Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent, is a U.S. Department of State form used in certain child-passport applications when a legal parent or guardian whose consent is required cannot appear with the child.
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed October 12, 2026
A parent outside the United States may be able to notarize Form DS-3053 online when electronic notarization is allowed for that parent's location. Sign the form during the live notary session, not before.
The U.S. Department of State still requires embassy or consulate notarization in some countries, and a printed copy must be submitted with the child's passport application. Review the current passport-agency instructions before the session. Notarization does not guarantee passport issuance.
These points reflect the October 12, 2026 review of Form DS-3053, edition 10-2024. The printed form expiration is 10-31-2027. That date is the form's paperwork expiration, not the 90-day consent period. The official form and the live U.S. Department of State pages control if those materials change.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Form | Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child. |
| Current edition reviewed | The current Form DS-3053 edition reviewed for this article is 10-2024. |
| OMB control number | OMB Control No. 1405-0129. |
| Printed form expiration | The printed expiration on the reviewed Form DS-3053 is 10-31-2027. That is the form's paperwork expiration. It is not how long a signed consent stays valid. Consent is valid for 90 days from the passport authorizing officer or notary's signed date. |
| Purpose | Form DS-3053 records consent for issuance of a U.S. passport to a child when a required parent or guardian cannot appear as required. |
| Online notarization | Form DS-3053 may be electronically notarized when electronic notarization is permitted under applicable state law and current U.S. Department of State requirements are satisfied. |
| Country restriction | The U.S. Department of State requires U.S. embassy or consulate notarization of Form DS-3053 in certain countries. The live official list controls. |
| Signature | The current Form DS-3053 instructions require the affiant to leave Section 4 unsigned until appearing before the notary or passport authorizing officer. |
| Matching dates | The current Form DS-3053 instructions require the affiant's signing date and the notary or passport authorizing officer's signed date to match. |
| Validity | The current Form DS-3053 states that consent is valid for 90 days from the notary or passport authorizing officer's signed date. |
| ID copy | The current Form DS-3053 instructions require a clear front-and-back photocopy of the government-issued photo identification presented to the notary or passport authorizing officer. |
| Additional witnesses | The standard Form DS-3053 does not ordinarily require separate subscribing witnesses beyond the notary or passport authorizing officer. |
| Passport approval | Form DS-3053 notarization does not itself approve a U.S. passport application. |
| Child attendance at notarization | The child ordinarily does not need to participate in the Form DS-3053 notarization because the consenting non-applying parent or guardian is the person signing and swearing or affirming in Section 4. The child's separate in-person passport-application requirements still apply. |
| Applying parent at notarization | The adult identified in Section 2 of Form DS-3053 does not ordinarily become a DS-3053 signer merely because that adult will appear with the child. |
| Foreign passport | Florida law permits a foreign-government passport to serve as a government-issued identification credential for an online principal located outside the United States. The RON platform must still support that credential, and credential analysis and identity proofing must succeed. Passport Services separately reviews the completed Form DS-3053 package. |
Need Form DS-3053 notarized while a parent is outside the United States? In many situations, that parent can complete the notarization online with a commissioned U.S. online notary instead of waiting for a U.S. embassy or consulate appointment, if current Department of State instructions allow electronic notarization in the country where the parent will be physically located.
The form must be signed during the live online notary session, not before. Leave Section 4 unsigned until the notary directs the signer to sign. The signer needs a valid government-issued photo ID, a working camera and microphone, and a stable internet connection.
Because DS-3053 is used in a child's passport process, review the receiving passport agency's current instructions before the session. Online notarization does not guarantee that Passport Services will accept the form or issue the passport. Country rules for this article were last checked on October 12, 2026; the live Department pages control if they change.
Parents who do not have a U.S. Social Security number can review online notarization without a Social Security number. For the broader abroad workflow, start with notarizing U.S. documents while abroad.
iRemoteNotary is an independent online-notary organization. iRemoteNotary does not issue passports, does not decide parental authority, and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State or any U.S. embassy or consulate.
Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent, is a U.S. Department of State form used in certain child-passport applications when a legal parent or guardian whose consent is required cannot appear with the child.
Form DS-3053 is a U.S. Department of State passport form. Form DS-3053 is not a school form, airline form, or generic parental travel letter.
Form DS-3053 is used with Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport, when consent is still required for passport issuance but a required legal parent or guardian cannot appear in person with the child.
The current Form DS-3053 edition reviewed for this article is 10-2024. Download the current official PDF from the U.S. Department of State forms system: Form DS-3053 (official PDF)(opens in a new tab).
Form DS-3053 is generally needed when a child's U.S. passport application requires a legal parent or guardian's consent and that parent or guardian cannot appear in person with the child.
The signer of Form DS-3053 is the non-applying parent or guardian — the legal parent or guardian who is not appearing at the passport appointment with the child.
The adult identified in Section 2 of Form DS-3053 is the applying adult who will appear with the child. That applying adult does not ordinarily become a Form DS-3053 signer merely because that adult will appear with the child.
If the applying parent has qualifying evidence of sole legal authority, Form DS-3053 may not be required. The U.S. Department of State, not iRemoteNotary, decides whether that evidence is sufficient.
iRemoteNotary and the online notary do not decide who must consent, who is a legal parent, or whether sole-authority evidence removes the need for Form DS-3053.
Use this decision table to identify the next official process. The U.S. Department of State, not iRemoteNotary, decides which consent or special-circumstances path applies.
| If this is true | Then this usually follows |
|---|---|
| The child is under 16 and one parent who shares parental authority cannot attend the passport appointment. | A notarized Form DS-3053 or another consent method accepted by the U.S. Department of State may be required. |
| The applying parent has qualifying evidence of sole legal authority. | Form DS-3053 may not be required. Follow current U.S. Department of State child-passport instructions. |
| The other parent cannot be located. | Review the U.S. Department of State's Form DS-5525, Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances, process. A notary cannot choose Form DS-5525 for you. |
| The consenting parent or guardian is physically located in a country the U.S. Department of State currently identifies as requiring embassy or consulate notarization of Form DS-3053. | Use the U.S. embassy or consulate process for Form DS-3053. iRemoteNotary remote online notarization is not a substitute for that instruction. |
| The consenting parent or guardian is abroad in a country that is not currently subject to that embassy-or-consulate restriction. | Remote Online Notarization (RON) may be possible, subject to applicable state law, identity verification, platform support, Form DS-3053 execution rules, and current U.S. Department of State instructions. |
Official requirement: confirm the live U.S. Department of State Apply for a Child's Passport Under 16(opens in a new tab) page before scheduling.
Potentially. The U.S. Department of State states that electronically notarized statements of consent are accepted when electronic notarization is allowed under applicable state law.
The U.S. Department of State also requires a printed copy of electronically notarized consent with the child's passport application.
Remote Online Notarization (RON) is a live audio-video appearance before a commissioned online notary. Typing a name on a PDF, drawing a signature, or emailing an unsigned form is not a notarization.
Florida law provides online-notarization procedures for a Florida online notary public, including Florida Statutes § 117.265. That Florida rule governs the notarial act when a Florida-commissioned online notary acts under Florida law. Florida law does not decide whether Passport Services will accept the finished Form DS-3053.
Official source: U.S. Department of State child-passport guidance(opens in a new tab) and Florida Statutes § 117.265(opens in a new tab).
A consenting parent or guardian may be physically outside the United States and still complete Form DS-3053 by Remote Online Notarization (RON) only when current U.S. Department of State instructions do not require U.S. embassy or consulate notarization in that country.
Country on the current U.S. Department of State embassy-required list: use a U.S. embassy or consulate for Form DS-3053.
Country not currently on that list: Remote Online Notarization (RON) may be possible, subject to applicable state law, identity verification, platform support, Form DS-3053 execution rules, and current U.S. Department of State requirements.
