February 6, 2004

Minor Children Must now Appear for U.S. Passport Issuance

Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of State Department has announced that all minor children under the age of 14 must now appear when applying for a U.S. passport. Previously they were exempt from this requirement. This new policy applies to all regular, official and diplomatic passports for children under the age of 14, even if they have previously been issued a passport. Personal appearance is required to verify the identity of passport applicants and to aid in the prevention of international child abduction and trafficking.