New Passport Rules Regarding Your Child's Travel to Mexico and Canada

by Jeremy Sonney

Southern California parents have been given a reprieve from the strict new laws regarding passports and minor children.

Living relatively close to the Mexican border, it has been a fairly common occurrence to see families cross over into Mexico for day trips and short stays, but the recent changes in federal law requiring even infants to hold a valid passport for reentry into the U.S. by land or sea seemed to add a stumbling block that turned families away from international travel.

However, Federal regulations have been modified to exempt children.

U.S. and Canadian citizens under the age of 15 will be allowed to cross the boarder with parental consent, by both land and sea, with certified copies of their birth certificates rather than a passport.

Children 16-18 years or older traveling with school, religious, cultural or athletic groups and under adult supervision will also be allowed travel with only their birth certificates.

The move, aimed at helping families and school groups, changes the universal passport plan that would have gone into effect January 2008.

However, children traveling by air are still required to hold a valid passport for entry into the U.S. from all other countries of origin (with the exception of U.S. territories Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

If you are planning a trip outside the United States by air, and you are preparing to get your child his or her first passport keep these things in mind:

According to a regulation that came into effect in 2004, children - even infants - must apply for a passport in person. That means that parents must bring the child with them to the passport acceptance office.

Bring a certified, "long form" copy of your child's birth certificate, issued by the county of birth, with you. Photocopies are not acceptable.

Your own identification featuring your name as it is listed on the child's birth certificate. If your name has changed due to marriage, you may be required to show a certified copy of your marriage license. This form can take several weeks to obtain, so plan ahead.

Ideally, both living parents should be present at the issuance of minor passports. However, a notarized copy of form DS-3035 - Evidence of absent parent's permission or sole custody - can be substituted if this is impossible.

The general application form (Form DS-11) must be filled out but not signed. A signature will be requested in the presence of a Passport issuing officer. Note that for children under the age of 14, parental signature is required in lieu of the child's signature.

As with an adult passport, two passport photos are needed. It is suggested that even for infants, it is best to get professional passport photos taken as school and personal photos are often rejected, causing a significant delay in the issuance of the passport.

Currently, the total fee for a minor child's passport is $82. Children's passports must be renewed in person every five years (unlike adult passports that may be renewed by mail).

If you follow these steps, you should greatly ease the stress of obtaining a passport for your child.

And once you are a family of passport-holders, just think of the possibilities. Once you have that passport in hand, it's hard to resist filling it up with those stamps.

Happy traveling!

For the most recent passport information, visit the State Department's passport Web site at http:

travel.state.gov passport passport_1738.html. There you'll find application information, the forms you'll need to apply or renew and where to find a passport agency near you. Or you can contact the National Passport Information Center by calling 1-877-487-2778; TDD TTY: 1-888-874-7793.