New Requirements For Children's Passports

On November 19, the Department published in the Federal Register new rules updating existing passport regulations to conform to current practices.

These new regulations go into effect on February 1, 2008.
The new rules reflect several improvements in how the  Department will process passports for Americans.

To help address the issue of abducted and runaway children, the new regulations extend the two-parent consent and personal appearance requirements to minors under the age of 16, up from age 14.