Community Chat

[balogna]

Who should sign the passport for a minor under 16? On the passport, it said ' sign by bearer '.

My daughter had her passport renew in 2010, and my husband signed his name. It wasn't any problem when we entered US thru LA. In coming June, my daughter is going to Spain thru school program, now I am worry she is having problem entering Spain because is not her signature on the passport. She was almost 13 when we renewed her passport in 2010.

Thank you.

[I am still oxox]

You might be better off calling someone at the passport office or look on their website to find the answer, on here you will get 10 different answers and every one will think they are correct

[sunshine45]

A parent or legal guardian may sign the passport if the child is too young to sign his or her own name. To do so, a parent or legal guardian must print the child’s name and sign his or her own name in the space provided for the signature. The parent or legal guardian must also write his or her relationship to the child in parenthesis next to the signature (e.g., parent or legal guardian) so we know who signed for the child.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/FAQs.html

[Marienkaefer2]

The rules may have changed, but I had my own passport that I signed myself

beginning when I was ten. In fact, I still have that one and all subsequent ones (as a keepsake of course!)

If it were my child, I would get her own passport in her own name that she signed.

I agree it's best to call or access the State Dept. website that addresses this.

[Tribesters]

I process passport applications. The parents sign for children under the age of 16. If you look at the DS-11 passport application you will see that the signature line says "applicant's legal signature- age 16 & over." The next 2 lines are for mother/father signing to identify a minor. You can find the form, and other info, online at travel.state.gov.

[JustJazzmom]

I am assuming that the passport itself has your husband's signature on it. IMO, I would have had your daughter sign it at the age she got the renewal passport. She may have to get her signature notarized and bring it with her along with the passport before leaving the USA. But I would contact your local passport office and ask this question as to what to do before she heads to Spain.

[Irshgrl31201]

On 4/4/2014 Tribefan said: I process passport applications. The parents sign for children under the age of 16. If you look at the DS-11 passport application you will see that the signature line says "applicant's legal signature- age 16 & over." The next 2 lines are for mother/father signing to identify a minor. You can find the form, and other info, online at travel.state.gov.

I got mine when I was very young so my parents signed for me but my daughter signed her own when she got hers and she was 13 and they are the ones that told me she should sign her own. Never had a problem with it either.

[Irshgrl31201]

On 4/4/2014 sunshine45 said:

A parent or legal guardian may sign the passport if the child is too young to sign his or her own name. To do so, a parent or legal guardian must print the child’s name and sign his or her own name in the space provided for the signature. The parent or legal guardian must also write his or her relationship to the child in parenthesis next to the signature (e.g., parent or legal guardian) so we know who signed for the child.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/FAQs.html

Thank you Sunshine45!

[KathyPet]

The passport regulation does not say that someone under 16 must have a parent or guardian sign They are just saying that for all minors who are too young to sign their own name a parent or guardian MAY sign.