RON is not available as a Form DS-3053 alternative when current U.S. Department of State instructions require embassy or consulate notarization in the signer's country.
The U.S. Department of State is the controlling source for whether Form DS-3053 must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate in a particular country.
As of the October 12, 2026 review, the Department's child-passport page identifies certain countries where Form DS-3053 must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate and cannot be notarized by a local notary public. Examples as of the October 12, 2026 review include Haiti, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Indonesia. This is not the complete list. The official current list controls.
A country list on this page can change. Check the current U.S. Department of State country list.
A local foreign notary is not a substitute when current U.S. Department of State instructions require U.S. embassy or consulate notarization of Form DS-3053. A local foreign notary is also not the same legal actor as a Florida online notary public performing Remote Online Notarization (RON).
Official source: Apply for a Child's Passport Under 16(opens in a new tab). Check that live page for the country where the consenting parent or guardian will be physically located before scheduling.
A U.S. embassy or consulate notarial appointment and a Remote Online Notarization (RON) session are different legal acts. iRemoteNotary does not replace consular services.
| Topic | U.S. embassy or consulate | Remote Online Notarization (RON) |
|---|---|---|
| Who performs the act | A consular officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate, when the post offers the service. | A commissioned online notary, such as a Florida online notary public acting under Florida law. |
| Physical presence | Usually an in-person appearance at the post. | A live audio-video appearance. The signer is not at a diplomatic post. |
| When it is required for Form DS-3053 | When the U.S. Department of State currently requires embassy or consulate notarization in the signer's country. | Not a substitute for that embassy-or-consulate instruction. |
| When it may be used | When the post offers notarial services and the receiving passport process accepts consular execution. | When electronic notarization is allowed under applicable state law and current Department instructions accept it for that location. |
| Apostille | A U.S. embassy or consulate generally does not issue an apostille for a U.S. notarization. | iRemoteNotary does not issue an apostille. Apostille is a later government step, if any. |
Official consular source: U.S. Department of State notarial and authentication services(opens in a new tab). Comparison guide: U.S. embassy versus online notary.
The current Form DS-3053 states that consent is valid for 90 days from the passport authorizing officer or notary's signed date.
U.S. Department of State child-passport guidance also instructs that Form DS-3053 and other notarized consent statements must be submitted within 90 days after signing or notarization.
If Form DS-3053 is more than 90 days old at submission, new consent is generally required. Passport Services or the receiving post makes the final determination.
Official source: current Form DS-3053(opens in a new tab) and U.S. Department of State child-passport guidance(opens in a new tab).
Form DS-3053 does not ordinarily require separate subscribing witnesses.
The current Form DS-3053 instructions require the affiant to appear before a notary public or passport authorizing officer and to sign Section 4 during that appearance.
If a different document in the same family packet — such as a general child travel-consent letter — requires witnesses, those witness rules belong to that other document, not to Form DS-3053.
Official source: current Form DS-3053 instructions(opens in a new tab). Related iRemoteNotary explanation: online notary witnesses in different countries.
The current Form DS-3053 instructions require the affiant to present valid government-issued photo identification to the notary or passport authorizing officer.
The same identification presented during the notarial appearance must be the identification photocopied for the passport package.
Florida law separately governs what credential may be used in a Florida Remote Online Notarization (RON) session. iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow uses credential analysis of a current government-issued photo ID and biometric facial verification. A U.S. Social Security number is not required for that international workflow.
The current Form DS-3053 instructions require a clear photocopy of the front and back of the valid government-issued photo identification presented to the notary or passport authorizing officer.
The ID photocopy must show both the front and the back.
Successful online identity verification and the U.S. Department of State's ID-photocopy requirement are related but separate. A completed Remote Online Notarization (RON) session does not replace the front-and-back photocopy.
Official source: current Form DS-3053(opens in a new tab).
