The short version

A first US passport for a baby is an in-person application on Form DS-11. The State Department's instructions state that applicants under 16 must appear in person with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), and federal regulation (22 CFR 51.28) requires both parents or each legal guardian to execute the application unless one of the listed exceptions applies. Under 22 CFR 51.4, a passport issued to a child under 16 is valid for five years.

In practice, your baby and both parents attend with the certified birth certificate, both parents' photo ID and one 2x2-inch photo. Do not sign the form until the authorized agent asks you to.

Start with the right birth certificate

For a baby born in the United States, the birth certificate is the proof of citizenship. The DS-11 instructions say it must:

be issued by the city, county or state of birth
list your baby's full name, date of birth and birthplace
list the parents' full names
list the date it was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within one year of birth
show the registrar's signature and the seal of the issuing authority
list biological sex at birth

Submit an original or certified copy plus a photocopy of the front, and the back if anything is printed on it. A decorative certificate from the hospital is not issued by the city, county or state, so order certified copies from vital records. Our guide to registering a birth in the US explains how.

The same certificate also serves as the evidence of your baby's relationship to you, which the instructions ask for.

If your baby has no Social Security number yet

Form DS-11 asks for the applicant's Social Security number if one has been issued. If none has, the instructions say to enter zeros and submit a signed, dated statement that no number has been issued, using the wording printed in the instructions.

Both parents, or the paperwork that replaces one

Both parents or guardians appear with the child and present their original government-issued photo ID, plus a photocopy of the front and back. If only one parent can attend, the DS-11 instructions say they must also bring one of:

the other parent's notarized consent on Form DS-3053, or a notarized written statement, with a front-and-back photocopy of that parent's ID
the other parent's death certificate
evidence of sole authority, such as a court order granting sole legal custody or a birth certificate listing only one parent
Form DS-5525, or a written statement made under penalty of perjury, explaining in detail why the other parent cannot be reached

Watch the dates on DS-3053. The form states that consent is valid for 90 days from the date the notary or passport authorizing officer signs, and that the parent's signature date and theirs must match. If the absent parent is abroad, some countries require the form to be notarized at a US embassy or consulate rather than by a local notary.

Passport photo rules for a baby

The DS-11 instructions apply the same photo rules to every applicant, babies included. Attach one colour photo, 2x2 inches, that is:

taken less than six months ago
against a plain white or off-white background
facing the camera directly, with the full face in view
sized so the head measures 1 to 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
printed on matte or glossy photo-quality paper

The instructions point to the full list of photo requirements on travel.state.gov.

How much does a baby passport cost in the US?

US passport fees are set in federal regulation, 22 CFR 22.1, which the DS-11 instructions cite. The relevant lines, checked on eCFR on 10 October 2026:

US passport fees for a child under 16, 22 CFR 22.1, checked 10 October 2026
Fee	Amount	Paid to
Passport book application, applicant under 16	$20	State Department
Passport book security surcharge	$80	State Department
Execution fee (first-time and in-person applicants)	$35	Acceptance facility
Expedited service (optional)	$60	State Department
Passport card, applicant under 16 (optional)	$15	State Department

Added together, a standard passport book for a baby comes to $100 to the State Department plus $35 to the acceptance facility (our sum of the schedule lines). The DS-11 instructions state that the execution fee is paid separately, in whatever payment method the facility accepts, and that passport fees are non-refundable by law.

A passport card does not replace the book for flying. The instructions say the card is not valid for international air travel, only for land border crossings and sea ports of entry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

How long does it take?

Processing times are not printed on the form. The DS-11 instructions direct you to travel.state.gov or the National Passport Information Center for the latest times, so check them before booking anything. Expedited service costs the $60 above and is only available for passports mailed in the United States and Canada. You can track the application at passportstatus.state.gov.

Travelling before the passport arrives

International flights need the passport book. Federal regulation (22 CFR 53.2) has two narrow exceptions for US citizens under 16 coming back into the United States:

By land or sea from Canada or Mexico, a child under 16 may present an original or copy of their birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Naturalization.
On a closed-loop cruise within the Western Hemisphere that leaves from and returns to the same US port, a child under 16 may present the same documents.

These cover re-entry to the US only. The country you visit sets its own rules for letting your baby in, so check those before you go; our guide to a Canadian passport for your baby sets out the Canadian side for dual-citizen families. For flying itself, see when babies can fly and can babies travel without a passport?

If your baby was born abroad

A baby born outside the US to a US citizen parent usually applies at a US embassy or consulate, and Form DS-11 lists the Consular Report of Birth Abroad as proof of citizenship. Applying for the Consular Report carries its own $100 fee under 22 CFR 22.1. Whether citizenship passes to a child born abroad depends on the parents' circumstances, so start with the embassy or consulate for the country of birth, through travel.state.gov.

Where to get help

The National Passport Information Center answers on 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY 1-888-874-7793) or at NPIC@state.gov. Apply at an acceptance facility or, by appointment only, a passport agency. Our new baby paperwork deadlines calculator puts the other paperwork in order, and the travel with a baby checklist covers the trip.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a US passport for a baby?

Under the federal fee schedule in 22 CFR 22.1, a passport book for a child under 16 is a $20 application fee plus an $80 security surcharge, paid to the State Department, and a $35 execution fee paid to the acceptance facility. That is $135 in total before any optional $60 expedite fee.

Do both parents need to be present for a baby passport?

Both parents or guardians must consent. Federal regulation requires both to execute the application for a child under 16. If one cannot attend, bring their notarized Form DS-3053, which is valid for 90 days, or evidence of sole custody, a death certificate, or Form DS-5525 explaining why they cannot be reached.

How long is a baby passport valid in the US?

Five years. Under 22 CFR 51.4, a passport issued to an applicant under 16 is valid for five years from the date of issue, unless the State Department limits it. Every passport before the sixteenth birthday is applied for in person on Form DS-11, with the same two-parent consent rules each time.

What documents do I need for a US passport for a baby?

Form DS-11, unsigned until the agent asks; a certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state, plus a photocopy; each parent's photo ID with front-and-back photocopies; one 2x2-inch colour photo; and DS-3053 or other evidence if a parent cannot attend. Bring payment for both the State Department and the facility.

Getting a US passport for your baby