All minor passport applicants, including children under the age of 16, must appear at the consulate in person.
Parental Consent
Consent from BOTH parents is required for all U.S. citizen passport applicants under the age of 16.
Under current law, both parents/legal guardian(s) must execute the child’s passport application and provide evidence that they are the child’s parents/legal guardian(s).
If one parent cannot be present, the applying parent can bring a notarized statement of consent signed by the absent parent, DS-3053 form, or provide a document showing sole custody. This requirement applies to first-time passport applicants and passport renewals for regular, official and diplomatic passports for children under 16. The purpose of this requirement is to lessen the possibility that an American passport might be used to facilitate international parental child abduction.
Please note: the age at which a minor may execute a passport application on his/her own behalf, without parental consent, is 16. For passport applicants age 16 to 17, the presence of a parent/legal guardian is required.
Documents to be submitted:
- Minor’s original U.S. birth certificate, Certificate of Citizenship (translation of the local birth certificate is required) or original Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). First-time passport applicants born in Bulgaria must apply for a CRBA first.
- Minor’s previous U.S. passport, if applicable.
- Both parents’ photo IDs or one parent’s ID along with signed and notarized DS-3053, or document showing sole custody.
Please note: If the non-applying parent is in Bulgaria, the DS-3053 must be signed at the U.S. Embassy in Sofia before or after the appointment. Please contact us for more information.
- A completed but not signed DS-11 form.
- One photograph 5 cm x 5 cm (not older than six months).
- You may be requested to show a chronological progression of photos of your child (at least one per year) from the time of your child’s last passport.
You may pay cash in U.S. dollars or Bulgarian leva or by credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Diners. Personal checks are not accepted.
Please Note: The Application Fee is a non-refundable processing fee and is retained by the Department of State whether or not the passport is issued.
Please schedule an appointment before you come. Once you schedule the appointment, please contact us at acs_sofia@state.gov to provide full name, passport number and DOB of the accompanying parents.
Office of Children’s Issues
Parents who have concerns about passport applications for any minor child who may become the victim of an international parental child abduction (including children between the ages of 14 and 18), should contact the Office of Children’s Issues in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, at (202) 663-2641.
