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Passports for Children

Your child needs an individual passport. We talk you through the application process in the tabs below.

We no longer include children on their parents’ passports. This is intended to make international travel more secure for children and reduce the risk of kidnapping and child trafficking.

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Ambassador McLaughlin presents a new Irish passport to a child.

Additional information

For a first time application, please see below

Child was born in Ireland

  • Completed passport application form
  • Irish Birth Certificate
  • Marriage certificate of parents, if applicable
  • Naturalisation certificate of parent, if applicable
  • Parent’s passports
  • Child’s passport
  • 4 photos, 2 certified

Child was born in India

  • Completed passport application form
  • First time applicant’s should include a doctor’s letter to show that the child is the natural born child of the Irish citizen
  • Birth Certificate
  • Marriage certificate of parents, if applicable
  • Naturalisation certificate of parent, if applicable
  • Foreign Birth Registration of the child, if applicable
  • Parent’s passports
  • Child’s passport if it is a renewal
  • 4 photos, 2 certified

Extra documentation may be requested. In particular, where a long time has passed between passports, an applicant may be requested to submit another form of photo identification or a letter from their school with a picture.

Evidence may also be requested to show that the child is the natural born child of the parents and was not born of a surrogacy arrangement or adopted. It is possible to pass on a parent’s Irish citizenship in these cases but it is a different process.

What are the guidelines for passport photographs?

Size

  • Minimum: 35mm x 45mm
  • Maximum: 38mm x 50mm

Lighting and focus

  • Photos must be in sharp focus and correctly exposed
  • Shadows from the head must NOT appear in the background
  • Good colour balance and natural skin tones are essential
  • 'Red eye' in photographs is not acceptable
  • A clear contrast is needed between facial features and background

Photo quality

  • Photos must be printed on photo-quality paper at a high resolution
  • There should be no ink marks or creases
  • Digital enhancements or changes are not acceptable
  • The reverse of the photos must be white and unglazed
  • Black and white photos are recommended as they're digitally printed onto the passport in black and white. But we also accept colour photos.

Passport photo do's and don't's

Pose

  • Do centre your head in the photo
  • Do look directly at the camera
  • Do make sure your facial features are clearly visible, from the bottom of your chin to the crown of your head
  • Don't tilt your head up/down or left/right

Expression

  • Do keep your facial expressions neutral (no raised eyebrows, frowns)
  • Do keep both eyes open and your mouth closed
  • Don't smile

Glasses, head covers and clothing

  • Do wear your glasses (if you normally wear them) but make sure there's no reflection on the lenses and the frames don't obscure your eyes
  • Don't wear sunglasses or glasses with tinted lenses, unless they're prescription
  • Don't wear a head covering unless it's for religious or medical reasons
  • Don't wear a uniform, civil or military (e.g. showing epaulettes, insignia)

Infants

Infants or very young children who can't support themselves should be photographed lying down on a plain, white surface. No one else should appear in the photo, so make sure that hands or arms used to support the child are not visible.

People with disabilities

If you have a disability that prevents you meeting all of these requirements,  and we will offer you further advice.

 

One of the child’s legal guardians under Irish law must be present in India in order to apply for an Irish passport.

Both parents cannot give their consent from Ireland or another country. A parent may be required to submit a photocopy of their passport to show that they reside in India.

If you live in Ireland and your child lives in India with their other guardian, you can give your consent in Ireland. You need to get the APS2 passport form from your local Garda Station or the Passport Office. You should choose a witness who can be easily contacted during Indian working hours.

If you are separated or divorced from your child’s other parent, you will still need their consent. If they will not consent to a passport application, you must get an Irish court order to dispense with their consent.

Indian court orders or affidavits are not acceptable.

One of the child’s legal guardians under Irish law must be present in India in order to apply for an Irish passport.

Both parents cannot give their consent from Ireland or another country. Both parents must submit a full photocopy of their passport to show where they were when they consented to the Passport under Section 7.

If you live in Ireland and your child lives in India, one parent can give their consent in Ireland. You need to get the APS2 passport form from your local Garda Station or the Passport Office. A witness should be contactable during Indian business hours.

The fees for an Irish passport for a child are:

Passport type Passport Fee
5 year passport for 3-17 years Rs. 1,800
3 year passport for 0-3 years Rs. 1,100

You should make your application through the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi or through your closest Honorary Consulates in Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Nepal or Sri Lanka.

 

Can I apply for an emergency passport for my child?

Emergency passports or travel documents are only issued in extremely rare cases to children. This is to lower the risk of child abduction.

You cannot pay an additional fee to have the passport issued within 5 working days.

A passport normally takes 4-6 weeks to issue.