Getting first passport for a child

A mother is automatically a guardian of her own child.

However, she may not be the sole legal guardian in the following circumstances:

• The mother and father are married
• Joint guardianship has been obtained through a court order or statutory declaration
• The child’s father has continuously cohabited with the child’s mother for 12 consecutive months after 18th January 2016, including at least three months with the mother and child following the child’s birth (as set out in the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015)

Where a sole adopter has adopted a child, guardianship is acquired when the adoption order is made.

Additional documents

Where a person is the sole legal guardian, the following supporting documents must be submitted to the Passport Service along with the passport application. This applies to both first time applications and renewals:

• A sole guardian affidavit form (AFF1), completed in the presence of a solicitor/commissioner for oaths.
• The child’s original birth certificate, signed and notarised as set out in the affidavit.

• If one of a child’s two guardians is deceased and no other guardians have been appointed, the living guardian is the sole guardian.
• A person can be appointed as a testamentary guardian through a will. This refers to a situation where a guardian, through a will, appoints another guardian in the event of their death.

Additional documents

Where a person is the sole legal guardian following the death of another guardian, the following supporting documents must be submitted to the Passport Service along with the passport application. This applies to both first time applications and renewals:

• The original death certificate of the deceased guardian.
• A completed and witnessed sole guardian affidavit form Sole Guardian Affidavit form (AFF1), completed in the presence of a solicitor/commissioner for oaths.
• The child’s original birth certificate, signed and notarised as set out in the affidavit.

If a person is a testamentary guardian and the sole legal guardian the following is required in addition:

• The original or a certified copy of the will and testament.

Note: If a testamentary guardian has been appointed in addition to a surviving guardian, both guardians must provide consent for the child’s passport application. A sole guardian affidavit is not required in such a case.

In cases where there are two guardians and one guardian is unwilling or unavailable to give their consent for the child’s passport to be issued, a court order dispensing with that parent’s consent must be submitted with the child’s passport application.

This court order should direct the Passport Service to dispense with the consent of the unwilling/unavailable guardian and allow the Passport Service to issue passport facilities for the child.

Additional documents

Where a court order has dispensed with the consent of one or more guardian(s), the following supporting documents must be submitted to the Passport Service along with the passport application: This applies to both first time applications and renewals:

• The original court order
• The child’s original birth certificate

For further information on court orders:

• If living in Dublin: contact the Family Law Division of the District Court.
• If living outside Dublin: contact your local District Court.

• Guardianship can be acquired through marriage in certain circumstances. If such guardians separate or divorce, they retain their guardianship rights.
• In cases of adoption where two persons have jointly adopted a child, guardianship is acquired when the adoption order is made. If such guardians separate or divorce, they retain their guardianship rights.
• Certain categories of persons can gain guardianship rights through the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015. Under this Act, a father becomes a guardian of his child if he has continuously cohabited with the child’s mother for 12 consecutive months, including at least three months with the mother and child following the child’s birth. When calculating this cohabitation period, only periods of cohabitation after 18th January 2016 can be considered (regardless of whether the child was born before or after this date). This is the date that the relevant section of the governing legislation commenced (Children and Family Relationships Act 2015).

Note: Certain provisions of Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 act have not yet commenced.

Additional documents

• In cases where guardianship has been acquired through marriage or adoption, there are no additional supporting documents required for passport renewals.
• The child’s original birth certificate (or re-issued birth certificate in the case of adoption) must be submitted for first time applications.

A child’s father can, by agreement with the child’s mother, become a guardian by statutory declaration.

Both must complete a statutory declaration for joint guardianship in the presence of a solicitor, peace commissioner or a commissioner for oaths.

Additional documents

If guardianship has been acquired through a statutory declaration, the following supporting documents must be submitted to the Passport Service along with the passport application. This applies to both first time applications and renewals:

• The original statutory declaration
• The child’s original birth certificate

Under certain circumstances, a father can apply to the local District Court for a court order appointing him as a guardian of the child.

Other persons (for example, grandparents, step parents, civil partners or co-habiting partners) can be appointed guardians by court order in certain circumstances.

Additional documents

If guardianship has been acquired through a court order, the following supporting documents must be submitted to the Passport Service along with the passport application: This applies to both first time applications and renewals:

• The original court order
• The child’s original birth certificate

A person can be appointed as a testamentary guardian through a will. This refers to a situation where a guardian, through a will, appoints another guardian in the event of their death.

Additional documents

Where a person is appointed as a testamentary guardian following the death of another guardian and one or more guardian(s) are still living, the following supporting documents must be submitted to the Passport Service along with the passport application. This applies to both first time applications and renewals:

• The original death certificate of the deceased guardian
• The child’s original birth certificate, signed and notarised as set out in the affidavit
• The original or a certified copy of the will and testament

In cases where there are two guardians and one guardian is unwilling or unavailable to give their consent for their child’s passport to be issued, a court order dispensing with that guardian's consent will be required to proceed with the child’s application.

