How to Get a Passport for Children in Foster Care?

Are you a foster parent responsible for obtaining a passport for your child? Or is it part of your job to coordinate international travel arrangements for a foster child or family connected with the organization you represent?

Knowing how to get a passport for children in foster care involves understanding what requirements must be met and which pathways are available.

How to Get a Foster Care Child Passport?

In order to get a passport for a child under 16, the adoptive parent must provide evidence for a U.S.-born adopted child.

• the minor’s U.S. citizenship;
• Clarify the applicant-child relationship in a passport application. Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
• Present identification of the person applying for the minor’s passport and
• Evidence of parental consent.

Obtaining a Passport Prior to the Finalization of Child Adoption

If you are in the process of adopting a child and the adoption has not been finalized, you will need to bring certain documents to the U.S. Passport office.

1. Child Birth Certificate (Certified Copy)
2. There is a pending adoption in a state court, and an adoption petition has been filed with the adoption court.
3. The documents that demonstrate the placement of the baby for adoption should be provided. This refers to the legal document that places the child with you. In the case of an adoption agency, it would be the relinquishment document that legally places the child with the agency.
4. Driver’s License or Passport
5. It is recommended to present a signed affidavit from the birth mother and/or a letter from the adoption agency authorizing travel outside the US.

Obtaining A Passport After Adoption Finalization (Before Amended Birth Certificate)

If the court has signed and entered a final order of adoption, the adopting parents can bring the necessary documents to the U.S. Passport office.

1. Original Child Birth Certificate (Certified Copy)
2. Signed Adoption Order or Decree
3. Sign the Adoption Agreement (California State Only). If you reside outside California, the Adoption Order/Decree will be sufficient if it states the name of the child before and after the adoption. However, if you are in a state other than California and the final Adoption Order/Decree only lists the name of the child after the adoption, then you must provide a court document that identifies the minor’s name before and after the adoption. It is important to note that the State Department requires the original name on the birth certificate to be linked with the name on the final Adoption Order/Decree.
4. Identification (Passport or Drivers License)

Questions and Answers

Below is a list of questions and answers some of our users ask us in the child adoption and passport section.

Do Both Parents Need to Be Present for Child Passport?

If either or both parents are unable to be present for the child passport application, additional documents are required. These include a notarized copy of form DS-3053, a copy of the absent parent’s ID, the birth certificate showing sole parental custody, a death certificate, or a court order listing the child’s legal custody.