Child & Newborn Passport Guide for NYC Parents
Getting a passport for a child is not the same as getting one for yourself - and for New York City parents juggling work, school schedules, and a trip on the calendar, the differences can be costly if they're discovered too late. Every child needs their own passport, every child must apply in person, and every application must carry the consent of both parents. Miss one of those and a family vacation can slip by weeks.
This guide walks NYC parents through the entire process for children and newborns: the both-parents rule, Form DS-11, the documents you'll need, fees, what to do when one parent can't be there, how to get a usable photo of a baby, where in the city to apply, and how to prepare so a single appointment is enough. Throughout, we separate official requirements - what the U.S. Department of State mandates - from practical tips that make meeting them easier.
Quick answer: A child under 16 gets a U.S. passport by applying in person with Form DS-11, with both parents (or documented consent from the absent one), the child's original birth certificate, proof of the parents' relationship and identity, one passport photo, and two separate payments totaling $135 for a passport book in 2026. The passport is valid for five years and can't be renewed - each time, it's a new in-person application.
The Basics Every NYC Parent Should Know
Every child applies in person, every time
Official requirement: Passports for children under 16 are valid for five years and cannot be renewed. When one expires, the child applies again from scratch - in person, with Form DS-11. There is no mail or online option for minors, and each child needs their own passport; children can't be added to a parent's.
The both-parents rule
Official requirement: Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child, or the absent parent must provide documented consent. This rule exists to prevent one parent from taking a child abroad without the other's knowledge, and the State Department applies it strictly. The simplest path is for both parents to attend together - each signs the DS-11 in front of the acceptance agent, and no additional consent paperwork is needed.
Documents You'll Need
Form DS-11
Official requirement: Complete the form in advance but do not sign it - a parent must sign in front of the acceptance agent. The State Department's online form filler produces a printable, barcoded version that reduces errors.
Proof of the child's U.S. citizenship
Official requirement: An original or certified copy - never a photocopy or digital version - of one of the following:
U.S. birth certificate (must list the parents' names, be filed within a year of birth, and carry the registrar's seal)
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (for children born overseas to U.S. citizens)
A previous U.S. passport
Certificate of Citizenship, or evidence of citizenship derived through a parent's naturalization (the parent's naturalization certificate plus the child's birth certificate)
Originals are returned, usually in a separate mailing from the passport.
Proof of parental relationship
Official requirement: Evidence that the applying adults are the child's parents or guardians - most often the birth certificate listing both parents, an adoption decree, or a court order of guardianship.
Parents' identification
Official requirement: Each parent presents original, valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport) and a photocopy of the front and back. If only one parent attends, a photocopy of the absent parent's ID accompanies the consent form.
One passport photo
Official requirement: One color 2 × 2-inch photo taken within the last six months, plain white or off-white background, with the child alone in the frame - no hands, arms, or toys visible. Infant-specific guidance is covered below.
Fees
Official requirement: Two separate payments - the application fee to the U.S. Department of State (check or money order) and a $35 execution fee to the acceptance facility.
Child under 16 | Application fee | Execution fee | Total |
Passport book | $100 | $35 | $135 |
Passport card only | $15 | $35 | $50 |
Book and card | $115 | $35 | $150 |
Expedited processing adds $60; 1–3 day return delivery adds about $22. For international flights, a child needs the passport book. Fees change occasionally - confirm at travel.state.gov before your appointment.
When Both Parents Can't Be There
This is where most NYC families run into trouble. The State Department provides specific paths for common situations. Note: the following summarizes official requirements and is not legal advice; for custody questions, consult a family-law attorney.
One parent is unavailable
Official requirement: The absent parent completes Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent, signs it in front of a notary, and provides a photocopy of the front and back of the ID shown to the notary. The form must be signed and notarized on the same day, and it must be submitted within 90 days of notarization - an expired consent form is rejected. Electronically notarized statements are accepted where permitted by state law, which lets a parent traveling for work sign remotely.
Practical tip: The two most common failures are a photocopy of only the front of the ID and a form notarized more than three months before the appointment. Check both before you book.
One parent has sole legal custody
Official requirement: Instead of a consent form, the applying parent submits primary evidence of sole authority - typically a certified court order granting sole legal custody. Joint custody, even with primary physical custody, does not waive the two-parent rule. If the other parent is deceased, a certified death certificate is submitted; a birth certificate listing only one parent also serves as evidence.
The other parent cannot be located, or other special circumstances
Official requirement: When consent genuinely cannot be obtained - the other parent is missing, incapacitated, or otherwise unreachable - the applying parent may submit Form DS-5525, Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances, with a detailed written explanation and supporting evidence. Approval is not automatic: the State Department reviews these more closely and may request additional documents such as custody orders, restraining orders, or evidence of good-faith efforts to locate the other parent.
A parent is deployed in the military
Official requirement: A deployed parent can usually still provide a notarized DS-3053. If they truly cannot be contacted, DS-5525 is submitted with military orders showing a special assignment or a statement from the commanding officer.
A grandparent or guardian is applying
Official requirement: A third party applying with a child must prove they have permission - normally notarized statements from both parents (or DS-3053 signed by each) with photocopies of both parents' IDs, or certified guardianship papers.
Newborn and Infant Passport Photos
Even a two-week-old needs a passport for international travel, and the photo is the step parents most often get wrong.
Official requirements: The photo must be 2 × 2 inches, in color, taken within the last six months, against a plain white or off-white background, with the baby's full face visible, evenly lit, and no other person, hands, or objects in the frame. The State Department allows an infant's eyes to be not entirely open, and a newborn does not have to look directly at the camera - but the face must be fully visible and unobstructed.
