mfa.gov.bt Requirement for Children Passport : Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Organization : Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Facility : Children Passport Requirement
Country : Bhutan

Website : http://www.mfa.gov.bt/passport/requirements-for-children

Children Passport Requirement :

This is applicable for children who are below 18 years. With the issuance of the new machine readable passports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall cease the practice of including children on their parents’ passport.

Related : Lost, Stolen or Damaged Passport Procedure Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bhutan : www.statusin.org/27268.html

All children, including new born infants, who travel abroad, are required to obtain an individual passport in their own name. Parents’ passport issued before 3rd March 2006 on which children have been included remains valid and do not need to be replaced.

This is in accordance with the new Annex 9 Standard adopted by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in March 2002 requiring states to issue separate passport to each person, regardless of age.

This is primarily to increase the security of international travel for children and prevent abduction and trafficking.

Requirements for issuance of passport to a child :
** Passport-size photograph affixed to the application form. The photograph must not be more than six months old, 45 mm x 35 mm with the facial image taking up 70-80% of the photograph, taken with a white background and without border.

** Application fee of Nu. 800/-.

** A photocopy of birth certificate and identity document issued by the Ministry of Home & Cultural Affairs for new born up to fourteen years and identity card for fifteen up to eighteen years, along with original documents for verification purposes.

This shall not apply to newborn children up to one year of age born to Bhutanese parents in a foreign country.

In such cases, the application for a passport shall be submitted to the nearest Bhutanese diplomatic or consular mission along with the copies of the birth certificate and passports of the parents.

** A Security Clearance Certificate (SCC) from the Royal Bhutan Police for children age fifteen (18) years and above.

** Both the parents or the child’s legal guardian (s) must be present when applying for a passport. In the absence of one of the parents or guardian (s), then the second parent’s or guardian’s signed letter of consent (sample attached) to the issuance of passport to the child.

Only one parent may apply in the event of having sole custody of the child but legal document referring to the custody must be provided. If both parents are deceased the legal guardianship may apply for the passport for the child.

** Documentary evidence of the child’s relationship with his/her parents or guardians must be produced in the form of a birth certificate, adoption papers or other documents (Marriage Certificate/Divorce Deed etc.) as may be relevant.

** Copy of parents’ or guardian’s citizenship identity card or identity documents along with the original documents for verification purposes.
** Evidence of sole custody must be produced in the event of being a single parent, single guardian or if one of the parents has passed away.

Note :
** In addition, the Passport Section shall collect the child’s fingerprints the first time a child applies for a machine readable passport.
** The passport section reserves the right to request additional documents and information to support the application