To protect children under the age of 18, the government has special rules for obtaining child passports. These additional requirements help guard against children being taken out of the country without parental permission. However, parents who need passports for their children may find child passport regulations confusing. To make it easier for these parents, here is a breakdown of what is required to get a US passport for a child.

First, children under the age of 16 must fill out a passport application, Form DS-11, in person at a . Parents can fill out the form for the child, of course, but the child must be present. Also, children must have parental consent from both parents to apply for a passport. Depending on the family's circumstances, there are a several different options for proving parental consent at the acceptance facility:

?Both parents can go with the child to fill out form DS-11. Both parents must sign the form when instructed by the acceptance agent.

?One parent can accompany the child to the acceptance facility, sign form DS-11, and submit a notarized Statement of Consent signed by the other parent.

?If one parent has sole legal custody of the child, he or she can accompany the child to the acceptance facility, sign the form, and submit proof (such as a court order, birth certificate or adoption decree) of sole legal custody of the child.

?A third party can also bring the child in to the acceptance facility with a notarized statement of consent from both of the child's parents (or a notarized statement from one parent with proof that the parent has sole legal custody).

In addition, the child's parents/guardians must bring evidence that the child has US citizenship, such as an expired passport, a birth certificate, a naturalization certificate or a certificate of citizenship. Parents should also bring proof of their own identity and proof of their relationship to the child. Also, child passport applications should be accompanied by 2 passport photos of the child. Currently, fees for a child passport vary, depending on the age of the child. For a minor under the age of 16, fees add up to $85.00 total, including a $60.00 application fee and a $25.00 execution fee. For children aged 16 and 17, the application fee is $75.00 and the execution fee is $25.00, for a total amount of $100.00 However, parents should double-check the application fees before applying as they do sometimes change.

Like a adult passports, applications can take several weeks to process. For faster processing, parents can use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com to submit their child's passport application. Expediting companies like Rush My Passport work with the government to have passport applications processed in as little as 24 hours, if needed. They also offer professional assistance and expertise to help guide parents through the web of child passport regulations. RushMyPassport.com is the easiest way to get passports for the entire family!