Sometimes There Is No Other Option But To Get An Expedited Child’s Passport

Traveling internationally can be a great experience for a child, but many parents forget that when children travel, they are going to need a passport. Unfortunately, this realization will often come when it is late in the day and an expedited minor passport is the only way to make the trip happen. It is always best to know all the passport laws to make sure there are no issues when planning a trip abroad with a child.

Just because they are a child, does not mean that there are not travel laws that pertain to them. Any family that is getting ready to travel aboard would do well to get on the Internet and do some research on passport rules and regulations. For the record, anyone traveling abroad needs to have a passport.

However, children and infants are subject to specific passport law. For example, as of February 1st, 2008, all U.S. citizens under the age of sixteen must obtain written consent from both parents or guardians to obtain a passport. This law is designed to minimize international child custody disputes. The theory behind this law is that if one parent is trying to sneak a minor out of the country, it will be impossible to do so without the other parent finding out.

This means that when a passport for a child is in the process of being obtained, there is actually an extra step that is required in the process. This is important to know because the process is already a bit time consuming. Adding this extra obstacle means that more time should be allotted for the overall process.

Everyone has to have their photo taken for a passport before they apply, and a child is no different. To speed things up, it may be best to go to an establishment that takes the passport photos right on the spot and returns them right away. There are plenty of one-hour photo shops in malls that do this express passport service and the photos can be returned before the applicant finishes their shopping.

Before actually heading to the local passport center, make sure the consent form is filled out properly and that both parents have signed it. If not, the application will be refused and it is back to square one. Believe it or not, this is the reason that many parents end up having to get an expedited passport for their child. By the time they get everything together, the trip is right around the corner.

The normal process of a passport is around two months. If the trip is going to happen inside of that time frame, it is best to pay the $60 to get the expedited service that will have the passport back in about three weeks. If that is still not quick enough, there are other services that are more expensive that will create an even quicker turnaround time.

It is always best to plan well ahead of time when dealing with international travel. Expediting a passport can be a hassle, especially with a child. Luckily, an expedited child us passport only requires one extra step and there are express U.S. passport services out there to help. If both parents are able to sign the consent form, it is usually not that unreasonable to get the passport in time. Still, it would be much easier in the long run to stay prepared and keep everyone’s passports up to date.