After a divorce, you may wish to consult a child custody lawyer serving Baltimore County or the Owings Mills area regarding compliance with child custody laws , such as those that pertain to passports. Children under the age of 16 cannot apply for a passport by themselves. Provided the child does not have only one parent or guardian, both parents must appear in person with the child to apply for the child’s passport. If the divorce was not amicable and child custody was highly contentious, one parent may apply in person with the child, provided he or she has the consent of the other parent.
You can hear more about this complicated issue by watching this video. It explains that the parents must fill out and submit the DS-11 application. If both parents are not physically present with the child, then the application must be accompanied by a signed and notarized Form DS-3053: Statement of Consent from the other parent.