A US passport for a child under age 16 needs both parents’ consent. This page covers the cases where one parent lives in Guatemala, was deported, or cannot be found, and sets out what the federal regulation (22 CFR 51.28), the DS-11 and DS-3053 forms and the US Embassy in Guatemala say for each of those situations.

Quick summary: Under 16, the child appears in person and both parents consent (22 CFR 51.28). A parent who cannot go signs Form DS-3053 (or a notarized statement) with a photocopy of both sides of their photo ID; the DS-3053 says the consent is valid 90 days. A parent in Guatemala can sign the DS-3053 free of charge at the US Embassy, by appointment; for applications at the embassy, it does not accept a local Guatemalan notary’s notarization. If the child applies at the embassy, it lists a valid Guatemalan DPI as qualifying parental ID and charges $135 for the book (+$15 for a card), with a processing time of 3 weeks. A parent who cannot be reached: statement under penalty of perjury or DS-5525. Ages 16 and 17: one parent’s awareness is enough.

This page is about the US passport. The child’s Guatemalan passport is a separate document from a different government, with its own rules: see Guatemala passport for minors. To make the child a Guatemalan national on paper first, see registering a US-born child as Guatemalan.

Which situation are you in?

SituationWhat the parent who goes brings, besides the DS-11 and the child’s documentsSource
Both parents can go with the childBoth parents’ government-issued photo ID, original plus front-and-back photocopyDS-11 instructions; 22 CFR 51.28(a)(2)
One parent is in GuatemalaThat parent’s DS-3053 or notarized statement, with a photocopy of their ID; can be signed free at the US EmbassyDS-11; DS-3053; US Embassy notarial page
The other parent diedThe death certificateDS-11; 22 CFR 51.28(a)(3)(ii)(B)
One parent has sole legal custody under a court order with no travel restrictions inconsistent with issuing the passport (or a court order specifically authorizing the passport or the child’s travel with that parent), or only one parent is on the birth certificateThe court order or the birth certificateDS-11; 22 CFR 51.28(a)(3)(ii)
The other parent cannot be reachedA written statement under penalty of perjury or Form DS-5525 explaining whyDS-11
Urgent travel or special family circumstancesA written statement describing the circumstances; a senior passport authorizing officer decides22 CFR 51.28(a)(5)
Neither parent can go (a grandparent or relative applies)A notarized statement from both parents authorizing that person22 CFR 51.28(a)(4); DS-3053
The child is 16 or 17One parent’s awareness; the officer may ask for a notarized consentDS-11; 22 CFR 51.28(b)

Sources checked October 21, 2026.

The rule: both parents, child in person

22 CFR 51.28(a)(2) says that, except as that section provides, “both parents or each of the minor’s legal guardians, if any, whether applying for a passport for the first time or for a renewal, must execute the application on behalf of a minor under age 16”. The DS-11 instructions add a notice to applicants under 16: “You must appear in person to apply for a U.S. passport with your parent(s) or legal guardian(s).”

For a child under 16, the DS-11 asks for:

  • Proof of US citizenship, such as a US birth certificate issued by the city, county or state of birth that lists the child’s full name, date and place of birth and the parents’ full names.
  • Proof of the parental relationship, for example a birth certificate listing the parents and the child.
  • Each parent’s original government-issued photo ID and a photocopy of the front and back.
  • One 2x2 inch color photo taken in the last six months.

Which IDs count for the parents. The DS-11 lists examples (driver’s license, US passport, military ID, government employee ID, certificate of naturalization or citizenship) and sends readers to travel.state.gov/identification for the full list. At the US Embassy in Guatemala, the list for parents includes a valid Guatemalan DPI and a current valid foreign passport (details below).

When one parent is in Guatemala

This applies when one parent was deported or never migrated. The parent in the United States goes with the child; the parent in Guatemala sends consent.

