DS-3053: what to bring.

What the form is for

DS-3053 is the U.S. State Department's statement of consent for a child's U.S. passport. It goes with the child's passport application, Form DS-11, when a parent or legal guardian can't come to the appointment in person.

For a child under 16, both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child. If one can't, that parent signs this statement in front of a notary or a passport authorizing officer instead. For children 16 and 17, the form says one parent's awareness is needed instead. The passport authorizing officer may be able to confirm that, but can still ask for a parent's written consent.

The notary at Cardiff Postal can notarize the DS-3053. The notary can't tell you whether you need the form, fill it in for you or advise you about custody. The form's own instructions and travel.state.gov explain when it's needed; custody questions are for a lawyer.

What to bring to the notary

• The DS-3053, filled in and printed, but not signed. The form says not to sign until the notary asks you to.
• A current photo ID issued by a U.S. state or the federal government, with your signature on it (driver's license, state ID card or U.S. passport). It's the ID the notary checks, and the one you copy.
• A photocopy of the front and back of that ID, which goes in with the form. The copier is at the same counter.

Call (281) 394-5778 before you come to make sure the notary is in, and ask for the store's notary fee. Texas law caps what a notary may charge.

Rules printed on the form

• You sign in front of the notary, and your signing date and the notary's date must match.
• The notary can't be related to you.
• The consent is good for 90 days from the date the notary signs. If it runs out before the application goes in, you need a new one.

Then, the application

Cardiff Postal isn't a passport acceptance facility, so the application itself can't be made here. It goes to an acceptance facility, usually by appointment, with the notarized DS-3053 and the ID copy. Find one with the State Department's Passport Acceptance Facility Locator, or book at a Post Office with the USPS appointment scheduler.

The child's passport photos can be taken at the same counter, to the State Department's current photo rules. Passport photos in Katy

Passport photos and the DS-3053 notary