In order to take your child on a trip across the border,  you will need to get a passport for her/him.  Here are the steps to getting all the documentation together so you can go apply one at a post office near your house.

STEP 1: Complete and Submit Form DS-11: Application For A U.S. Passport

Complete Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport. To submit Form DS-11, the minor:

• Must apply in person with both parents/guardian(s)
• Must provide the additional documentation required by Form DS-11 (See Steps 2-7)
• Must not sign the application until instructed to do so by the Acceptance Agent
• Must provide your SSN in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6039E

STEP 2: Submit Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

The minor’s evidence of U.S. citizenship must be submitted with Form DS-11. All documentation submitted as citizenship evidence will be returned to you. These documents will be delivered with your newly issued U.S. passport or in a separate mailing.

Primary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship (One of the following):

Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state* Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth Naturalization Certificate Certificate of Citizenship

*A certified birth certificate has a registrar’s raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office, which must be within 1 year of your birth. Some short (abstract) versions of birth certificates may not be acceptable for passport purposes.

NOTE: If you do not have primary evidence of U.S. citizenship or your U.S. birth certificate does not meet the requirements, please see Secondary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship.

STEP 3: Submit Evidence of Relationship

Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must submit evidence of their relationship to the minor applicant.

Evidence of Relationship (One of the following):

Minor’s certified U.S. birth certificate with both parents’ names Minor’s certified Foreign Birth Certificate with both parents’ names* Minor’s Report of Birth Abroad with both parents’ names Adoption Decree with adopting parents’ names* Court Order establishing custody Court Order establishing guardianship

*All foreign documents submitted with a passport application must be accompanied by an English translation (formal or informal).

NOTES:

• Previous U.S. passports are not acceptable as evidence of relationship
• Evidence of a legal name change must be submitted, if the name of a parent/guardian has changed since the original documents were issued (e.g. photocopy of a marriage certificate, etc.)

STEP 4: Present Identification of Parent(s)/Guardian(s)

When applying for a minor under age 16, both parent(s)/guardian(s) must present acceptable identification at the time of application.

Primary Identification (One of the following):

Previously issued, undamaged U.S. passport Naturalization Certificate Valid Driver’s License Current Government Employee ID (city, state or federal) Current Military ID (military and dependents)

NOTES:

• If none of these items are available, please see Secondary Identification.
• If you apply at an Acceptance Facility and submit out-of-state primary identification, you must present a second ID, as well. For example, if you apply in Maryland with a Virginia Driver’s License, you must present a second ID containing as much of the following information as possible: your photo, full name, date of birth, and the document issuance date.

STEP 5: Submit a Photocopy of Each Parent/Guardian ID Document To Be Presented (STEP 4)

A photocopy of each identification document to be presented by a parent or guardian must be submitted with the minor’s passport application (excluding credit cards presented with secondary identification). If you are applying for multiple minors at one time, you must include a photocopy of each parent/guardian ID document presented with each minor’s individual passport application.

• Photocopy must be on plain white, 8 1/2 x 11″ standard paper stock, showing the front and the back of your ID
• Photocopy must contain images on only one-side of each page submitted.
  • If copies cannot be made on the same side of one page, you may present two separate pages; one displaying the front of the ID and the second displaying the back of the ID.
• The paper should be free of other images and/or markings.
• The 8 1/2 x 11″ paper size cannot be substituted with a larger or smaller size paper, even if the alternative folds down to the 8 1/2 x 11″ size.
• You may enlarge the image of your ID on the 8 1/2 x 11″ page, but you may not decrease the size of the image.

Other situations that require a photocopy of identification, but are less common, include:

• If you are presenting Secondary Identification, you must provide a photocopy of each document being presented with your application. A photocopy of your credit card will not be requested if it is to be presented with secondary identification.
• If you submit out-of-state primary identification, you must provide a photocopy of your primary identification document and your second ID. If a credit card is presented as your second ID, a photocopy will not be requested.
• An assistant to a disabled applicant who witnesses the signature or signs on the disabled applicant’s behalf must present a photocopy of his or her ID.
• A person acting as an Identifying Witness (Form DS-71) must present a photocopy of his or her ID.

STEP 6: Provide Parental Consent

Both parents must provide consent authorizing passport issuance for a minor under age 16. See the scenarios below, and follow the instruction that best applies to your circumstance:

IMPORTANT NOTE: The written consent from the non-applying parent that accompanies an application for a new passport must be less than 3 months old.  New written consent from the non-applying parent must be obtained and submitted with any future passport application for the minor under age 16.

STEP 7: Pay the Applicable Fee

Please see Current Passport Fees and methods of payment.

STEP 8: Provide Two Passport Photos

We can help you submit clear and correctly exposed passport photos the first time – especially when applying for the U.S. Passport Card. See Quality Requirements for Passport Book & Passport Card Photographs to avoid photo processing delays.

Your Photographs Must Be:

• Identical
• In color
• 2 x 2 inches in size
• Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
• Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background
• Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
• Taken in normal street attire:
  • Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily
  • Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline
  • If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture
  • Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons (a medical certificate may be required)

  
  NOTES:

  • Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable
  • See Digitized Passport Photos for information on acceptable digital photos
  • Professional photographers, see Guidelines for Producing High Quality Photographs for U.S. Travel Documents

NEED A U.S. PASSPORT IMMEDIATELY?

You should make an appointment to be seen at a Regional Passport Agency only if:

• The U.S. passport is needed in less than 2 weeks for international travel
• The U.S. passport is needed within 4 weeks to obtain a foreign visa

Contact the National Passport Information Center to make an appointment or locate a Passport Agency.