Florida law permits a foreign-government passport to serve as a government-issued identification credential for an online principal located outside the United States. The RON platform must still support the credential, credential analysis must succeed, and the required identity-proofing process must be completed.
iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow uses credential analysis and biometric facial verification of the presented passport. A genuine foreign-government passport is not guaranteed to pass every RON platform's credential-analysis or identity-proofing system.
Passport Services independently reviews the completed Form DS-3053, the required ID photocopy, and the child's passport application. Successful RON identity verification does not itself guarantee passport issuance.
Florida source: Florida Statutes § 117.201(opens in a new tab) and Florida Statutes § 117.265(opens in a new tab). iRemoteNotary explanation: foreign passport online notarization for a U.S. document.
The child ordinarily does not need to participate in the Form DS-3053 notarization because the consenting non-applying parent or guardian is the person signing and swearing or affirming in Section 4.
The child's separate in-person passport-application requirements still apply. Those appearance rules belong to the U.S. passport application, usually Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport, not to the DS-3053 notarial appearance.
Follow current U.S. Department of State child-passport appearance rules for the passport appointment itself.
The applying parent or applying adult identified in Section 2 of Form DS-3053 does not ordinarily need to join the Form DS-3053 notarial session.
That applying adult does not become a Form DS-3053 signer merely because that adult will appear with the child at the passport appointment.
The affiant who must appear for the Form DS-3053 notarization is the non-applying parent or guardian giving consent.
A grandparent or other third party may appear with the child only when current U.S. Department of State instructions allow a third-party applicant and the required parental consent or other evidence is provided.
Form DS-3053 may still be required from the legal parent or guardian who is not appearing. A grandparent does not become the Form DS-3053 affiant merely by escorting the child.
iRemoteNotary cannot decide whether a third-party application is permitted. Follow current U.S. Department of State child-passport instructions.
Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent, is used when a required parent or guardian can still give consent but cannot appear with the child.
Form DS-5525, Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances, is a separate U.S. Department of State form used when routine consent may not be available, including when the other parent cannot be located.
Passport Services evaluates whether Form DS-5525 circumstances qualify. A notary cannot select Form DS-5525 or Form DS-3053 for a family.
| Topic | Form DS-3053 | Form DS-5525 |
|---|---|---|
| Official title | Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child | Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances |
| When generally used | A legal parent or guardian can give consent but cannot appear with the child. | Routine consent may not be available, including when the other parent cannot be contacted. |
| Who completes it | The non-applying parent or guardian giving consent. | The parent or guardian explaining the special circumstances. |
| Notary role | The notary may complete the notarial act on a properly presented Form DS-3053. | The notary does not decide whether Form DS-5525 is the correct form. |
Follow current U.S. Department of State instructions. iRemoteNotary does not choose between Form DS-3053 and Form DS-5525.
Form DS-3053 is not always required for a 16- or 17-year-old U.S. passport applicant.
U.S. Department of State guidance for applicants ages 16–17 generally focuses on parental awareness of the application, not the same both-parent appearance rule used for children under 16.
Form DS-3053 may still be requested in a 16–17 case if awareness is not clear. Follow the live 16–17 page rather than this summary.
Official source: Apply for Your Passport as a 16–17 Year Old(opens in a new tab).
| Topic | Children under age 16 | Applicants ages 16–17 |
|---|---|---|
| Usual parent involvement | Both parents or legal guardians generally must appear with the child or submit qualifying consent or exception documentation. | Parental awareness of the application is generally expected. |
| Form DS-3053 relevance | Commonly used when one parent or guardian cannot appear. | May be requested if awareness is not clear; not always required. |
No. Form DS-3053 is a U.S. Department of State passport consent form. A general child travel-consent letter is not a substitute for Form DS-3053 when Passport Services requires Form DS-3053.
