get your teen’s passport renewed before they flee the nest:
- Passport Application Form DS-11.
- Proof of citizenship for the child.
- Proof of identity. Your child can use their own driver’s license. Or, if they don’t have one, they can use a parent’s ID instead.
- Parental consent: For older teens, only one parent has to tag along to give consent.
- Recent Passport photo: Make sure the passport photo is government-compliant.
Step 2: Find a passport office.
Most people apply at a post office, but there are often passport offices in libraries and local government buildings, as well. Use this tool from the Department of State for a complete list of passport offices near you. At the passport office, you’ll meet with a passport acceptance agent who will review your documents, take your payment, and watch you sign the application form. Then, they’ll send the completed application to the Department of State for processing.
Step 3: Pay the application fee.
Passport government fees vary depending on the age and speed desired for the passport.
Here’s what you’ll pay for a child under 16:
- Passport book: $100 application fee plus a $35 execution fee.
- Passport card: $15 application fee plus a $35 execution fee.
- Passport book and card: $115 application fee plus a $35 execution fee.
- If you need your passport expedited, you’ll pay an additional $60 government expediting fee.
For children over 16:
- Passport book: $130 application fee plus a $35 execution fee.
- Passport card: $30 application fee plus a $35 execution fee.
- Passport book and card: $160 application fee plus a $35 execution fee.
- $60 expedite fee, if applicable.
Now, all you have to do is wait.
How to Expedite a Child Passport
If you apply at a post office, routine processing can take up to 6 weeks for routine service and up to 3 weeks for expedited service. But what if you need it sooner than that? You have two options: find the nearest regional passport agency, or use a private passport expediting service. Both options can get your child a shiny new passport quickly.
A private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport is often a more convenient option for faster service. A regional passport agency will require a visit to your nearest location and an appointment is often required. As a result, you may have to miss work, school, or extracurricular activities to get your child to the office at the scheduled time. With a private expediting company, there’s no need for any of that. By express shipping your child’s documents to an expediting company after being verified at the post office, his or her passport application can be processed in as little as one business day.
Expedite your child’s passport with RushMyPassport.com or stop by a nearby FedEx Office to see why RushMyPassport is the easiest and fastest way to get your passport quickly!
My kid needs a new 5-yr passport. The current one doesn’t expire until later this year; however it contains a visa that is still valid for 5 more years. I don’t want to relinquish the existing passport for this reason. Can’t I simply use their certified birth certificate to apply for the new passport without sending in the existing one?
For U.S. citizens, the process of applying for a new passport generally requires submitting the old passport along with the application, even if it has not yet expired. We recommend that you contact the embassy or consulate of the country that issued the visa to ask about their policies regarding the transfer of visas to a new passport. You can also contact our visa specialist at 888-883-8472.
We did submit for my kid for US passport renewal, but the USPS employee didn’t take old passport, will that be a issue?
Child passports cannot be technically renewed, they are submitted as a new passport application assuming the minor is under the age of 16. This shouldn’t be an issue.
My 4yr old kids passport will expire on september 2024. If I apply for the passport for her in April 2024 and lest assume we get the passport in may 2024, does that mean that the “new passport will expire on may 2029” or september 2029? I am trying to figure out if applying too early is a problem.
Passport validity periods are typically calculated from the date of issuance, not the date of application. Therefore, if you apply for your 4-year-old’s passport in April 2024 and receive it in May 2024, the passport’s expiration date would likely be approximately five years from the date of issuance.
Applying a few months before the expiration of the current passport is a good practice to ensure that you have the new passport ready without any last-minute complications.
I am glad to read this again. It was a helpful article for me!
I just returned from submitting my 10yr old’s application for a new passport as the old one expired. The postal employee said we didn’t need to submit the expired passport. In the past, we have always submitted our children’s expired book with their application. Has there been a rule change?
If your child has an expired passport, it must be surrendered with the order for a new passport.
Will they ask thumbprint for kids below 16 for passport renewal?
Thumbprints are not used for passport applications. Also you cannot renew a passport for an applicant 16 or younger. You will need to apply for a new minor passport.
Thank you for this. Your article will help all parents like me who needs a passport for our little angels. Keep on posting helpful content like this!
How do you renew an expired 5-year passport for an 8 year old child who was adopted from abroad? Does the expired passport serve as proof of citizenship or is more documentation necessary? Thank you.
The previously issued passport is proof of citizenship.
We received my daughters new then old passports but are still missing her birth certificate. Who should we contact?
