Guatemala Passport for Minors 2026: Requirements, Both Parents + Notarized Authorization

Important — BOTH PARENTS required: To get a passport for a minor in Guatemala, both parents must physically accompany the child at the IGM appointment. If one cannot attend, they must send a notarized power of attorney (Mandato Especial) that is legalized. If the absent parent lives abroad, that power of attorney must be APOSTILLED in the country where it is signed. This is the #1 cause of failed appointments. Book your appointment at servicios.igm.gob.gt/citasenlinea.

Quick summary: USD $50 (5 years only — no 10-year option for minors). BOTH PARENTS must be present at the appointment, or the absent parent must send an APOSTILLED notarized power of attorney if living abroad. You need a recent RENAP birth certificate for the minor, the minor’s DPI if they already have one (typically issued from age 10), the previous passport if renewing, and DPIs of both parents.

Data verified May 2026. Payment is made at the official exchange rate of the day at Banrural — check our exchange rate page for the current USD/GTQ rate.

Cost and Validity

Minors have only one validity option: 5 years. The Migration Code (Decreto 44-2016) restricts the 10-year passport (USD $85) exclusively to adults. The reason is practical: a minor’s face changes too much in a decade and the biometric photo no longer matches facial recognition at international migration checkpoints.

Diaspora implication: if your 14-year-old gets a passport today, they will renew it at age 19 as an adult and can then choose the 10-year option.

Required Documents

Bring documents in original AND copy. The DPI copy must be both sides on a single sheet (not two separate pages).

For the minor:

• Recent RENAP birth certificate (original — issued in the last 6 months).
• Minor’s DPI — original and copy (both sides on one sheet). Only if already issued; RENAP commonly issues physical DPI starting at age 10.
• Previous passport — only if renewing (surrendered when picking up the new one).
• Physical presence of the minor on appointment day (including infants).

For the parents:

• DPI of BOTH parents — original and copy (both sides on one sheet).
• If a parent is foreign: valid passport (if tourist) or foreign-resident DPI (if resident).
• Physical presence of both parents on appointment day.
• Notarized power of attorney (Mandato Especial) — only if one parent cannot attend. If signed abroad, must be APOSTILLED.

Payment and appointment:

• Banrural payment receipt original (USD $50 at the day’s exchange rate).
• Printed online appointment confirmation (generated at servicios.igm.gob.gt/citasenlinea/).
• Application form auto-generated when scheduling, printed and signed by the accompanying parent.
• Current Boleto de Ornato of the accompanying parent.

Who Must Be Present?

By default: the minor + both parents (mother and father), all physically present at the IGM sede on appointment day. “Present” means physically in the office — video call, phone, or third-party representation is not accepted without a notarized power of attorney.

Exceptions to the both-parents rule

Important: Separation, divorce, or not living together does NOT replace the other parent’s signature. As long as both parents appear on the birth certificate and retain patria potestad, both signatures are required.

If One Parent Lives Abroad

This is the most common scenario we see in diaspora families — typically father or mother in the United States while the other parent and children remain in Guatemala. The process to make this work legally:

Step 1 — Power of attorney before a local notary

The parent living outside Guatemala goes to a Notary Public (in the US) or local notary in their country and signs a Mandato Especial in Spanish. The document specifically authorizes the other parent (full name, DPI number) to process the minor’s passport (full name, date of birth, CUI if available) before the Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración.

If you can only find a notary working in English, you can sign in English and attach a certified Spanish translation signed by a certified translator.

Step 2 — Apostille

The signed document must be apostilled. In the US the apostille is issued by the Secretary of State of the state where you signed (for example, California Secretary of State in Sacramento, Texas Secretary of State in Austin). Typical cost: $20-$50 USD. Time: 1-3 weeks depending on the state, faster if done in person.

In other countries: the apostille authority is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or equivalent, per the Hague Convention of 1961.

Step 3 — Ship to Guatemala

The original physical document (not scanned, not by email) travels to Guatemala by international courier: FedEx, DHL, or UPS. Cost: $40-$80 USD. Time: 3-7 business days.

Tip: If the parent abroad travels to Guatemala temporarily (vacation, family emergency, etc.), they can sign the power of attorney directly before a Guatemalan notary. Since it is signed in Guatemala, no apostille is needed — saving $50-$100 and 2-4 weeks.

Step 4 — IGM appointment

The parent who is in Guatemala brings the minor, their own documents (DPI, ornato), the minor’s birth certificate, the original apostilled power of attorney (not a copy), and the Banrural payment receipt to the appointment.