Read the child travel consent online notarization guide only for travel-letter questions.
| Topic | Form DS-3053 | General child travel-consent letter |
|---|---|---|
| Authority | U.S. Department of State passport form. | Private letter used for travel, school, or airline questions. |
| Typical use | Consent for issuance of a child's U.S. passport when a required parent or guardian cannot appear. | Permission for a child to travel with another adult or alone. |
| Can it replace the other document? | Form DS-3053 is not a travel letter. | A travel-consent letter is not a substitute for Form DS-3053 when Passport Services requires Form DS-3053. |
The U.S. Department of State requires a printed copy of electronically notarized consent with the child's passport application.
An electronically notarized record is not the same as the printed copy submitted with Form DS-11. Some U.S. embassy or consulate posts may also ask for original wet-ink consent. Confirm the receiving office's format rule before relying on a digital file alone.
| Format | What it is | How it is used for Form DS-3053 |
|---|---|---|
| Electronically notarized record | The digital notarial record created by a Remote Online Notarization (RON) session. | May be used when electronic notarization is permitted under applicable state law and current U.S. Department of State instructions accept it. |
| Printed copy | A paper printout of the electronically notarized Form DS-3053. | The U.S. Department of State requires a printed copy of electronically notarized consent when applying for the child's passport. |
| Original wet-ink paper | A paper Form DS-3053 signed and notarized in ink. | Some embassy or consulate posts may require original completed consent. Confirm with the specific post handling the application. |
Official source: U.S. Department of State child-passport guidance(opens in a new tab).
Use How to Fill Out Form DS-3053 Before Your Notary Session for the field-by-field steps. Sections 1, 2, and 3 are completed by the non-applying legal parent or legal guardian before the appearance.
Section 2 names the adult who will appear in person with a child under 16. Completing Section 2 does not make that adult the Form DS-3053 signer. Passport book and passport card scope is written in Section 3. It is not chosen in Section 1.
Section 4 is the Oath/Affirmation. Follow the preparation steps and sign only while appearing before the passport authorizing officer or notary.
The signed dates must match, and the officer or notary must not be related to the signer. If Section 4 was signed early, complete a new form. Do not correct the signed form.
Official source: current Form DS-3053(opens in a new tab).
Fill in the form with the preparation steps, then follow this session order.
iRemoteNotary preparation tip: use a laptop, desktop, or tablet with a working camera, microphone, and stable internet when possible. That device recommendation is operational advice, not a U.S. Department of State form requirement.
iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow is an operational process. It is not a U.S. Department of State procedure and it does not replace the country-eligibility rule.
Before any session request, confirm the country where the consenting parent or guardian will be physically located. If current U.S. Department of State instructions require embassy or consulate notarization in that country, use that process instead.
iRemoteNotary preparation tip: a standard Form DS-3053 session is ordinarily one signer and one notarization. Additional seals or witnesses are not ordinary Form DS-3053 requirements.
If the non-applying parent is deployed by the military and that parent's consent is required, current U.S. Department of State guidance says the parent should provide a notarized Form DS-3053 in most cases.
Military deployment does not automatically remove the consent requirement. The parent's physical country must still be checked against the current embassy or consulate requirement before using Remote Online Notarization (RON).
If the military parent's physical country is currently identified by the U.S. Department of State as requiring embassy or consulate notarization of Form DS-3053, use the U.S. embassy or consulate process. If that country is not currently on that list, RON may be possible, subject to applicable state law, identity verification, platform support, and current U.S. Department of State instructions.
Allow time to print and deliver Form DS-3053 inside the 90-day validity period. Deployment location can change the embassy-or-consulate analysis.
Official source: U.S. Department of State child-passport guidance(opens in a new tab).
The U.S. Department of State instructions reviewed for this article do not list an apostille as a standard Form DS-3053 passport-submission requirement.
An apostille is a later government certification of a notary's authority. An apostille is separate from notarization, recipient acceptance, recording, and passport issuance.
iRemoteNotary does not issue apostilles. Confirm with the receiving office only if the case is unusual and a foreign authority is asking for authentication beyond ordinary Passport Services submission.
iRemoteNotary explanation: can an online notarized document be apostilled.
After Form DS-3053 is notarized, the next steps are submission steps. They are not a second notarization and they are not passport approval.
