With the summer travel season fast approaching, this is your reminder to dig out your passports and check the expiration dates. Why? Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. That means if your passport expires later this year, you’ll likely need a new one for any international travel this summer.
Expect Longer Processing Times
Although passport processing times have improved, it’s still taking longer than it did pre-pandemic. Routine processing is currently 8-11 weeks, whereas expedited processing is 5-7 weeks. Processing times fluctuate, check here for the latest times. It may take up to two weeks from the date you apply before your application is officially “in process.” Plus, there’s mailing time to account for. Bottom line, it can take awhile from start to finish.
KidTripster Tip: Once you submit the application, you can check the status online. The status shows things like “in process,” “shipped,” and “approved.” The online system also asks if you want updates by text. I opted into this for my two kids, but never received any status updates.
Kids Need New Passports Every 5 Years
Here’s something else to factor in – minor passports aren’t considered renewals. That means each time your child’s passport expires, which is every 5 years, you have to go through the application process all over again. (You’ll fill out form DS-11 for children under age 16.)
Both parents plus the child must appear in-person at a passport acceptance facility. There are some exceptions to this, additional details can be found on the Department of State website.
You’ll need to schedule an appointment ahead of time. If you’re using the postal service, bookings open 30-days in advance and you can schedule your appointment online.
KidTripster Tip: Be sure to review the required documents needed and bring all of them with you, and more. For instance, parents need to provide copies of their identification. You’ll need copies for each child’s application. If going to the post office, know they won’t make copies for you on-site.
Teenagers 16+ Eligible for 10 Year Passport
Applicants ages 16 or 17 must also apply in-person, but the passport is good for 10 years. Parents don’t need to be present, but kids must provide proof of “parental awareness.” Unless you can’t be present, it might be easier just to go with your teenager. The good news is that only one parent needs to appear in this situation.
[ Related: Renewing an Adult Passport ]
Learn from Our Mistakes
Having gone through this process with my kids several times now, here’s my best advice for a successful experience:
Do the application and photos at the same time
Make an appointment at a facility that also takes passport photos. This helps ensure the photo will be taken properly and approved. Once we had photos taken elsewhere. The postal worker wouldn’t accept my daughter’s photo because the dimensions weren’t quite right. Not all post offices or passport acceptance facilities have photo services. So be sure to look for that option. This is also a time saver as you can get it done all in one place.
Use black ink only
Complete your paperwork in the correct ink color. I’m typically pretty good at filling out paperwork, but one time, I showed up with my forms completed in blue ink. Yep, this is a bad thing. The postal worker scolded me and refused to accept the form because only black ink is allowed. To be fair, the form does specify to “use black ink only”, but there’s so much other information that I missed that key detail.
KidTripster Tip: If accessing the application online, you can do a form filler which allows you complete it on the computer and print it. I recommend doing this option! It’s much faster and neater than doing it by hand. Plus, you can save the form in case you need to reference it later. And you won’t have to worry about the color of your ink.
Make an appointment for each child
Walk-in appointments aren’t typically offered at passport acceptance facilities. Remember, you’ll to schedule a separate appointment for each child. Depending on where you’re going, appointments open 30 days in advance. At the post office, the appointments are usually on weekdays only.
KidTripster Tip: Appointment times are typically during work/school hours. That means you might need to miss work and pull your kids out of school to attend the appointment. Look at the school calendar and see if you can make an appointment on a teacher planning day or during a school break.
Arrive early for your appointment
Don’t show up late or you might be forced to reschedule your appointment. We typically arrive at least 10-15 minutes early. Fortunately, I showed up early that time I completed my form in blue ink. I had enough time to redo the forms (they often have blank forms at the post office) in government sanctioned black ink, and still make my appointment time.
Pay to expedite
If you can afford the extra $60, pay to expedite the passport. During Covid, it was taking months for the Department of State to process and return passports. While now improved, routine processing can still take months.
Budget for the expense
While we’re talking about money, passports are expensive. Especially every 5 years for kids. (The cost is reduced by just $30 for minors.)
To get a child’s passport, it will cost $100 plus a $35 acceptance fee. If you add expedited service, that’s another $60. Want 1-2 day delivery? That’s another $19.53. And if you want a passport card, too, add $15 more.
So at the minimum, you’ll pay $135 per passport, per child. At the high end, it could cost $214.53 per child (if adding on a passport card, expedited service, and 1-2 day delivery). Multiply that by 2 kids and it adds up quickly. We applied for passports just after Christmas and shelled out $429.06. Ouch.
KidTripster Tip: Be sure to bring your checkbook. I don’t know about you, but I don’t write checks very often these days. You will need to attach a check (or money order) to the application. The passport acceptance facility also charges $35. Depending on where you go, you may also need to write a check for the $35. To be safe, plan on writing 2 checks per child/per passport.
What To Do After Receiving Your Child’s Passport
After all that work, it sure feels good when your child’s passport finally arrives in the mailbox. So what now?
Check the details
Be sure to look at the name, birthdate, etc on the passport. Is all of the information correct? One time, I received a passport with my first name as “Ky” and middle name as “Ann”. My first name is actually “KyAnn.” Since I’d completed the form correctly, the Department of State recognized its mistake and issued me a new passport, but it took a few weeks to sort that out.
Sign them
Have your kids sign their passports, in black ink of course. If the child is too young to sign their own name, a parent must print the child’s name and sign his or her own name in the space provided for the signature. The parent must also write their relationship to the child in parenthesis next to the signature (example parent or legal guardian).
Complete the emergency information
Fill out the emergency contact information on page 5, but use pencil in case the information changes.
Scan and copy
Scan and/or make a photocopy. Our family has a shared folder in the cloud, containing all of our passports, as well as other pertinent travel documents like vaccine cards.
You should also make photocopies. You should have one copy at home, and one copy with you when traveling. Store the copies in a separate place from the original passports. For example I travel with the originals and my husband has the copies in his bag. This is helpful if your passport is lost or stolen while traveling.
KidTripster Tip: When your child’s passport photo is taken, you should receive two photos. One to submit with the application and the other to keep. You can travel with your extra photos in case you need a passport replacement due to loss or theft. These photos are considered valid for 6 months.
Update Global Entry
If your kids have Global Entry, remember to sign into their Trusted Traveler accounts and update their passport numbers.
Store them safely
And finally, store the passports in a safe place at home so that you can locate them quickly when it’s time to travel.
If your child had a previous passport, that will be returned to you in a separate envelope. Passport cards are mailed separately, too.
