Form DS-3053 is the U.S. Department of State's Statement of Consent for a child's passport when a legal parent or legal guardian whose consent is required cannot appear with the child. Current instructions allow electronically notarized consent when permitted under applicable state law, but the form has strict signing, identification-copy, timing, and country-specific requirements.
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed August 16, 2026
Potentially, yes. Current U.S. Department of State instructions say electronically notarized statements of consent are accepted when electronic notarization is allowed under applicable state law, and a printed copy must be submitted with the child's passport application.
The non-applying parent or guardian must not sign before appearing for the notarization. The signer must present acceptable government-issued photo identification, attach a clear front-and-back photocopy of the ID presented to the notary, and generally submit the consent within 90 days of notarization. If the signer is outside the United States, State Department instructions may require U.S. embassy or consulate notarization in certain locations. Confirm acceptance with the passport office or post before booking an online session. Notarization does not guarantee passport issuance.
A child's U.S. passport application often requires more than one legal parent or guardian to participate. When one parent cannot appear in person with the child, Passport Services may require documented consent on Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child.
That makes DS-3053 a frequent passport-related notarization request iRemoteNotary receives — from parents in another U.S. state, parents living or working overseas, deployed service members, and guardians coordinating with an applying parent in the United States.
This guide explains what DS-3053 is, when it is used, how online notarization may fit current State Department instructions, and what domestic and international signers should prepare. It is educational information from iRemoteNotary, a national and international online-notary organization — not legal advice, not passport adjudication advice, and not a substitute for current official instructions.
Form DS-3053 is officially titled Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child. It is a U.S. Department of State passport form, not a school form, airline form, or generic parental authorization letter.
DS-3053 is used with Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport, when a legal parent or legal guardian whose consent is required cannot appear in person with the child but consent is still required for passport issuance. The form records that the non-applying parent or guardian consents to issuance of a U.S. passport book, passport card, or the option selected on the form, depending on what the passport application requests.
The person who completes DS-3053 is the non-applying parent or guardian — the parent or guardian who is not appearing at the passport appointment with the child. That person may be located in the United States or outside it.
DS-3053 is not a general child travel consent letter. A travel-consent letter may help with airlines, schools, or border questions about a minor traveling without both parents. DS-3053 is specifically tied to U.S. passport issuance and must follow Passport Services instructions. Do not substitute one document for the other when DS-3053 is required.
Use the current official form from the State Department's passport forms system. As of editorial review, the PDF is identified as DS-3053 10-2024, with an OMB expiration shown on the form. Do not rely on an old saved copy without checking for updates.
DS-3053 is generally used in passport situations where both legal parents or guardians must participate, but one cannot appear in person with the child applying under age 16. Common fact patterns include:
DS-3053 is not automatically the correct document in every family situation. Passport Services may require different evidence when, for example, one parent has sole legal authority to apply without the other parent's consent, a parent is deceased and death documentation is submitted instead, a court order addresses passport issuance or travel authority, or the other parent cannot be contacted and special family circumstances may require Form DS-5525 or other evidence instead of routine DS-3053 consent. iRemoteNotary cannot determine which form your case requires. Review current Passport Services instructions and, when authority to consent is disputed or unclear, consult appropriate legal counsel before notarizing or submitting documents.
On DS-3053, the signer is the non-applying legal parent or legal guardian — the person who is not appearing in person with the child for the passport application but whose consent Passport Services requires for the case.
The correct signer depends on who qualifies as a legal parent or guardian under the passport application rules, what the applying parent, acceptance facility, passport agency, or embassy or consulate requires for the specific case, and current Passport Services instructions for that application.
The online notary does not decide who should sign, whether someone is a legal parent, whether a guardian has authority, or whether sole-authority documentation removes the need for DS-3053. The notary verifies identity and completes the notarial act on the presented form when the execution requirements are met.
If there is more than one non-applying parent or guardian who must consent, the current form may accommodate one or two affiants in Section 3, or separate forms may be used, depending on the situation and Passport Services instructions.
These documents serve different purposes. A family may need one, both, or neither depending on the situation. When Passport Services requires DS-3053, a notarized travel-consent letter is not a substitute.
