The most important rule that parents should adhere to when it comes to the passport renewal of a minor is early application. Parents are often surprised when they learn that they have to do more than just send an application in the mail. With new child laws passed, parents must be prepared to provide the necessary paperwork before receiving the passport.
United States law requires both parents and the minor to be present at the proper agency when applying. A DS-11 form must be completed and signed in the presence of an agent. Parents should be prepared to have proof of citizenship of the child. Proof can be in a form of a United States birth certificate if the child was born in the United States. If the child was born in a foreign country then parents must provide a certificate of birth abroad along with a certificate of US citizenship or naturalization.
Parents must ensure that the applying child's birth certificate contains their names. The names must also appear on the certificate of citizenship or on documents of adoption if necessary. The agents will also need to see valid, pictured identification issued by any state in the United States.
There are few instances where a single parent will not need to provide a notarized letter of consent because it is impossible to attain. An agent will then expect to see a death certificate of the non-applying parent. If the non-applying parent is still living then an agent will ask for a court ordered declaration of incompetence for that parent.
A letter of notarized consent will not be asked for if only one name appears on the child's birth certificate. The agent will assume that the father is unknown and any information unattainable. Consents may not be needed during the wait of custodial arrangements. In those situations the parent must ask the court to allow the renewal. If the court will not allow it then the parent must wait until the court grants him/her custody of the minor.
Other problems can arise for children in special circumstances. In cases where the other parent can not be located or refuses to give notarized consent can prevent the applying parent from renewing the passport. Only in cases where one of the parent has been deported will notarized consent not be needed.
There are very rare cases where passport renewal by a minor can be done without the consent of any parent. Children in this situation have been legally emancipated from their parents and are then seen as adults in the law. An emancipated minor will simply have to provide court documentation at the time he/she wishes to apply.
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