Passport Assistance

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Parents involved in international custody disputes may receive information about the United States passport of a minor from the Department of State, Passport Services - address below. Either parent may request information about their child's U.S. passport. The request must be in writing, and may be sent by mail or by FAX. Provide the child's full name and date and place of birth and the requesting parent's address, phone number and signature.

If a parent fears that a child might be taken abroad by the other parent without the mutual consent of both parents, the child's name can be put in the U.S. passport namecheck system. Then, if an application is received, the requesting parent will be informed before issuance of the passport.

When there is a court order from a court of competent jurisdiction which either grants a parent sole custody, or which, in effect, forbids the child's travel without the consent of both parents or the court, and the order is provided to Passport Services, a U.S. passport may be denied.

Passport information may NOT be provided about the other parent.

Requests and, if relevant, court orders should be sent to:

Passport Services
CA/PPT/PAS
Suite 260
1111-19th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20524

Phone: (202) 955-0231
Fax: (202) 955-0230

This process does not apply to foreign passports. A child who has or may have the citizenship of another country (which could happen if one parent has a foreign nationality) may be eligible to hold, or be included in, a foreign passport in addition to a U.S. passport. The concerned parent may contact the embassy of the other nationality for information and assistance.

This article can also be found here.