Read the child travel consent online notarization guide for travel-letter questions.
| Topic | Form DS-3053 | General child travel consent letter |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Consent to issuance of a U.S. passport to a child | Permission for a minor to travel without one or both parents or with a third party |
| Issuing authority | U.S. Department of State official form | Usually prepared by a parent, school, airline, attorney, or program — not a federal passport form |
| Recipient | Passport Services, acceptance facility, passport agency, or U.S. embassy or consulate | Airline, cruise line, school, border authority, program, or other receiving party |
| Typical use | Child passport application when a parent cannot appear | Minor travel, study abroad, visitation travel, or immigration-related travel documentation |
| Notarization | Generally required before a notary public or passport authorizing officer, with ID copy attached | Depends on the receiving party; not governed by DS-3053 rules |
| Replaces the other? | No — DS-3053 does not replace a travel letter | No — a travel letter does not replace DS-3053 for passport issuance |
Form DS-5525 is a separate Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances. Passport Services evaluates whether circumstances qualify. This guide does not advise you to choose DS-5525. If the other parent cannot be contacted, a dispute exists, or special circumstances apply, follow current Passport Services instructions and obtain legal guidance when needed. A notary cannot select the form for you.
| Topic | Form DS-3053 | Form DS-5525 |
|---|---|---|
| When generally used | Routine consent when a legal parent or guardian cannot appear but can still provide consent | Exigent or special family circumstances when the other parent or guardian cannot be contacted or routine consent is not available |
| Who completes it | Non-applying parent or guardian giving consent | Parent or guardian explaining circumstances and requesting passport issuance without the other parent's routine consent |
| Consent vs. special circumstances | Statement of consent | Statement of exigent or special family circumstances |
| Supporting evidence | Generally the notarized DS-3053, ID copy, and passport application package | Circumstance-specific supporting documentation may be required; Passport Services evaluates |
| Notarization | Generally before a notary or passport authorizing officer | Follow current form and State Department instructions for the applicable version |
| Decision-maker | Passport Services, consular officer, or acceptance facility determines whether the package is sufficient | Passport Services evaluates whether circumstances qualify |
Passport rules differ by age group. Do not assume DS-3053 is always required for a 16- or 17-year-old applicant. Follow the current Applicants Ages 16–17 guidance on Travel.State.Gov.
| Topic | Children under age 16 | Applicants ages 16–17 |
|---|---|---|
| Parent or guardian 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 |
| General consent or awareness standard | Both-parent participation or documented exception | Showing that a parent or guardian is aware the minor is applying |
| DS-3053 relevance | Commonly used when one parent or guardian cannot appear | May be requested if awareness is not clear; not always required in every 16–17 case |
| Possible additional requests | DS-11, evidence of relationship, citizenship evidence, consent package | DS-11, awareness documentation, possible DS-3053 at officer discretion |
| Follow current instructions | Required | Required |
Yes — in ordinary DS-3053 use, the non-applying parent or guardian must execute the form before a notary public or passport authorizing officer. Section 4 contains an oath or affirmation; the affiant swears or affirms that the information is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief.
Current instructions tell the affiant to stop before Section 4 and sign only in front of the passport authorizing officer or notary. The date signed by the parent or guardian and the date signed by the notary or officer must match. The notarial section must be completed as part of the notarial act. Current DS-3053 instructions also state the passport authorizing officer or notary must not be related to the affiant.
The notary performs the notarial act — identity verification, witnessing the signature, administering the oath or affirmation when required, and completing the certificate. The notary does not approve the passport application and does not decide whether Passport Services will accept the package.
Potentially, yes — when electronic notarization is allowed under the law governing the commissioned online notary, the signer completes a live audio-video appearance before a commissioned online notary, the signer presents acceptable government-issued photo identification, the signer completes credential analysis and biometric identity verification when using iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow, current State Department instructions accept electronically notarized consent for the passport application, the signer is not in a location where State Department instructions require U.S. embassy or consulate notarization instead, and the passport office, acceptance facility, agency, or post that will receive the application will accept the proposed execution method.
Online notarization is not merely typing your name, drawing a signature on a PDF, or signing without a live notarial session. State Department child-passport guidance says electronically notarized consent is accepted when allowed under state law, but the applicant must provide a printed copy when applying for the child's passport.
No universal guarantee exists that every passport acceptance facility, agency, or embassy post will accept every remotely notarized DS-3053 in every format. Confirm before booking.
iRemoteNotary is a national and international online-notary organization. Sessions are conducted by commissioned online notaries through secure live audio-video technology. Florida Statutes § 117.265 is one example of a state remote online notarization framework when a Florida-commissioned online notary acts under Florida law.
Review current under-16 or 16–17 instructions as applicable for your child's passport application.
Use the official State Department forms system rather than an old saved PDF.
