Yes, under U.S. law every individual must have their own passport in order to travel internationally, regardless of age.

The photo you submit for a child U.S. passport must meet the following criteria:

• 2″ x 2″ in size, printed in color on high-quality photo paper
• Plain white background
• No hats, headbands, or hair bows
• No extra objects or people in the photo – no pacifiers, bottles, toys, chairs, or parent’s hands
• The child must face the camera and have eyes open

Have the baby lie on a plain white blanket or sheet, and take the photo looking down at the baby’s face.

If a child only has one parent listed on the birth certificate, it’s easy – that one parent will be the only one who has to sign the child passport application form, and will have to accompany their child to the Passport Acceptance Agent.

If a child has a legal guardian other than the parent(s) listed on the birth certificate, you will need to submit certified copies of the proof of legal guardianship.

If the child has a non-custodial parent who is listed on the birth certificate, the non-custodial parent will still need to either accompany the child to the Passport Acceptance Agent or sign the “Statement of Consent” form.

You can get the birth certificate from the Vital Statistics Office in the state where your child was born, or you can order it online through Vitalchek.com

Yes, the birth certificate and previous passport will be returned to you. They may arrive in a separate envelope after you get the new child passport.