  1. The form. Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent, or a separate notarized statement with the same details. The DS-3053 says it is used “when one or both legal parents and/or legal guardians cannot appear in person with their minor child”. The DS-11 says the statement must include the child’s full name and date of birth.
  2. Where to sign it in Guatemala. The DS-3053 says that in certain countries the form “must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate and cannot be notarized by a local notary public”. The US Embassy in Guatemala’s notarial page lists the DS-3053 Statement of Consent for a Minor’s Passport (Under Age 16) among the notarial services it performs at no cost. Notarial services there are by appointment only. The parent brings the original, valid, government-issued photo ID and a photocopy of both sides. The embassy is at Boulevard Austriaco 11-51, Zone 16, Guatemala City, per the same page.
  3. Sign in front of the officer. The DS-3053 says the parent must wait to sign in front of the passport authorizing officer or notary, that both signature dates must match, and that the notary must not be related to the parent.
  4. Attach the ID copy. The DS-11 says the statement must come with a front-and-back photocopy of the second parent’s government-issued photo ID.
  5. Watch the clock. The DS-3053 says the consent is valid for 90 days from the notary’s or officer’s signed date and that new consent is required if it expires before the application is submitted. The DS-11 says the notarized statement “cannot be more than three months old”.

Electronic notarization. The embassy’s notarial page says it may accept electronic notarizations, including to satisfy the two-parent consent requirement for a minor’s passport, if the document is lawfully notarized under the law of the state or foreign country that commissioned the notary. The embassy itself does not perform electronic notarizations.

A local Guatemalan notary. For applications filed at the US Embassy, its minors page says, in its consent instructions: “we do not accept documents notarized by a local Guatemalan notary”. For an application in the United States, the DS-3053 sends you to the embassy’s webpage for the country’s rule. The embassy route avoids the question.

When the child applies at the US Embassy in Guatemala

If the child is in Guatemala with one or both parents, the embassy’s page for passports for minors aged 15 and under lists these steps (checked October 21, 2026):

ItemWhat the embassy says
AppointmentIn-person appointment; the personal appearance of all minors under 18 is required
FormOnline DS-11, printed single-sided with a barcode; do not sign until told to at the consular section
Fee$135 for a passport book, plus $15 for a passport card, paid through pay.gov; non-refundable
Proof of citizenshipFor example a US birth certificate or Consular Report of Birth Abroad
Parental relationshipFor example a US birth certificate, a foreign birth certificate, or a divorce or custody decree
Parents’ IDQualifying ID, for example a valid Guatemalan DPI, a US passport, a valid driver’s license with photo, a current valid foreign passport, or a US permanent resident card
PhotoOne 2x2 photo taken within the last 6 months, without eyeglasses
Age photosA series of printed photos showing the child’s age progression, particularly when the last passport was issued as a baby
ConsentBoth parents appear; or an original notarized DS-3053 with the parent’s ID copy (not a local Guatemalan notary); or an electronically notarized DS-3053; or a birth certificate listing one parent, a death certificate, or a sole-custody order
Processing time3 weeks
ValidityFive years for minors 15 and under, which the embassy calls the usual period of validity

Fee items in the federal schedule. 22 CFR 22.1 (title last amended 10/19/2026) lists a $35 execution fee (item 1), $20 application services for a passport book for applicants under 16 (item 2(b)), an $80 passport book security surcharge (item 2(g)) and $15 for a minor passport card (item 9(b)). An effective-date note on the same section says it was amended by 91 FR 34772 effective July 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. The DS-11 says the execution fee is paid separately to the acceptance facility and that passport fees are non-refundable by law.