Practical tips that solve most infant-photo problems:
Lay the baby on a plain white sheet on the floor or a bed and shoot from directly above - the sheet becomes the background and no hands are needed to support the head.
Or use a car seat draped with a white sheet, so the baby is upright and the seat is hidden.
Use soft daylight from a window, not flash, to avoid shadows and startled expressions.
Time it after a feed and a nap, when the baby is calm and more likely to have open eyes.
Remove pacifiers, hats, and bibs, and keep the mouth closed if you can - though for newborns, an open mouth from a yawn is generally tolerated more than a covered face.
Take many frames and choose the clearest; then crop precisely to the 2 × 2 head-size specification or have a passport photo shop do it.
Where NYC Parents Can Apply
Official requirement: Children's applications are accepted at any authorized passport acceptance facility, at a passport agency for qualifying urgent travel, or through a registered expediting service that submits on the family's behalf. In New York City, the practical options are:
Post-office acceptance facilities - the Midtown Station Post Office (223 W 38th Street, about a half-mile from Penn Station) and the Grand Central Station Post Office (450 Lexington Avenue, by appointment only), among others across the boroughs. Book through the official USPS scheduler.
The New York County Clerk (60 Centre Street, Lower Manhattan) - an authorized acceptance office that verifies documents and witnesses signatures.
The New York Passport Agency (376 Hudson Street) - the federal agency, by appointment only, for children with confirmed international travel within 14 calendar days.
Rush Passport NYC (225 W 35th Street, Suite 801, a block from Penn Station) - an in-person expediting service that reviews the entire family package before submission, coordinates consent paperwork, and provides access to expedited and urgent channels. See our child passport services page.
Practical tip: Appointment policies vary - some facilities allow several children in one family appointment, while others require a separate slot for each child. Confirm before you book, especially in the spring and pre-holiday rush when city facilities fill weeks ahead.
How to Prepare for the Appointment
Official items to bring: the unsigned DS-11, the child's original citizenship document, proof of parental relationship, both parents' original IDs plus front-and-back photocopies (or the notarized consent package), one compliant photo, and two separate payments.
Practical tips for NYC parents:
Book early - Manhattan facilities are among the busiest in the country.
Bring both parents if at all possible; it eliminates the consent paperwork entirely.
Bring the child - the in-person rule applies to the applicant, even a newborn.
Schedule around naps and feeds for babies and toddlers; a calm child makes the identity check faster.
Carry originals and photocopies in one folder, with the two payments prepared separately.
Double-check the 90-day window on any notarized consent form.
If your trip is close, an in-person specialist who checks everything first can prevent the one rejection that pushes your family past its travel date.
How Long It Takes - and Planning for Family Travel
Official timelines (2026): Routine processing takes about 4–6 weeks and expedited about 2–3 weeks, plus mailing time in each direction. For confirmed international travel within 14 calendar days, urgent in-person processing can run from same-day to a few business days.
Practical tip: Family trips cluster around school breaks and holidays, when both facility appointments and government capacity tighten. Work backward from your travel date and add a buffer; if you're inside three or four weeks, expedited service or an expediter's urgent channel is the realistic route. For a detailed look at timelines, see how fast you can get a passport in NYC.
Common Mistakes NYC Parents Make
Assuming a child's passport can be renewed by mail - it can't
Arriving with one parent and no notarized DS-3053 (or one older than 90 days)
Photocopying only the front of the absent parent's ID
Submitting a consent form when the situation actually calls for a custody order or DS-5525
A baby photo with a parent's hand visible or a patterned blanket behind the head
Signing the DS-11 at home
One combined payment instead of two separate fees
Booking one appointment for two children at a facility that requires one per child
Waiting until the school-break rush to start
Frequently Asked Questions
Do both parents have to be present for a child's passport in NYC?
Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child, or the absent parent must provide a notarized Form DS-3053 with a front-and-back photocopy of their ID, submitted within 90 days of notarization.
How much does a child's passport cost in 2026?
$135 total for a passport book ($100 application fee plus a $35 execution fee), paid as two separate payments. A passport card is $50 total, and both together are $150. Expedited processing adds $60.
Can a newborn get a passport?
Yes. Infants of any age need their own passport for international travel. The process is the same in-person DS-11 application, with the birth certificate as citizenship evidence, both parents present or documented consent, and a compliant infant photo.
Do a baby's eyes have to be open in the passport photo?
No. The State Department allows an infant's eyes to be not entirely open, and the baby does not have to look at the camera - but the full face must be visible, evenly lit, against a plain white background, with no one else in the photo.
What if I have sole custody?
Submit a certified court order granting sole legal custody instead of a consent form. Joint custody does not qualify. If the other parent is deceased, submit a certified death certificate.
What if the other parent can't be found?
You may submit Form DS-5525, Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances, with a detailed explanation and supporting evidence. Approval is not automatic and the State Department may request additional documents.
How long does a child's passport take?
Routine processing is about 4–6 weeks and expedited about 2–3 weeks, plus mailing. For confirmed travel within 14 days, urgent in-person service can be same-day to a few business days.
Can a child's passport be renewed?
No. Passports for children under 16 are valid for five years and cannot be renewed; the child applies again in person with Form DS-11.
Where can I apply for my child's passport near Penn Station?
The Midtown Station Post Office (223 W 38th Street) is the nearest post-office acceptance facility, and Rush Passport NYC at 225 W 35th Street offers in-person, by-appointment help with the full family application, including consent paperwork and urgent timelines.
Need Help With a Child's Passport in NYC?
Rush Passport NYC has guided families through children's and newborns' passports from our Midtown Manhattan office since 2002 - including consent documentation, infant photos, and urgent travel. Call 212-643-9305 to book an appointment, or start with our first-time passport page for the general process.
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