Form DS-3053: the passport consent a notary has to see you sign

When you need DS-3053

For a child under 16, the State Department’s page on children under 16 says both parents or guardians should go with the child to apply in person. If one cannot, that parent fills out DS-3053 and the other parent brings it to the appointment.

DS-3053 is not the only path. The same page lists others:

• If you have sole legal authority, bring evidence instead, such as a court order granting sole custody, a birth certificate or adoption decree listing only you, or a death certificate for the other parent.
• If you cannot locate the other parent, the page points to Form DS-5525 and warns you may be asked for more evidence.
• If neither parent can attend, a third party may apply with a DS-3053 or a notarized statement from both parents.

A travel consent letter for a trip is a different document. See child travel consent letter.

What the form asks the notary to do

We read the current form, DS-3053, edition 10-2024, with an OMB expiration date of 10-31-2027. It is specific about the notary.

• The consent is signed in front of a passport authorizing officer or a notary.
• The notary must not be related to the person signing.
• The notary block says the signer personally appeared and that the notary personally viewed the ID.
• The signer attaches a clear photocopy of the front and back of the valid government photo ID shown to the notary.
• The signer must not sign the signature section until the notary or officer asks. The signature date must match the notary’s date.

Do not sign the form at home and bring it in. The form itself says to wait for the notary, and the dates have to match.

The 90-day clock

The form says the consent is valid for 90 days from the date the notary signed it. If it expires before the application is submitted, a new consent is needed. The State Department’s page says the same thing from the other side: the authorization must be signed within 90 days before you submit the child’s application.

So book the passport appointment first, then the notary. If you are planning a December trip, work backward from the appointment date, not from the trip.

In person, mobile, or video

The State Department page asks for a certified notary public. Neither the page nor the form mentions remote or electronic notarization, and the form’s wording describes the signer appearing and the notary viewing the ID in person. We found no statement either way from the State Department on video sessions for DS-3053.

That leaves a practical choice:

1. In person is the safest route. A bank, a shipping store with a notary, or a mobile notary can do it. You can make the ID photocopy at the same counter.
2. A video session is a judgment call. If the parent cannot reach any notary in person, ask the passport acceptance facility before you rely on an electronic notarization. A refused DS-3053 means a second appointment.

What to bring to the notary is on what do you need to get something notarized. What a notary may charge is on how much does a notary cost.

If the parent is outside the United States

The form says that in certain countries DS-3053 must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate and cannot be notarized by a local notary. The State Department page lists those countries. Check the list before booking a local notary abroad. The general options for someone abroad are on notarize documents from abroad.

A checklist for the parent who signs

1. Print the current DS-3053. Fill in everything except the signature.
2. Bring a valid government photo ID, and make a clear copy of the front and back.
3. Use a notary who is not related to you.
4. Sign only when the notary asks. Check that your date and the notary’s date match.
5. Give the signed form and the ID copy to the parent going to the appointment.
6. Make sure the appointment falls inside 90 days of the notary’s date.

Next step

Find a notary near the parent who will sign, at a counter or through a mobile notary. If the passport facility tells you an electronic notarization is fine, the buttons below are video notaries, ordered by grade.