Passport for a Child
As of November 1, 2007, a child’s passport will be valid for a maximum of 6 years. It is possible to issue a child’s passport for a child up to 12 years old. Since the child’s passport becomes invalid at the age of 12, the child must have a regular passport as of that date.
Passport applications must be filed personally at the foreign mission responsible for your consular district during visiting hours. It is no longer possible to apply for a passport by mail.
If you are applying for a child’s passport for the first time, it may be necessary to provide a declaration of the child’s legal name. Information about declarations of legal names appears below on this page.
Due to the amended provisions regarding entry to the U.S., you should thoroughly consider applying for a German passport immediately instead of renewing a child’s passport.
Please also bear in mind that the child’s passport is not recognized by all countries. Before embarking on foreign travel, you should duly inquire whether the child’s entry and transit is even possible with a child’s passport.