These are common Form DS-3053 package problems. They are not the only reasons Passport Services or a post may delay or reject a package.
These definitions are for this article. They do not replace official U.S. Department of State form instructions.
| Term | Meaning in this guide |
|---|---|
| Form DS-3053 | Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent, is a U.S. Department of State form used in certain child-passport applications when a legal parent or guardian whose consent is required cannot appear with the child. |
| Affiant | The non-applying parent or guardian who signs the Form DS-3053 oath or affirmation in Section 4. |
| Non-applying parent | The legal parent or guardian who is not appearing with the child at the passport appointment but whose consent is required. |
| Applying adult | The adult identified in Section 2 of Form DS-3053 who will appear with the child. |
| Passport authorizing officer | The official who may take the Form DS-3053 oath instead of a notary public when U.S. Department of State instructions allow it. |
| Remote Online Notarization (RON) | A live audio-video notarization before a commissioned online notary, not an in-person embassy appointment. |
| Credential analysis | Automated review of the signer's government-issued identification document. |
| Identity proofing | The platform-supported identity-verification steps required before a Remote Online Notarization (RON) session may proceed. |
| U.S. embassy or consulate | A U.S. diplomatic post that may offer in-person notarial services. iRemoteNotary is not a U.S. embassy or consulate. |
| Form DS-5525 | Form DS-5525, Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances, is a separate U.S. Department of State form used when routine consent may not be available. |
| Passport book | The traditional U.S. passport booklet. Current Form DS-3053 consent covers a passport book and a passport card unless the parent writes a limitation in Section 3. |
| Passport card | The wallet-size U.S. passport card for limited travel. A book-only or card-only limit is written in Section 3 of Form DS-3053. |
Confirm the country-eligibility rule before considering price. If current U.S. Department of State instructions require embassy or consulate notarization in the signer's country, do not book an iRemoteNotary session for Form DS-3053.
International online notary sessions start at $50: a $25 base online notary session plus a $25 International Session Coordination Fee for signers located outside the United States. Additional signers ($10 each), additional seals ($15 each), and iRemoteNotary-provided witness service ($15 per witness) are charged separately when applicable.
A typical international Form DS-3053 session is one signer and one notarization: a $25 online notarization plus a $25 International Session Coordination Fee, for a typical total of $50. A standard Form DS-3053 does not ordinarily need additional seals or witnesses.
International Session Coordination Fee covers additional scheduling, time-zone coordination, document review and session staging, connection-readiness assistance, and pre-session support for signers located outside the United States.
Additional signer and additional-seal charges apply only when those extras are actually needed. U.S. embassy or consulate notarial fees are set separately by the U.S. Department of State. Paying an iRemoteNotary session fee or a consular fee does not guarantee passport issuance.
Complete the information requested in Sections 1 through 3 before your session, but stop before signing Section 4. Section 4 is the Oath/Affirmation and must be signed while appearing before the passport authorizing officer or notary.
Use the current Form DS-3053, edition 10-2024. The reviewed form shows OMB Control No. 1405-0129 and a printed expiration date of 10-31-2027. That printed expiration is the form's paperwork date. It is not the consent period.
Print legibly or type using black ink only. Do not change the official wording on the form. Download the current PDF: Form DS-3053(opens in a new tab).
The current form says to complete a new form if you make an error. Do not correct the error on the same copy.
Section 1 is “Child Applying for a U.S. Passport.” Print the child's name as it appears on Form DS-11, in the order Last, First, Middle. Enter the child's birthdate as MM-DD-YYYY. If the child is 16 or 17, check the box for age 16 or 17.
Section 1 does not ask for a passport book or passport card.
Passport requirements for ages 16 and 17 differ from the under-16 two-parent consent process. If Form DS-3053 is being used for a 16- or 17-year-old, follow current Passport Services instructions for that age group. The form says parental awareness is required, and the passport authorizing officer may request written consent.
Official guidance: passport applications for ages 16 and 17(opens in a new tab).
