Two-Parent Consent Required for Child's U.S. Passport
Posted Jul 06, 2001

When applying for a U.S. passport for a child under age 14, the signatures of both parents are needed, according to a rule issued recently by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). The rule sets forth exceptions to cover certain, special situations such as when one parent has been granted sole custody of the child. There are also special procedures for emergency circumstances.

DOS's rule was issued to implement section 236 of a law known as the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. This section establishes safeguards against international child abductions, since in many of these cases it is one of the parents who abducts the child. Though both civil and criminal penalties exist for such abductions, DOS's rule is concerned with preventing those abductions from happening in the first place.

DOS also has in place the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program. A parent or guardian who is concerned that the other parent may try to take their child overseas can provide information about the child to the DOS, and when a passport application is received for the child, the concerned parent or guardian is then notified. The parent then has an opportunity to object to the issuance of a passport for the child.