U.S. Embassy & Consulate
in New Zealand, Cook Islands and Niue

Two-parent consent scenarios

If both parents are attending the passport interview, they MUST:

• Appear in person with the minor.
• Sign Form DS-11 in front of a Consular Officer.

If only one parent is attending the passport interview, they MUST:

• Appear in person with the minor.
• Sign Form DS-11 in front of a Consular Officer.
• Submit the second parent’s notarized Statement of Consent (Form DS-3053 PDF 42 KB) and a notarized photocopy of the identification presented when signing. The form must be signed and notarized within the last three months, and can be notarized by a Justice of the Peace. The Justice of the Peace or Notary Public must affix the  notarized consent form and identification together.

If only parent is attending the passport interview but that parent has sole legal custody of the minor child, they MUST:

• Appear in person with the minor.
• Sign Form DS-11 in front of a Consular Officer.
• Submit primary evidence of sole authority to apply for the child with one of the following:
  • minor’s original U.S. or foreign birth certificate, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad listing only the applying parent;
  • court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child’s travel is restricted by that order);
  • adoption decree (if applying parent is sole adopting parent);
  • judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent; or,
  • death certificate of non-applying parent.

If only one parent is attending the passport interview, and cannot obtain the consent of the second parent for a reason other than what is already addressed above, they MUST:

• Appear in person with the minor.
• Sign Form DS-11 in front of a Consular Officer.
• Submit Form DS-5525 (PDF 42 KB): Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances stating why the non-applying parent/guardian’s consent cannot be obtained. The statement must explain in detail the non-applying parent’s or guardian’s unavailability and recent efforts made to contact the non-applying parent. The applying parent should also provide evidence (e.g., custody order, incarceration order, restraining order) to document his/her claim of exigent or special circumstances.

A Third Party (in Loco Parent is applying on behalf of a minor under the age of 16) MUST:

• Submit a notarized statement or affidavit from both parents/guardians:
  • authorizing a third-party to apply for a passport for their child; and,
  • consenting to the issuance of a passport to their child.
  • a photocopy of the identification presented when signing.
• Sign Form DS-11 in front of a Consular Officer.
• Appear in person with the minor.
• When the statement of affidavit is from only one parent/guardian, the third-party must present evidence of sole custody of the authorizing parent/guardian.

The notarized statement or affidavit and identification must be affixed together by the Notary Public.