Enter the child's name, date of birth, applying adult, passport book or card selection, and parent or guardian information.
Do not sign the oath or affirmation yet.
Prepare the ID you will present to the notary — for example, a driver's license, passport, or military ID, if current and acceptable.
Make a photocopy of the same ID you will present during the session.
Confirm with the applying parent or acceptance facility that electronically notarized DS-3053 with a printed copy will be accepted.
Upload the unsigned form and complete identity verification before the live session.
During the live session, sign when the notary directs. Confirm your date matches the notary's date.
Print the electronically notarized DS-3053 and deliver it with the ID copy to the applying parent or guardian promptly.
Submit with Form DS-11 within the 90-day period measured from the notarization date.
This is a major use case for DS-3053. The non-applying parent may be a U.S. citizen or non-U.S. citizen, may hold a U.S. passport or foreign passport, and may not have a U.S. Social Security number. None of those facts automatically disqualify an online session — but they do require careful preparation and acceptance confirmation.
Before anything else, confirm DS-3053 is the correct consent document for the case. Check whether the State Department's current instructions for your location require U.S. embassy or consulate notarization. If they do, local or remote online notarization may not substitute for that requirement. Confirm with the applying parent, acceptance facility, or post that a remotely notarized DS-3053 with printed copy will be accepted if embassy notarization is not required.
For iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow, present a supported government-issued photo ID — often a foreign passport, and in some cases a U.S. passport or other credential the verification system supports. Complete credential analysis and selfie or biometric identity verification. iRemoteNotary's international identity path is based on credential analysis and biometric verification — not U.S.-based knowledge-based authentication as the primary international method. A U.S. Social Security number is not required simply because the signer is abroad or using a foreign passport.
Do not assume every foreign passport will pass verification. Passport type, country of issuance, document condition, image quality, and platform support all matter. Verification success is not guaranteed. Successful online ID verification and the State Department's requirement to submit an ID photocopy with DS-3053 are related but separate. You still need the front-and-back copy for the passport package.
Read when a foreign passport may be used for online notarization of a U.S. document.
Use a laptop or desktop when possible, with working camera and microphone. Ensure a stable internet connection and good lighting. Choose a private location for the live audio-video session. Plan for time-zone differences between you, the online notary platform, and the applying parent in the United States. Upload the current unsigned DS-3053 before the session as instructed. Have the ID photocopy ready to send or deliver to the applying parent after notarization.
After the session, print the electronically notarized DS-3053 where State Department instructions require a printed copy. Deliver the printed form and front-and-back ID copy to the applying parent by a reliable method that meets your timeline. Ensure the passport application is submitted within 90 days of notarization.
Read the guide to notarizing U.S. documents abroad. Review international online notary preparation and session options. For general parental consent documents abroad, see notarizing a parental consent form abroad — but use this DS-3053 guide as the authoritative source for U.S. child passport consent.
The U.S. Department of State maintains current country-specific instructions for DS-3053 when parents are outside the United States. On the current Apply for a Child's Passport Under 16 page, the Department states that in certain countries, DS-3053 must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate and cannot be notarized by a local notary public.
The country list can change. Do not treat any unofficial list — including lists copied into blog articles — as permanent law. Do not rely on this guide's summary as a substitute for the live State Department page at the time you apply.
U.S. embassies and consulates generally provide notarial services in person, not by remote or virtual notarization, per current Department guidance on notarial services overseas. Where embassy or consulate notarization is mandatory, remote online notarization does not override that instruction.
If embassy notarization is required, compare timing, appointments, fees, and document format on the post's official website.
Compare U.S. embassy notarization and remote online notarization.
DS-3053 requires the affiant to attach a clear photocopy of the front and back of the valid government-issued photo identification presented to the passport authorizing officer or notary. The identification information is also recorded in the notarial section of the form.
Use the same ID for the notary session and the photocopy submitted with the passport application. The copy must show front and back clearly. Avoid cut-off edges, glare, blur, or low-resolution phone photos. Names on the ID should match the parent or guardian name used on DS-3053, accounting for recognizable variations only when appropriate.
Expired ID is risky for both verification and passport submission. Foreign passports may work for an international online session when supported by the verification technology, but that does not guarantee Passport Services will accept every foreign credential in every case.
The online notary verifies identity for the notarial act. Passport Services separately reviews the passport application package, including whether the ID copy meets its standards.
Review acceptable ID for online notarization. Read foreign-passport considerations for international signers.
