Child Passport Under 16 Checklist For 2026

Child passport checklist

Children under 16 cannot renew a passport; the State Department says they must apply in person each time.

Last verified June 9, 2026

The official child-passport page also says passports for children under 16 are valid for 5 years, and both parents or guardians must generally be present with the child unless extra documents are used.

Core child-passport checkpoints

Checkpoint	Official-source summary	Reader note
In-person application	Children under 16 must apply in person each time.	Do not treat a prior child passport as renewable by mail or online.
Parent or guardian presence	Both parents or guardians must generally be present with the child, or more documents are needed.	Consent situations can be document-heavy and should be checked against the official page.
Form signature	The child application should not be signed until a passport acceptance agent asks for the signature.	This is especially important at USPS or another acceptance facility.
Evidence and copies	Physical citizenship evidence, relationship evidence, photo ID, photocopies, and a child photo can be required.	Digital citizenship evidence is not accepted for this path according to the official page.
Timing	The child page repeats routine and expedited processing windows and says mailing time is not included.	Add mailing buffers before booking travel around a child passport.

Parent or guardian consent deserves extra review

The child-passport page has several branches for situations where one or both parents or guardians cannot appear. It references notarized consent statements, sole custody documents, court orders, special family circumstances, and embassy or consulate notarization for some parents abroad. Punilog should not simplify those branches into one universal instruction because the wrong document can delay the application.

A careful workflow is to open the State Department child-passport page before making the appointment, identify which parent or guardian situation applies, and then gather the exact documents the official page lists. If the situation involves custody, consent, missing parent information, adoption, foster care, guardianship, or a parent abroad, the official page and forms should control.

Fees and processing-time note

During review, the child-passport page listed child under 16 fees of $100 for a passport book, $15 for a passport card, and $115 for both, plus a $35 facility acceptance fee. It also repeated the processing-time snapshot of 4 to 6 weeks for routine service and 2 to 3 weeks for expedited service, with mailing time excluded. The page says it may take up to 2 weeks for an application to reach State and up to 2 more weeks for the passport to arrive after processing.

What this page does not decide

This page does not decide whether a child qualifies, whether a parent or guardian document is sufficient, whether custody paperwork is valid, whether an appointment exists, whether travel qualifies for agency service, or whether a photo will be accepted. It only organizes the official child-passport checkpoints so a parent or guardian can verify the exact State Department path.

How to use this page

Verify the official page before acting

Passport pages can change when the State Department updates processing times, fees, forms, appointment guidance, or photo rules. Use this page as a structured map to the official source, not as a promise that an application will be accepted, processed, corrected, or delivered by a specific date.

Keep records that connect your action to the official path you used: form name, appointment confirmation, receipt, payment record, mailing or tracking number, photo service record, status screenshot, and any State Department letter or email requesting more information. If an official status page or direct agency message conflicts with a public explainer, follow the official status or direct instruction.

Sources and verification

Official sources

Last verified: June 9, 2026. Jurisdiction: United States federal. Cycle: 2026 passport processing, application, fee, photo, and correction workflows.

This page is informational and is not legal, citizenship, identity-document, travel, emergency, financial, or professional advice. It does not decide whether you qualify for a passport, renewal method, expedited service, urgent appointment, child passport, fee waiver, refund, name change, correction, or document acceptance. Verify details with the U.S. Department of State, USPS when using a Post Office acceptance or photo service, and the specific office or facility involved. Corrections Policy