It can take several weeks before the Department of State sends the original documents back. Unfortunately there is not going to be much you can but besides wait. If you call the Passport Agency, they might be able to assist.
For renewing passport for my 5 year old kid, if I am already submitting original about to expire passport, will copy of birth certificate be sufficient or does it needs to be original birth certificate?
Unfortunately you cannot renew a childs passport, you’ll need to apply as if you’re applying for a new passport. You can read up on the process and required documents below…
https://www.rushmypassport.com/newlp/blog/passport-renewal-for-children/
Are you currently doing rush services for child passports? Need it sooner than 5 weeks
Arlin,
Unfortunately, we are currently restricted from assisting customers with adjudicated passports for a child. This can only currently be assisted by the post office or the passport agency. Visit the USPS.com website or the travel.state.gov website to see if you qualify for an emergency in person site visit at one of the 26 passport agencies.
Hello i am a single mom, my son’s father left us when he was five, he doesnt provide nothing for my son, how can i renew his passaport if i dont know nothing about him
Jessenia,
If the father’s name is on the birth certificate, the father continues to have custodial rights including getting the child a passport. If you have divorced or filed government papers that removes these rights, you would just need to have those documents when you get the child the passport. If not, we encourage you to partner with an attorney to get these rights relinquished.
If your child was born abroad and you have Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth along with birth certificate, do you need to submit those with the application? We only have one set of original copies in our possession and I’m concerned about not getting all these documents back. Will all these document be returned with the new (or old) passport?
Do you have to submit the child’s old passport? There is a long processing delay, and we may need to travel before we get the new one. I know that for adults you must submit the old one for a renewal, but my understanding is that for a child it is not actually considered a renewal.
You will need to submit the old passport and it will be returned with the new passport.
I am divorced and the question is about the process for a child under 15 years of age. Is the process the same for renewing or replacing a lost passport as it is for applying for a new one? For example, parents have to be present to replace or renew the passport. I am concerned that my ex will report the passport stolen so that he could replace the passport and keep the replacement and make the one I have void. I know about the alert system, but I don’t want to add my child unless absolutely necessary. I don’t want them to have to call my ex husband to get/confirm permission every time I am taking my child out of the country.
Both parents are required to give consent for a child passport every time they apply until the applicant is 16.
Do you get to keep your child’s expired passport? I just want to keep it as a keepsake for all the places she’s travelled
Yes, all original documents are returned with the new passport. We agree, it’s a fantastic keepsake!
My daughter is 15 1/2 her passport has expired is it better to wait until she is 16 and just do it them so it will last 10 years vs the 5 years if I renew it now?
If you can wait until she is 16, she will get a 10 year adult passport. Otherwise, the minor passport expires in 5 years so she will need a new one at 20.5 years old. If you’re traveling soon, please call us for rush options.
Do the parents of the minor applicant need to thumbprint for the application?
No, there are no thumbprint requirements.
Hi, I have 2 daughters that are under 16 that will be traveling to Mexico this December but there passport expired and I’m trying to renew them. My question is where can I find that document or form that allows for one parent to go Consent to Passport Office.
If you are using our expedited service, our passport instructions include a link and our passport specialists are available to assist you with the process. If you are using routine service through the post office, please visit this link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/under-16.html
My 18 year old has a child passport that expired. How do I renew his passport? Can I use your service?
If you are traveling soon, you can use our service to expedite the passport for your child. They will be applying for a new adult passport though.
He is traveling in 7 days
Please contact us so a passport specialist can assist you with the process to get it in time.
My child was issued a passport at 15 1/2. He is now 19. Does he need to renew or get a total new one?
Your child will need to apply for a new adult passport now. We can help you get it as quickly as you need it.
Once they have sealed the application how do you get it?
do I have to courier it ?
Hi Asif,
You’ll send it via FedEx using the label and instructions we provide. Hope this helps!
Does a copy of our son’s original birth certificate meet the requirement for proof of relationship to our child?
It sure does, as long as it as both of your names on it. Bring the relevant marriage certificate/divorce decree/court order if your name has changed since then. Good luck!
Yes, you’ll need to appear in person with the child at a passport acceptance office, like a post office. They’ll “seal” the child’s application documents and then we will hand-carry them to the Department of State for faster processing, so you won’t have to wait weeks like you normally would if you applied at the post office and you won’t need to travel to a Regional Passport Agency either.
Hope this clarifies things.
So does a child have to appear in person for a renewal or not if utilizing your expediting service?