Section 2 is for a child under 16. Enter the adult who will appear in person with the child for the passport application. Print that adult's name as Last, First, Middle, and check one relationship: Legal Parent, Legal Guardian, or Third Party.
Naming that adult in Section 2 does not make the adult the person who signs Form DS-3053.
Section 3 is the statement of consent. In blank 1, and in blank 2 when a second non-applying legal parent or legal guardian is also consenting, print each person's full name. Then complete each person's street address; city, state/country, and ZIP code; phone; and email. If the second person's address and contact details match the first, check the box on the form.
Section 3 is not the signature block. The parent signs in Section 4 during the appearance.
The current form says consent is valid for both a U.S. passport book and a passport card unless the parent states a limitation in writing in Section 3. To limit consent, write “issue passport book only” or “issue passport card only” on the Section 3 line. Leave that line blank when consent should cover both.
Section 4 is the Oath/Affirmation. The form says to stop there and not sign until a passport authorizing officer or notary asks you to sign.
The oath on the current form reads: “I solemnly swear (or affirm) that the above information given by me is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.” Sign that oath during the appearance. Do not pre-sign.
The consenting parent's signed date and the officer's or notary's signed date must match. The officer or notary must not be related to the signer. If Section 4 was signed early, complete a new form.
Leave the officer's portion blank until the appearance. The passport authorizing officer or notary verifies your identity, records the identification details the form requests, signs and dates, and completes the location and seal.
The passport application must include a clear photocopy of the front and back of the same valid government-issued photo ID presented to the notary or officer. The online session does not replace that photocopy. The notary does not submit the child's passport application.
Consent is valid for 90 days from the passport authorizing officer or notary's signed date. If the passport application is not submitted in that period, new consent is required. The printed form expiration of 10-31-2027 is a different date. The fuller explanation is in how long Form DS-3053 consent stays valid.
The U.S. Department of State accepts an electronically notarized statement of consent when state law allows electronic notarization, and a printed copy must be provided with the child's passport application. Acceptance still depends on the parent's physical country, current passport rules, and successful identity verification.
Your physical country can affect which notarization route the State Department allows. Check the country guidance on this page before booking.
Use this list after the preparation steps above. If current U.S. Department of State instructions require embassy or consulate notarization in the parent's physical country, use that process instead of booking.
Upload the unsigned Form DS-3053 and the country where the consenting parent will be physically located. Do not sign Section 4 before the live session. If current State Department instructions require embassy or consulate notarization in that country, use that process instead.
Message us on WhatsApp if you have a question about completing a U.S.-related notarization while outside the United States.
Potentially. Form DS-3053 may be electronically notarized when electronic notarization is permitted under applicable state law, but the parent's physical country must also be checked against current U.S. Department of State requirements. A printed copy must be submitted with the child's passport application.
Remote Online Notarization (RON) of Form DS-3053 from Germany may be possible only if Germany is not currently identified by the U.S. Department of State as a country that requires U.S. embassy or consulate notarization of Form DS-3053. Check the live Department child-passport page for the country where the consenting parent will be physically located before scheduling.
Haiti is among the example countries listed on the U.S. Department of State child-passport page as of the October 12, 2026 review for embassy or consulate notarization of Form DS-3053. That example list is not permanently current. Check the live Department page before treating Haiti, or any other country, as embassy-required.
Form DS-3053 does not ordinarily require separate subscribing witnesses. The current Form DS-3053 instructions require the affiant to appear before a notary public or passport authorizing officer and to sign Section 4 during that appearance.
Form DS-3053 consent is valid for 90 days from the notary or passport authorizing officer's signed date. New consent is generally required if Form DS-3053 expires before submission.
Florida law permits a foreign-government passport to serve as a government-issued identification credential for an online principal located outside the United States. The RON platform must still support the credential, credential analysis must succeed, and identity proofing must be completed. Passport Services independently reviews the completed Form DS-3053 package; successful RON identity verification does not itself guarantee passport issuance.