When the other parent cannot be reached

  • Statement or DS-5525. The DS-11 lists “A written statement (made under penalty of perjury) or DS-5525 explaining, in detail, why the second parent cannot be reached” as one of the options when only one parent can appear.
  • Exigent or special family circumstances. 22 CFR 51.28(a)(5) allows a passport with one parent’s signature in “exigent or special family circumstances”. Exigent means time-sensitive situations where not having a passport would jeopardize the child’s health, safety or welfare, or separate the child from the traveling party. Special family circumstances include a family situation that makes it exceptionally difficult for one or both parents to sign. The parent must submit a written statement describing the circumstances, and a senior passport authorizing officer decides. A passport issued for special family circumstances may be limited to direct return to the United States.

When neither parent can go

A grandparent, aunt or other adult can apply in loco parentis. 22 CFR 51.28(a)(4) requires a notarized statement or affidavit “from all parents or each legal guardian, if any, specifically authorizing the application”. If only one parent signs, the adult must provide documentary evidence that one parent may apply under the regulation. The DS-3053 says both parents may use it to authorize a third party. The US Embassy’s notarial page also lists, at no cost, a power of attorney for US passport applications for minors when both parents cannot appear.

Ages 16 and 17

22 CFR 51.28(b) lets a minor 16 or older sign their own application, in person, but the officer “may at any time require” the notarized consent of a parent. The DS-11 says one parent’s awareness is required and can be shown, for example, by the parent being present, a signed note from the parent, or proof the parent is paying the fees.

Custody orders, objections and court cases

  • A parent can object. Under 22 CFR 51.28(c)(1), a passport may be denied before issuance on a written objection from a parent who documents their custodial rights.
  • Joint legal custody orders are interpreted as requiring the permission of both parents or the court, as appropriate (22 CFR 51.28(c)(2)).
  • A Guatemalan court order can count: 22 CFR 51.28(c)(3) treats as a court of competent jurisdiction a US state or federal court “or a foreign court located in the minor’s home state or place of habitual residence”.

If a parent fears the other will take the child out of the country, or it has already happened, see child taken to or from Guatemala: the Hague abduction convention.

Sources

All sources checked October 21, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do both parents have to be present to get a US passport for a child under 16?

Both parents must consent. Under 22 CFR 51.28(a)(2), both parents execute the application for a child under 16, unless an exception in that section applies. If only one parent can go, the DS-11 instructions list what to bring instead: the other parent’s notarized statement or Form DS-3053, a death certificate, evidence of sole authority (such as a sole-custody order or a birth certificate listing only one parent), or a statement or Form DS-5525 explaining why the other parent cannot be reached.

The other parent is in Guatemala. How do they give consent?

They can sign Form DS-3053 at the US Embassy in Guatemala City. The embassy’s notarial page lists the DS-3053 for a minor’s passport among services performed at no cost, by appointment, with the parent’s original valid government-issued photo ID and a photocopy of both sides. For applications at the embassy, its minors page says it does not accept documents notarized by a local Guatemalan notary.

How long is the DS-3053 consent valid?

The DS-3053 says consent is valid for 90 days from the notary’s or passport authorizing officer’s signed date. The DS-11 instructions say the notarized statement cannot be more than three months old and must be signed and notarized on the same day.

Can a parent use a Guatemalan DPI as ID?

At the US Embassy in Guatemala, yes: its page for passports for minors 15 and under lists a valid Guatemalan DPI, and a current valid foreign passport, among qualifying identification documents for parents. For an acceptance facility in the US, the DS-11 instructions point to travel.state.gov/identification for the accepted IDs.

How much does a US passport for a child cost in Guatemala?

The US Embassy in Guatemala’s minors page says $135 for a passport book plus $15 if you also want a passport card, paid online through pay.gov, and that fees are non-refundable. It lists processing time as 3 weeks and calls five years the usual period of validity for passports of minors 15 and under.

What if the other parent cannot be found?

The DS-11 instructions accept a written statement made under penalty of perjury, or Form DS-5525, explaining in detail why the second parent cannot be reached. 22 CFR 51.28(a)(5) also allows a passport with one parent’s signature in exigent or special family circumstances, decided by a senior passport authorizing officer.