Passports for Children.

The Passport Office recommends that parents obtain individual passports for their children.
In line with best international practice, the Passport Office ceased the practice of including children on their parents' passports since 1 October 2004. This is intended to increase the security of international travel for children and reduce the risk of kidnapping and child trafficking.

Passport Service cautions parents that while children who are included on a parent's passport, may continue to travel to some countries up to their 16th birthday along with that parent providing the passport is still valid,  there are an increasing number of exceptions. This includes some European countries, the US, the Czech Republic (which requires persons aged 15 and over to carry their own passport) and Estonia which requires all persons aged 7 and over to carry their own passport. 

Therefore the Passport Service urges parents with their children named on their Irish passports to check with the Embassy of the country to which they are travelling to ensure they will be allowed to enter the country. 

The current passport fee structure is available here . 

For the issue of a passport to a child (first time or renewal) the following must be submitted.
- Application Form, APS1 if living in the State, APS2 if living outside the State.

Please obtain application forms from one of the following outlets:
most Post Offices, all Garda Stations, many Citizens Advice Centres and Libraries and also from the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork.

The application form includes a section for parental consent.
- Long Form Birth Certificate (in all cases) This is most important. The long form birth certificate must be submitted on all occasions for which a passport is applied for a person under 18 years of age, ie first occasion as well as subsequent renewals. If the birth certificate is not included the application will be rejected.

- Children born in Ireland on or after 1 January 2005 only – Following the entry into force of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 additional documentation is required from parents of children born in Ireland on or after 1 January 2005.

In addition to the Birth certificate of the child the Passport Office also requires the Birth Certificate or Passport of an Irish citizen parent.

In the case of non Irish citizen parents the Passport Office requires their passport  and in some cases an additional Declaration Form from the same parent. These requirements are fully set out in the Section‘New Citizenship Changes effective from 1 January 2005'  on the passport section of this website and also on the passport application form. These requirements only apply to parents of children born on or after 1 January 2005.

• Previous Passport (if applicable )
• 4 Passport size photographs
• Relevant Fee

Please note – Signature - If the child is able to sign his/her signature on the application form they should do so in the signature box on the left hand side of Section 8 of the application form. If the child is unable to sign, this signature box should be left blank. In such cases, a parent/guardian should sign on the white strip at Section 8 in the presence of the Garda (or other person) who witnesses the application.

The Passport Service reserves the right to contact witnesses as required.  Passport applicants should therefore note that where it is not possible make contact with those witnessing applications then it is likely that the application will be rejected.

The Passport Office recommends that parents obtain individual passports for their children well in advance of any expected travel abroad.