The child ordinarily does not need to participate in the Form DS-3053 notarization because the consenting non-applying parent or guardian is the person signing and swearing or affirming in Section 4. The child's separate in-person passport-application requirements still apply.
The applying adult identified in Section 2 of Form DS-3053 does not ordinarily join the Form DS-3053 notarial session. That adult does not become a Form DS-3053 signer merely by appearing with the child later.
Form DS-5525, Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances, is a separate U.S. Department of State form used when routine consent may not be available, including when the other parent cannot be located. Form DS-5525 is not a substitute label for Form DS-3053.
If the non-applying parent is deployed by the military and that parent's consent is required, current U.S. Department of State guidance says the parent should provide a notarized Form DS-3053 in most cases. The parent's physical country must still be checked against the current embassy or consulate requirement before using Remote Online Notarization (RON). Deployment does not automatically remove the consent requirement.
The U.S. Department of State instructions reviewed for this article do not list an apostille as a standard Form DS-3053 passport-submission requirement. An apostille is separate from notarization and from passport issuance.
The current Form DS-3053 instructions require a clear front-and-back photocopy of the government-issued photo identification presented to the notary or passport authorizing officer.
No. Form DS-3053 notarization does not itself approve a U.S. passport application. Passport Services or the applicable post decides whether the passport application package is sufficient.
No. The current Form DS-3053 instructions require the non-applying parent or guardian to stop before Section 4 and sign only in front of the passport authorizing officer or notary. The affiant date and the notary or officer date must match.
No. The current Form DS-3053 instructions state that the passport authorizing officer or notary must not be related to the affiant.
If the applying parent has qualifying evidence of sole legal authority, Form DS-3053 may not be required. The U.S. Department of State, not iRemoteNotary, decides whether that evidence is sufficient.
If the other parent cannot be located, review Form DS-5525, Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances. Form DS-5525 is a separate U.S. Department of State form. A notary cannot choose Form DS-5525 or Form DS-3053 for a family.
The current Form DS-3053 says consent is valid for both a passport book and a passport card unless the consenting parent writes “issue passport book only” or “issue passport card only” in Section 3. That limitation is written in Section 3. It is not a Section 1 choice.
A local foreign notary is not a substitute when current U.S. Department of State instructions require U.S. embassy or consulate notarization of Form DS-3053. Where embassy or consulate notarization is not required, Remote Online Notarization (RON) may be possible subject to applicable state law and current Department instructions.
Yes. The current Form DS-3053 instructions require the affiant's signing date and the notary or passport authorizing officer's signed date to match.
After the country-eligibility check, a typical iRemoteNotary international session is one signer and one notarization. The signer uploads the unsigned form, completes credential analysis and biometric verification, appears live by audio-video, and signs Section 4 only when directed. That workflow is iRemoteNotary operational practice, not a U.S. Department of State procedure.
A typical international Form DS-3053 session is one signer and one notarization: a $25 online notarization plus a $25 International Session Coordination Fee, for a typical total of $50. Confirm the country-eligibility rule before booking. Paying the session fee does not guarantee passport issuance.
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child — Form DS-3053(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State
Accessed October 12, 2026
Apply for a Child's Passport Under 16(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Accessed October 12, 2026
Apply for Your Passport as a 16–17 Year Old(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Accessed October 12, 2026
Passport Forms(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Accessed September 4, 2026
Notarial and Authentication Services at U.S. Embassies and Consulates(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State
Accessed September 4, 2026
Passports: Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent(opens in a new tab)
Federal Register
Accessed September 4, 2026
Florida Statutes § 117.265 — Online Notarization Procedures(opens in a new tab)
Florida Senate
Accessed September 4, 2026
Florida Senate
Accessed September 4, 2026
Upload the unsigned form and confirm the parent's country before the session. Sign only when the notary directs you. If current State Department instructions require embassy or consulate notarization in that country, use that process instead. A completed notarization does not guarantee passport issuance.