Download the current official DS-3053. Complete factual sections accurately. Do not sign Section 4 before your notary or passport officer session. Sign only when directed during the live appearance. Your signature date and the notary date must match.
Do not leave required factual fields blank expecting the notary to supply them. Do not ask the notary to alter substantive facts or choose the form for you. If you already signed early, do not try to patch the form — obtain and complete a new current form per State Department instructions.
These formats are not interchangeable in every context. Do not assume an emailed PDF alone is universally sufficient for passport acceptance. Follow the instructions of the acceptance facility, passport agency, or embassy or consulate handling the application.
When children apply in the United States with one or both parents abroad, DS-3053 is still commonly required — and in some countries only embassy or consulate notarization is permitted. The applying parent should confirm submission format before the overseas parent notarizes anything.
| Format | Typical role |
|---|---|
| Electronically notarized record | Created during a compliant remote online notarization session |
| Printed copy | State Department child-passport guidance requires a printed copy of electronically notarized consent when applying |
| Scanned PDF or email copy | May help coordination between parents, but does not replace printed submission unless the receiving office explicitly accepts otherwise |
| Original wet-ink notarized paper | Traditional execution format; still common |
| Embassy or consulate format | Some posts require original completed consent and have post-specific submission rules |
Current DS-3053 instructions state the consent is valid for 90 days from the date signed by the passport authorizing officer or notary. State Department guidance also instructs that DS-3053 and other notarized consent statements must be submitted within 90 days after signing or notarization.
Use 90 days — not a vague three months — when planning. If the consent expires before submission, new consent is generally required. Passport Services or the receiving post makes the final determination.
Plan backward from the child's passport appointment or consular submission date — especially when an overseas parent must notarize, print, and ship the document internationally.
Use the State Department passport forms system.
Review Passport Services instructions for your case.
Enter child, applicant, and parent or guardian information accurately.
Do not sign the oath or affirmation early.
Choose the ID you will present during the notarial session.
The copy must be clear and complete.
Verify execution method with the receiving office before booking.
Do not pre-sign. Sign only when directed.
Follow State Department printed-copy guidance.
Coordinate delivery so the package can be submitted on time.
Measure from the notarization date, not the date you printed or shipped the form.
A non-applying parent in another state may often complete DS-3053 through remote online notarization when State Department instructions and the receiving passport office accept electronically notarized consent with a printed copy. Stop before Section 4, use current ID with front-and-back copy, and submit within 90 days. See the domestic preparation and signing sections above for full detail.
Often yes, when State Department instructions for your country do not require embassy or consulate notarization and the receiving office accepts remote online notarization with printed copy. Check the live country guidance on Travel.State.Gov first. See the international preparation and embassy sections above.
A foreign passport may be used for iRemoteNotary's supported international identity workflow when credential analysis and biometric verification succeed — but verification is not guaranteed, and you must still submit the required front-and-back ID copy with DS-3053. See the international preparation and identification sections above.
A U.S. Social Security number is not inherently required for iRemoteNotary's international biometric identity workflow. International verification uses credential analysis and biometric verification, not U.S.-based knowledge-based authentication as the primary path. See the international preparation section above.
A deployed parent overseas may be able to complete DS-3053 online when location rules permit embassy alternatives and the receiving office accepts the execution method — but confirm before booking because deployment location may be in an embassy-mandatory country. Allow time for printing and delivery within the 90-day window.
Review emergency online notary abroad options for urgent timing.
DS-3053 is commonly used when the applying parent and child are in one place and the non-applying parent is abroad. Each parent's location may matter for embassy-country rules. Coordinate printed form delivery and 90-day timing early. See the international preparation and workflow sections above.
Online notarization may speed the notarial step, but DS-3053 still requires proper execution, printed copy where required, ID photocopy, and submission within 90 days. Embassy appointments, shipping, and passport processing times are separate bottlenecks. Confirm acceptance before booking.
Review emergency online notary abroad options when timing is critical.
DS-3053 may still be required when one parent cannot appear, but post-specific rules govern whether remote online notarization, local notary, or in-person consular notarization is required. Some posts require original documents. Contact the specific embassy or consulate handling the application. See the embassy and original-copy sections above.
These are common issues — not the only possible reasons Passport Services or a post may delay or reject a package:
A notary cannot fix adjudication issues after the fact. When rejection occurs, review the letter or email from Passport Services and obtain a new current form if instructed.
