Infant Passports Are Necessary For Toddler Travel
Planning a plane trip with a small baby is not an adventure for the timid. It used to be that airlines would pretty much wave families with infants through quickly but now all documentation and security requirements apply to every traveler. The need for a passport applies to babies too and obtaining passport for infants means preparing at least a couple of months prior to the departure date. It is a requirement that all first time passport applicants, including children, must appear in person at a center authorized by the U.S. government.
Before taking the trip to the issuing office, one piece of business needs to be handled and that is getting two identical photos of the baby for the new passport. These photos should be 2”x2” and have the baby’s full face with eyes open to the camera. It is quite probably a good idea to have someone well versed in the requirements for these pictures to take them so there are no mistakes.
Both parents or legal guardians listed on the child’s birth certificate must accompany the child to the passport agency and an official copy of the certificate must be presented, a photocopy will not be accepted.. If only one parent has legal custody, he or she must also present documentation to prove this. The actual application can be obtained online and filled in prior to the personal visit, but both parents must sign in front of the authorized agent.
A children’s passport will cost between $80 and $85 depending on which location processes the application. There are also private service providers that can help to expedite the application process, returning the passport sooner than the government locations, for an additional fee. Should the family have the time to wait, the normal process time is anywhere between four to six weeks.
Air travel with a baby can be challenging and some doctors advise against flying with an infant who is less than six weeks old. This is because of the newborn’s susceptibility to the germs within the plane’s cabin. Most adults who have flown are well aware of the effects of air pressure changes in the ears, especially those who have flown with a cold, or sinus or ear problems. Children are prone to ear infections and it is good advice for the parents’ and other passengers’ sanity to check with the pediatrician for medication that can help.
Those individuals that are travelling with small children will find the airlines to be most helpful when getting to the gate and boarding the plane. They will offer assistance in navigating the crowds in the airport and will assist by pre-board those people traveling with children. The pre-boarding will be announced a few minutes before the regular passengers so listen carefully for the announcement.
Parents can take some solace in the fact that most airlines will not charge for a child that is less than two years of age. This means that the need to hold the child on your lap for the duration of the flight will be necessary. While this may be fine for short flights, the long ones could test a parent’s patience along with the other passengers.
You’ll find that passport may seem like an odd thing to be required but they are easy to get with a little forethought. This is one sure fire way to prove, should a parent and child become separated, that the child actually belongs with the parent. By going online, all the necessary passport documentation and other requirements may be found before ever reaching the issuing office.
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