Passport for minors under age 16

The following instructions apply to all U.S. passport applications for a child under the age of 16 – regardless of whether they have been previously issued a U.S. passport.

First time applicants under the age of 16 born outside of the U.S. must first establish their claim to U.S. nationality before a U.S. passport will be issued. Please refer to our information regarding how to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.

Completing the Application

Please print out only one-sided pages of the application, and submit all of the following in person at the Consulate serving your area.

Completed (but not signed) Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport;
The minor child (applicant) must be present.
The child’s original Consular Report of Birth Abroad certificate or full original U.S. birth certificate, showing the names of the parents who will be signing their child’s passport application.
Child’s most recent U.S. passport; if the child has never held a U.S. passport, documentary evidence of U.S. citizenship must be provided.
One (1) U.S. sized passport photograph (Note: these are a different size from Samoa passport photographs).
Current, government-issued photo identification of the parent/s submitting the application
U.S. passport regulations require the consent of both parents/legal guardians before a U.S. passport will be issued to a minor child (unless certain circumstances apply). This requirement is usually met by both parents attending the child’s passport interview and signing the passport application in the presence of a consular officer. However, we understand that it is not always possible for both parents to attend the passport interview and options do exist if only one parent is available to sign the passport application form.
Any required supporting documents.
Applicable fee.
Self-addressed courier envelope for return of your new and old passports (Note: we are unable to accept Registered Post envelopes to return the documents.)

Submitting the Application

The application must be signed by the applicant in the presence of a Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy – this requirement cannot be waived. All applicants must be present at the appointment, including minor child applicants under the age of 16.

Services are provided by appointment only, by emailing ApiaConsular@state.gov or dialing +685 21631 ext 2222.