subject: Infants Passport Are Necessary For Toddler Travel [print this page] Family vacations abroad can be a wondrous experience for the entire group even including the littlest members of the clan. The adults normally already have their passports in place and up to date but there will be a need, most likely, for travel papers for the little ones in the form of pass port. All members of the family getting their passports for the first time must show up in person at a passport issuing office and the parents must accompany the children.
The first piece of paperwork necessary will be to have two photos taken of the baby's face. These pictures must be done with the baby's eyes open and full face to the camera. Many people may try this themselves, but it is probably a better idea to have them done by a professional passport photographer, as they will know when the shot meets the requirements.
In order to apply for the passport for the baby, both parents must be in attendance at the issuing office. There will also be need a copy of the baby's birth certificate on hand to be turned over to the agent along with the proper passport application. The parents will also be required to have copies of their IDs to submit along with the application before it can be approved.
Costs of the passports are about $80-$85 if done directly through the government sites. There are also private passport firms that can help with expediting passport return times and charge for a fee for their services. Under normal conditions, a non-rush document will take four to six weeks to receive.
Air travel with a baby can be challenging and some doctors advise against flying with an infant who is less than six weeks old. This is because of the newborn's susceptibility to the germs within the plane's cabin. Most adults who have flown are well aware of the effects of air pressure changes in the ears, especially those who have flown with a cold, or sinus or ear problems. Children are prone to ear infections and it is good advice for the parents' and other passengers' sanity to check with the pediatrician for medication that can help.
Airlines in general, are quite helpful to parents that are travelling with babies or small children. They will offer services such as carts to the gate due to the extra carry on items needed for baby maintenance and will usually offer a pre-boarding option to these parents. Be sure to allow more than enough time to get through the lines at security along with being ready and in the gate area when the pre-board is announced.
The majority of airlines do not require a parent to purchase a separate seat for a child less than two years of age. They will allow the parent to hold the child in their lap to free the seat up for a paying adult and while this may save the parent money, it can make the flight a tad uncomfortable, particularly if it is a long one. Domestic flights differ in that there are rarely extra seats so finding an unused one for some relief may be an issue.
