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Passport Requirements for Minors Under Age 14 - Associated Content
For minor children traveling outside of the United States, effective in 2007, a United States passport is required for re-entry into the United States. The key factor to passport acquisition is the necessity that all minors, under age 14, appear in person at the passport location and, even more difficult, the passport application must have the signature of both parents or legal guardians or the custodial parent must provide adequate documentation securing the parent's authority to make sole travel decisions on behalf of the minor child.
For single parents who do not have contact with the other parent, and are unable to obtain form DS-3053, the passport can be issued to the minor child providing the custodial parent has a legal document which supports the sole custody rights and, in addition, the court custody documents must not indicate the minor child is restricted from travel.