January 30, 2008

Embassy of the United States of America 

Kwait City, Kuwait

MEMORANDUM

To:            All American Wardens

From:        Consular Section

Subject:     Warden Notice 2008 – 3

This warden notice indicates important passport procedure changes effective from Feb. 1, 2008. As well it reflects immediate changes in Consular Section’s American citizen services hours.

Please circulate the following message without additions or omissions immediately to all American citizens within your area of responsibility.

Begin text.

On November 19, 2007 a revision of 22 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 51 regarding passports was published in final in the Federal Register with an effective date of February 1, 2008.

Effective February 1, 2008, passport applicants who are U.S. citizen minors under the age of 16 must appear personally with their parents to establish identity, proof of citizenship and proof of relationship.  Previous U.S. passports are not acceptable as proof of minor's relationship to the parent(s)/guardian(s) (but should be submitted with the application per 22 CFR 51.8).

You will need to submit one of the following to establish the parental relationship/guardianship:

Certified U.S. birth certificate (with parents' names); or

Certified foreign birth certificate (with parents' names and translation, if necessary); or

Report of Birth Abroad (form fs-240) (with parents' names); or

Certification of Birth Abroad (Form Ds-1350) (with parents' names); or

Adoption decree (with adopting parents' names); or

Court order establishing custody; or Court order establishing guardianship.

If the parent(s)'/guardian's name(s) is/are other than that on these documents, evidence of legal name change is required.

Each parent or guardian must submit one of the following:

Valid drivers license; or Valid official U.S. military ID; or

Valid U.S. government ID; or

Valid U.S. or foreign passport with recognizable photo; or

Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate from USCIS with recognizable photo; or

Alien Resident Card from USCIS.

Both parents must appear together with the child and one parent may appear and sign if that parent submits the second parent's notarized statement of consent authorizing passport issuance for the child.

The form of the consent may be either a notarized DS-3053 "Statement Of Consent:  Issuance Of A Passport To A Minor" (currently being revised to reflect that the requirement pertains to minors under the age of 16) or a notarized written statement with the same information on a sheet of paper from the non-appearing parent, or one parent may appear and sign if that parent also submits primary evidence of sole authority to apply, such as one of the following: child's certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate (with translation, if necessary) listing only applying parent; or consular report of birth abroad (form FS-240) or certification of birth abroad (form ds-1350) listing only applying parent; or a court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child's travel or passport application is restricted by that order); or an adoption decree (if applying parent is the sole adopting parent); or a court order specifically permitting applying parent's or guardian's travel with the child or passport application; or a judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent; or a death certificate of the non-applying parent.

If none of the above documentation is available, the applying parent/guardian should submit a form DS-3053 Statement of Consent: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor (being revised as noted above to reflect that this requirement pertains to minors under the age of 16).

A third-party in loco parentis applying on behalf of a minor under the age of 16 must submit a notarized written statement or affidavit from both parents or guardians authorizing a third-party to apply for a passport. When the statement or affidavit is from only one parent/guardian, the third-party must present evidence of sole custody of the authorizing parent/guardian.

Passport Fee Changes Effective February 1, 2008.

•      For adult applicants eligible to renew a passport using Form DS-82, the total fee will be $75 or 22.500 KD

•     For first-time applicants for a passport book the total fee will be $100 or 30 KD ($75 application fee plus $25 execution fee). 

•      The new passport book application fee for a minor under the age of 16 will be $60.  Since all minors under the age of 16 must apply in person, the total fee for a passport book for a minor under the age of 16 will be $85 ($60 passport application fee plus $25 execution fee) or 25.500 KD since all minor applicants apply with form DS-11.

•      Minors age 16 and 17 are eligible to receive a 10-year passport.  The passport book fee for these individuals is $100 or 30 KD ($75 application fee plus $25 execution fee).  In most instances minors age 16 and 17 would apply for a passport using a Form DS-11.

End Text.

American citizens with any questions or concerns may telephone the Embassy at 259-1581, 259-1583 or 259-1240.  In case of an emergency outside business hours, American citizens may reach the Embassy duty officer by calling 259-1001.

This message may be accessed on the Embassy website, http://kuwait.usembassy.gov
American citizens in Kuwait who would like to receive future Warden Messages from the Embassy directly by e-mail may sign up for this service by sending an e-mail to the following address: join-wardenmessagekuwait@mh.databack.com 

American citizens resident and visiting in Kuwait who are not registered with the Embassy, or whose registration information has changed, are urged to register as soon as possible.  They may now do so on-line at the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/home.asp 

American citizens also may register in person by coming with their passport to the American Citizen Services Unit, Consular Section, from 9 AM to 11 AM and from 1 PM to 3 PM on Monday, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; on Sundays from 1 PM to 3 PM; and on the first Sunday of each month from 5 PM to 7 PM.  Please note that the Consular Section is closed for American and most local holidays.  The current list of holiday schedule for the year 2007, may be viewed via the link below:  http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/holidays.html