Baby's First Passport: The Full Application Walkthrough

Getting your baby's first passport is really three separate tasks stacked together: gathering the right documents, getting a compliant photo, and navigating whichever country's application process applies to you. Most of the friction comes from not knowing what's needed until you're already at the counter or mid-form. Here's the whole thing laid out in order, for both the US and the UK.

Before you start: what you'll actually need

Regardless of country, plan on needing:

• Your baby's original birth certificate (a photocopy alone won't be accepted anywhere).
• Proof of citizenship or nationality for the country you're applying to.
• A compliant passport photo, which for a baby has a couple of age-based exceptions but is otherwise the same spec as an adult's.
• Whichever parental consent or presence requirement applies (this differs meaningfully between the US and UK, covered below).
• The current application fee.

Applying in the US: Form DS-11

Every US passport application for a child under 16 uses Form DS-11, and unlike an adult renewal, it can't be done entirely by mail.

In person, both parents (usually). Both parents or guardians generally need to appear in person with the child at an acceptance facility (many post offices, clerks of court, and some libraries). If one parent can't attend, the absent parent typically needs to provide written consent via Form DS-3053, notarized, and submitted within 90 days of being signed.

Documents. An original or certified copy of your baby's citizenship evidence (a birth certificate is the standard document; photocopies alone aren't accepted), plus physical photo ID for both parents or guardians, along with photocopies of everything.

Fees. As of 2026, a passport book via Form DS-11 costs $100 in application fees paid to the US Department of State, plus a $35 execution fee paid to the acceptance facility, $135 total. Expedited service adds roughly $60. Confirm current amounts on travel.state.gov's fee page before you apply, since fees do change.

Processing time. Routine processing typically runs 4-6 weeks at the passport agency itself, and that doesn't include mailing time on either end, so plan on roughly 8-10 weeks total for the standard service. Expedited service runs about 2-3 weeks. Check travel.state.gov's current processing times before booking any travel around it.

Applying in the UK: GOV.UK online

The UK process is structured differently and, for most parents, is entirely online.

Apply through gov.uk. The online application is the standard and cheaper route. You'll need a digital photo of your baby (uploaded yourself, or added via a code if you used a professional photo service, see our UK baby passport photo guide for exactly how that works), plus supporting documents.

Documents. Your baby's full birth certificate (original), proof of British nationality (usually a parent's British passport details), any existing foreign passport, and relevant court orders if they apply to your situation.

Identity confirmation. After you submit and pay, you nominate someone to confirm your baby's identity. HM Passport Office emails them instructions, and they confirm it online, no printed photo signature required.

Fees. As of 2026, a first child passport costs £66.50 applying online or £80 by paper form through the Post Office. Confirm the current fee on gov.uk/get-a-child-passport before you apply.

Processing time. The standard service usually delivers within about 3 weeks of HM Passport Office receiving your documents, though it can run longer if they need more information. Faster paid services exist if you're on a deadline; check gov.uk for current urgent options.

Child passport photo requirements for a first application

Whichever country you're applying to, the photo itself follows the same basic shape:

• Size: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) printed for the US; at least 600 x 750 pixels digital for the UK.
• Background: plain white or off-white (US) or light-grey, cream, or white (UK), no shadows or patterns.
• Framing: full face visible, front-on, nothing else in the shot, no hands, straps, dummies, or toys.
• Eyes and expression (under about 1): eyes may be closed, and your baby doesn't need to look at the camera. Keep the expression calm and neutral otherwise.
• Original photo only: no filters, portrait-mode blur, or AI-generated or edited images. Both countries screen for this.

Our baby passport photo requirements guide is the full checklist for both specifications side by side, and how to take a baby passport photo at home walks through the actual shoot.

When to start

There's no minimum age for a baby to hold a passport, some parents apply within the first few weeks of life ahead of a planned trip. What matters more than your baby's age is your own timeline: given US routine processing can run 8-10 weeks door to door and UK standard service around 3 weeks (both covered above), start the process as soon as you know you'll need the passport, and add extra buffer if you're not planning to pay for expedited service. Starting early also gives you room to reshoot the photo without the pressure of a looming travel date.

A realistic order of operations

1. Gather documents first, before you touch the photo. Knowing exactly what's required (and confirming an original birth certificate is in hand, not just a photocopy) avoids the most common hold-up.
2. Take and verify the photo. Do this before you start the application itself so you're not filling out forms with a photo you're not sure about.
3. Submit the application (in person for the US, online for the UK) with everything ready at once.
4. Wait, and check status if it runs past the estimate. Both countries offer online status tracking; use it rather than guessing.

Common first-time mistakes that slow things down

• A photo that gets rejected on resubmission, usually a stray hand, a shadow, or a phone filter. Our infant passport photo rejection reasons guide covers every common cause and the fix, worth a read before you shoot, not after a rejection.
• A photocopy instead of an original document. Neither country accepts a photocopied birth certificate as the primary document; bring or send the original.
• Missing parental consent (US). If one parent can't appear in person, the notarized DS-3053 needs to be arranged ahead of time, not discovered at the counter.
• Applying too close to travel dates. Both countries' standard processing runs several weeks; expedited options exist but cost more and still take time.
• A name that doesn't match across documents. If your baby's name on the birth certificate, the application form, and any other supporting document isn't spelled identically, expect a query or a delay. Double-check spelling and order (especially with hyphenated or multi-part names) before you submit.

Before you submit: a quick checklist

• Original birth certificate in hand, not a photocopy
• Proof of citizenship or nationality ready for the country you're applying to
• Photo taken recently, verified against the exact spec, not just eyeballed
• Parental consent or presence requirement sorted (both parents present, or notarized DS-3053 for the US)
• Name spelling matches exactly across every document
• Current fee confirmed on the official site, since amounts do change

Get the photo part done first

Of the whole process, the photo is the one piece you fully control and can get right before anything else is in motion. Our baby passport photo tool handles the US side: take one photo at home, we verify it against every State Department rule and hand back an upload-ready file, accepted or your money back. We never alter your baby's appearance, we check it against the rules and format the file correctly. If you're applying in the UK, our UK tool does the same against HMPO's rules. And if your child has aged past the infant exception, our toddler passport photo guide covers what changes once eyes-open and look-at-the-camera become required.