This court order should direct the Passport Service to dispense with the consent of the unwilling/unavailable parent and allow the Passport Service to issue passport facilities for the child.

For further information on court orders:

• If living in Dublin: contact the Family Law Division of the District Court.
• If living outside Dublin: contact your local District Court.

Guardianship law outside the jurisdiction

In certain circumstances, the Passport Service can recognise guardianship rights acquired in other jurisdictions for the purposes of issuing a passport for a child.

Some general information on guardianship rights in other jurisdictions is provided below.  Please obtain legal advice if you require information on the recognition of guardianship rights acquired in a specific country.

Child born in Northern Ireland or Great Britain:

If the child’s father is named on the birth certificate and the birth was jointly registered by both the child’s mother and father, the father is deemed to have parental responsibility of his child, irrespective of the marital status of the parents. In this context, parental responsibility confers guardianship.

This was passed into law on the following dates:

• Northern Ireland: 15th April 2002
• England and Wales: 1st December 2003
• Scotland: 4th May 2006

Before this legislation, only the mother was considered an automatic guardian. If the child was born in one of the above jurisdictions before the above dates and if no other guardians have been appointed, the mother is the sole legal guardian of the child.

Additional documents

If guardianship has been acquired through the above provisions, there are no additional supporting documents required to establish guardianship. The child’s original birth certificate must be submitted for first time applications.

Note: In Northern Ireland and Great Britain, if one guardian is unwilling or unavailable to give their consent for their child’s passport to be issued, a specific issues order, which dispenses with that parental responsibility, must be obtained by the relevant court before we can proceed with the child’s application.

This summary provided is for information purposes only. Please obtain legal advice if you require information on the recognition of guardianship rights acquired in a specific country.

Yes.

Yes. If your child's current passport is valid for more than 6 months, you must send it with application. This passport will be cancelled when the new passport issues.

The online application process will tell you where to send the passport.

Passport Online is the quickest method for applying for a first time passport and to renew a passport. You can make both applications online.

Only if it is valid for more than 6 months.

The online application process will tell you where to send the passport.

Yes. You will need access to a printer.

At the end of the online process, a Child Passport Identity and Consent Form will be generated.

You will need to print this form. You will complete this form and have it witnessed by an appropriate witness.

We will also send a link to this form via email. If you are unable to print it immediately, you will be able to access the form for up to 5 days.

For security reasons you will only be able to access this form 5 times during the 5-day window.

If you need access after the 5-day window, please contact us for help.

Yes, at the end of the online process, a Child Passport Identity and Consent Form will be generated.

You will need to print this form and have your child’s identity verified by an appropriate witness.

In Ireland, a member of An Garda Siochana has to witness all first time applications. For renewals, it is no longer necessary to have a member of An Garda Síochána verify your child’s identity.

If you live Northern Ireland or overseas, we have expanded the list of appropriate witnesses. They can verify the identity of your child, and witness the consent of guardians for all renewals. Gardaí are included on this list. Your child must be known to the appropriate witness who is confirming their identity. It is the responsibility of the guardian(s) accompany the child to the witness for signature.

We will also send you a link to this form via email so if you are unable to print it immediately, you will be able to access the form for up to 5 days.

If you need access after the 5-day window, please contact us for help.

‘Guardian A’ who completed the online application and declaration must accompany the child when their identity is being verified. This guardian will be identified as ‘Guardian A’ on the Child Passport Identity and Consent Form.

You (Guardian A) must use the same witness to verify the child’s identity and witness your consent. The second guardian ‘Guardian B’ can use the same witness, or a different witness, to give their consent.

At the end of the online process, a Child Passport Identity and Consent Form will be generated. You will need to print this form and have the consent of each guardian/guardians witnessed by an appropriate witness.

We will also send you a link to this form via email, you will be able to access the form for up to 5 days. Note: For security reasons you can only access this form 5 times during the 5-day window.

A guide to guardianship as it relates to passport applications can be found above.

If you need access after the 5-day window, please contact us for help.

After the online application and payment has been made, a Child Passport Identity and Consent Form is generated.

This form can also be accessed through the confirmation email that is sent to the email address provided.

The form can be accessed a total of 5 times. The second guardian can print a second copy of the Child Passport Identity and Consent Form. They can have their consent witnessed separately.

If you need access after the 5-day window, please contact us for help.

We will email the person who made the application online (Guardian A) with any issues. Please check your spam or junk folders for emails.

If we cannot process your child’s online application, we will cancel it. We will send a letter to explain this to the address of the child.

We will refund you any money paid. This refund will be via the original payment method.

The processing of the application will not begin until all supporting documents are received. Please see information on the current turnaround times.

Note: Processing times do not include time for postage.

If the issue has been resolved it will take approx. 5-10 working days to reprocess. This does not include the time it takes to post your child’s passport.

No. If you have already received your child’s new passport, you do not need to return their previous passport.