Realistic total time for the apostille + courier + appointment process: 3-5 weeks. Start early if you have a planned trip.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Pay at Banrural. Deposit USD $50 at the day’s exchange rate. The slip is valid for 1 year from the deposit — you can pay before scheduling the appointment.
2. Gather documents for the minor and both parents (see list above). If one parent is abroad, start the apostille process well in advance.
3. Book the appointment at servicios.igm.gob.gt/citasenlinea. Select “Emisión de pasaportes” (new) or “Renovación de pasaporte” (if your child already had one). Enter the boleta number and data. Choose sede, date and time.
4. Generate and print the appointment confirmation and the application form.
5. Arrive at the sede 15-30 minutes early with the minor, both parents (or the apostilled power of attorney), original DPIs, birth certificate, payment receipt, and printed appointment confirmation.
6. Biometric capture: photo, fingerprints, and signature of the minor are captured on site. Do not bring printed photos — they are not used.
7. Pick up the passport: most sedes issue it the same day. Some can take up to 3 business days.

The appointment can be rescheduled up to 24 hours before with no penalty. The appointment system is free — IGM officially warns against intermediaries or “gestores” who charge to schedule.

IGM Sedes (7 nationwide)

Central phone: 2411-2411 (national line).

Note: 6 of the 7 sedes offer same-day issuance. La Aurora International Airport (3rd floor) does NOT issue new passports — only handles validity extensions. There are also periodic Jornadas Móviles (mobile clinics) in departments without a permanent sede (recent 2026 locations: Mazatenango/Suchitepéquez, San Juan Tecuaco/Santa Rosa, Jalapa, Cubulco/Baja Verapaz).

Photo Requirements for Minors

Unlike many countries, in Guatemala you do not bring a printed photo — the photo is taken on site during the appointment (biometric capture). This means IGM staff direct how to pose, but there are rules you control:

• Dark-colored clothing (not white, not light pastel) — the photo background is light and white clothing blends in.
• No pacifier, bottle, toys, or adult’s hands visible in the baby’s photo.
• Eyes open and looking straight ahead — for babies, this may require multiple attempts.
• No glasses (sunglasses or prescription). If the minor wears prescription glasses permanently, IGM may accept them without reflections, but by default they will ask you to remove them.
• No hats, caps, or head accessories, except for documented religious reasons.
• Hair away from the face — tie it back if long.
• No heavy makeup or visible facial tattoos (rare in minors but applies).

Tip for infants and toddlers: bring a second adult who can distract the minor right after positioning them in the chair, without entering the photo frame. This helps capture the face looking straight ahead with eyes open.

Travel Authorization (Separate Procedure)

It is critical not to confuse two different procedures:

• Passport = travel ID document. Gives the minor a physical passport valid for 5 years.
• Minor exit authorization = ADDITIONAL permit for the minor to cross the border leaving Guatemala.

If the minor will travel with both parents, the passport is enough and no additional exit authorization is needed.

If they will travel without both parents — for example, only with the mother while the father stays, or with a grandparent, or with a school group, or alone — they need the additional exit permit. It is granted by Guatemalan consulates abroad (free) or processed before a notary in Guatemala.

Detailed guide: Minor travel authorization in Guatemala.

Differences vs Adult Passport

Common Reasons for Rejection

These are the most common reasons IGM fails minor appointments — based on real-case experience and official notices:

1. One parent is missing and there is no notarized power of attorney. Cause #1 of lost appointments. If you know from the start that only one parent will attend, bring the power of attorney or do not schedule yet.
2. The notarized power of attorney from the parent abroad is NOT apostilled. A power signed before a Notary Public in the US without the Secretary of State’s apostille does not work at IGM. This fails the appointment even if the document is correctly drafted.
3. One parent’s DPI is expired or damaged. Expired DPIs are not accepted. Renew it first at RENAP.
4. Minor’s birth certificate older than 6 months. Although RENAP does not mark strict expiration, IGM requires a recent certification. Get a new one if yours is old.
5. White or very light clothing in the photo. Causes multiple retakes or rejection if the figure cannot be distinguished from the background.
6. The minor is not present. Physical presence is mandatory even for newborns.
7. Banrural payment slip does not match the correct quetzal amount for the day — the system rejects payments below the official exchange rate.
8. Separated parents without a clear custody ruling trying to process without the other party. Without a final ruling of exclusive patria potestad, IGM does not accept the unilateral procedure.

Official Links

• IGM appointment portal: servicios.igm.gob.gt/citasenlinea
• IGM official site: igm.gob.gt
• IGM phone: 2411-2411 (national line)
• Banrural payment: any Banrural branch or online banking
• IGM headquarters: 6a. Avenida 3-11, Zone 4, Guatemala City

Related Guides

• Guatemalan passport (adults) — general process, first-time and renewal
• Minor travel authorization — additional exit permit when the minor travels without both parents
• Minor DPI at RENAP — how to get the minor’s first DPI
• Minor CUI at RENAP — looking up the minor’s Unique Identification Code