Consular Section
Passport Services
U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Electronic System for Travel Authorization

- ALERTS -

- IMPORTANT NOTICES -

  • ENTERING THE U.S.
    According to Section 215 of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1185), it is illegal for an American citizen to enter or leave the U.S. on anything other than an American passport. This applies to dual citizens as well, meaning that persons holding e.g. both Swedish and American citizenships and passports must enter and leave the U.S. on a U.S. passport. They may NOT enter/leave the U.S. on a Swedish passport. This applies to children as well as adults.

  • PROCESSING TIME
    Upon receiving a complete application the processing time for a passport is approximately 3 weeks.

- SERVICES -

AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES

PASSPORT SERVICES AND FORMS


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PASSPORT APPLICATIONS FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16


Both Parents’/Legal Guardians’ Consent is Required for Passport Applications for Children under age 16


Please note that the child must be present at the Embassy. Both parents'/legal guardians' consent is required for children under 16 years of age. The State Department strongly encourages both parents/legal guardians’ to apply in person for passports for their children. If both parents/legal guardians are unable to accompany the child to the Embassy, the absent parent/legal guardian must submit a copy of his/her ID, AND a signed and notarized Statement of Consent (Form DS 3053) granting permission for passport issuance for the minor child. The Embassy accepts forms signed before a Swedish notary public (to be found in the phone book under "notarius publicus") or before a U.S. notary public. U.S. embassies and Consulates worldwide perform this service free of charge. Please download Form DS 3053.


Important notice: Effective February 1, 2008, U.S. Department of State regulations extend the two parent/guardian consent requirement to all minors under the age of 16. The raising of the age requirement from 14 to 16 is intended to address the troubling issue of abducted and runaway children.


More Requirements for Children under age 16


In addition to both parents’/legal guardians’ consent, the following is required:


• Children resident in Sweden: A recently issued (issued within the last 3 months) Extract from the Population Register (Personbevis) from the Swedish tax authorities (Skatteverket) in the child's name, which includes the names of the child's legal guardians (vårdnadshavare).


• Children not resident in Sweden who are unable to obtain a Swedish "Personbevis": The child's original birth certificate, listing date and place of birth of the child, as well as the names of the parents.

If applicable, the most recently issued U.S. divorce/custody order establishing the name(s) of the legal guardian(s) or custodial parent(s) in original, or a certified, sealed copy, is required.


If the child is adopted, the child's adoption decree in original, or a certified sealed copy, is required.



PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF ALL MINORS
To enhance the accurate identification of passport applicants and aid in the prevention of international child abduction and trafficking, the Department of State requires the personal appearance of all minors applying for U.S. passports. This applies even if the child has previously been issued a passport, regardless of place of issuance. The personal appearance requirement for all minors is a further step towards ensuring the integrity of the passport application process. In addition, passsports renewal by mail is now restricted to applicants who hold a full validity passport which was issued when the applicant was 16 or older. Applicants who had not turned 16 at the time when the passport was issued cannot renew passports by mail, but must apply in person at the Embassy.