Do children need to have passports?

Any child traveling internationally needs to have a passport. A child under the age of 16 needs both parents listed on his application. Children who are 16 or 17 can apply for passports by themselves, though it is recommended that a parent or guardian accompanies them during the application process.

Evidence of U.S. citizenship, parental consent, a photo identification and a passport photo need to accompany all passport applications for children. Passports for children under 16 are valid for five years while passports for 16-year-old and 17-year-old children are valid for 10 years. Passport applications for children need to be submitted in person.