Adopted daughter needs a new passport but how do I go about applying for it?

Question:  My wife and I were both born in the U.S. and are natural born citizens. We adopted our daughter from Canada in 2004 and she is now 8 years old. Her U.S. Passport expired on July 20, 2009. We do not have her Certificate of Citizenship but we do have her birth certificate from Canada that shows us as her parents. Also, we have the Canadian adoption certificate that also identifies her as being our adopted daughter. Will this be adequate documentation to renew her passport?

Answer:  Being that she obtains a previously-issued passport, she can use that as evidence to prove her U.S. citizenship. Also, you will have to present a document stating your relationship with your adopted daughter. In this case, an adoption decree with the names of the adopting parents is acceptable. As long as a translation is present. A foreign document is acceptable with the passport application. Other necessary documents will be a copy of the parent’s identification documentations and a current or recent passport photo.

Here is a list of passport application acceptance facilities.

Here are some facts about minor’s passports:

• To qualify for a minor’s passport the child must be under the age of 16.
• The passport will have a validity term of 5 years.
• It usually requires consent of both parents. In some cases this is not the case.
• Can be renew by appearing in person.
• Use Form DS-11 application.