During a compliant DS-3053 online session, the commissioned online notary generally verifies the signer's identity through required identity-proofing steps, confirms the signer's live appearance by audio-video technology, witnesses the signature when directed, administers the oath or affirmation required by Section 4 when applicable, completes the notarial certificate or notarial section on the form, and creates the required notarial record under applicable law.
International signers using iRemoteNotary also complete credential analysis and biometric identity verification when using the supported international workflow.
The online notary does not decide who must consent, determine legal-parent or guardian status, choose DS-3053 versus DS-5525, approve the passport application, waive embassy or consulate requirements, decide whether submitted evidence proves sole authority, guarantee acceptance by any passport office, agency, or post, issue a passport, or provide legal advice.
Passport issuance is decided by Passport Services and the applicable acceptance facility or post — not by the notary.
Prepare the current unsigned form, acceptable identification, and the required front-and-back ID copy. If the signer is outside the United States, confirm whether State Department instructions permit online notarization from that location.
Start DS-3053 Notarization RequestForm DS-3053 is the U.S. Department of State's Statement of Consent for a child's passport when a non-applying parent or guardian cannot appear with the child. Current instructions may allow electronically notarized consent when permitted under applicable state law, but the execution is strict: do not sign early, attach a front-and-back ID copy, submit a printed copy where required, and file within 90 days.
Parents in the United States and outside the United States may be able to use online notarization when location rules permit — but embassy or consulate notarization may be mandatory in certain countries, and Passport Services makes the final acceptance decision. Confirm requirements before booking. iRemoteNotary can perform the notarial act when eligibility and identity requirements are met — notarization is not passport approval.
Current State Department guidance says electronically notarized statements of consent are accepted when electronic notarization is allowed under applicable state law. A printed copy must be provided with the child's passport application. Country-specific and post-specific instructions still apply.
No. Current instructions tell the non-applying parent or guardian to stop before Section 4 and sign only in front of the passport authorizing officer or notary. The parent's date and the notary's date must match.
The current form states the consent is valid for 90 days from the date signed by the passport authorizing officer or notary. New consent is generally required if it expires before submission.
A clear photocopy of the front and back of the valid government-issued photo identification presented to and recorded by the notary or passport officer.
Potentially, for the online session if the passport is supported by the identity-verification system and biometric verification succeeds. That does not guarantee verification success or passport-office acceptance. The front-and-back copy must still accompany DS-3053.
Not in every country. Current State Department instructions say that in certain countries DS-3053 must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Check the live Travel.State.Gov guidance for your location before scheduling remote online notarization.
No. DS-3053 is a U.S. Department of State passport consent form. A child travel-consent letter serves a different purpose and does not replace DS-3053 for passport issuance.
Not always. The current form can include one or two affiants in Section 3, or separate forms may be used depending on the situation. Follow Passport Services instructions for your case.
Routine DS-3053 consent may not be the correct path. Form DS-5525 or other evidence may be required. Passport Services evaluates special circumstances. Consult official instructions and legal counsel when appropriate. A notary cannot choose the form for you.
An apostille is not routinely part of submitting DS-3053 with a domestic U.S. passport application to Passport Services. Apostille questions usually arise in foreign document authentication contexts — not standard child passport consent submission. Confirm with the receiving office if your case is unusual.
Current State Department guidance accepts electronically notarized consent when allowed under state law, with a printed copy — but individual offices and posts may have practical requirements. Confirm before booking.
No. Current DS-3053 instructions state the passport authorizing officer or notary must not be related to the affiant.
The affiant should complete factual sections before the session. The notary completes the notarial section as part of the notarial act. Do not ask the notary to supply substantive facts or alter the form's content.
It may be treated as expired. New consent is generally required. Passport Services or the receiving post makes the final determination.
Review the Passport Services letter or email, obtain the current form, correct the execution problem — such as pre-signing, date mismatch, missing ID copy, or wrong form type — and follow official resubmission instructions. Authority or consent issues may require legal guidance or a different form such as DS-5525.
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
U.S. Department of State
Accessed August 16, 2026
Apply for a Child's Passport Under 16
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Accessed August 16, 2026
Apply for Your Passport as a 16–17 Year Old
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Accessed August 16, 2026
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Accessed August 16, 2026
Notarial and Authentication Services at U.S. Embassies and Consulates
U.S. Department of State
Accessed August 16, 2026
Passports: Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent
Federal Register
Accessed August 16, 2026
Florida Statutes § 117.265 — Online Notarization Procedures
Florida Senate
Accessed August 16, 2026
Confirm the form version, signer, identification, 90-day timeline, and receiving office requirements before beginning the online session.