Consent to Issue US Passport to a Child

What documents are needed when traveling with a child outside Canada?

Parental Consent for Children’s United States Passport

Obtaining a passport for a child can be a time-consuming and stressful process, particularly if you do not currently live in the country you need the passport from. If you are an American citizen with a child under the age of 16 living in Canada, you do have the option of applying for the child’s passport at the United States Embassy or Consulate in Canada.

Passport services for United States citizens are available at the American Embassy in Ottawa, and at U.S. consular offices in Toronto, Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, and Vancouver.

For passport appointments for children, the child and both parents are usually required to attend in person. This is a requirement to help prevent international child abduction and trafficking. While the child must always attend the appointment in person, there are options available when only one parent can attend. As well, if you live in Canada but your child lives with a parent or guardian in the United States, it is possible to provide consent so that the child can attend a passport appointment without you in the United States.

What do I do if only one parent can attend in person to apply for my child’s United States Passport?

If you are a sole custodial parent:
If you have sole custody of your child or the child’s other parent cannot be located, you will be required to provide proof of custody, such as a court order. You will also be required to fill out a form called “Statement of exigent/special family circumstances” (see below for link to the form).

If the second parent is not able to attend the appointment:
If one parent is unable to attend the appointment, it is possible for that parent to give permission to the other parent to attend the passport application appointment without them. The non-attending parent must complete a form called “Statement of consent: Issuance of US passport to a child.” This form needs to be signed in front of a notary public. The non-attending parent also needs to provide a certified (notarized) copy of a piece of identification such as their passport.

If neither parent is able to attend the appointment:
It is possible for a third party to take the minor child to the passport application appointment. In this situation, both parents must fill out the “Statement of consent: Issuance of US passport to a child” and sign the form in front of a notary public. Both parents must also obtain certified (notarized) copies of their identification.

How can Red Seal Notary help?

We have helpful Notaries who can notarize the “Statement of Consent: Issuance of US passport to a child.” The Notary Public can also provide you with a certified true (notarized) copy of your identification. Remember to bring your original valid government-issued photo identification with you, as the notary will need to see this in order to verify your identity and make the certified true copy.

Red Seal Notary has convenient walk-in offices in Toronto, Ottawa, and Mississauga where you can have the documents notarized in person. You can also contact our helpful call center at (888) 922-7325 or [email protected] to make appointments to notarize documents at locations across the country.