From what age do you get your kids a passport?

amother

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 9:44 am

My baby is under a year but I was told that a Jew should never be without a passport. But aren’t kids’ passports only good for brief periods of time? What do people do?

amother

Melon

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 9:46 am

Birth. It’s good for 5 years. Pre covid BH we travelled overseas about every year. My now 2 year old hasn’t left the country yet but he still has a passport since birth.

amother

Lemonchiffon

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 9:47 am

Birth. All of my kids have traveled from newborn age.
ETA all besides the baby have both EU and US passports. Comes in handy at cutting the line at passport control in Europe. But mostly if borders ever close again we’ll have an easier time getting around.

amother

Oatmeal

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 9:48 am

None of my kids have passports. We've never traveled out of the country with kids.

amother

NeonGreen

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 9:48 am

None of my kids have passports because we never traveled with them.
Oldest is 6.
I'll get them passports when we need them.

On the other hand, my husband and I do always make sure to have a valid passport. (Mine is actually expired and I applied for a new one. I got married in between and changed my name, so can't just renew online)

Chayalle

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 9:48 am

They keep in renewing them. I got DD passport as a baby (and she did go with us to EY) and then renewed it when it expired...recently renewed it again, by now the next time she'll be over 16 and it will be for longer.

amother

Moonstone

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:13 am

I got my kids passports even without any travel plans. (only my oldest 3 have ever left the country) I felt it's important to have. We try to keep them up to date, but they have lapsed for a year at some point before we got a chance to renew.

We got my youngest her passport during covid when she was 3.

Under 16 they are only good for 5 years. 16 and up is good for 10.

4g01o

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:16 am

From birth
Even if we don't plan to travel.

amother

Pearl

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:19 am

My kids all have passports, ages 6-15
My husband and I have as well.
My husband is the only one who travels internationally, at least for now.

amother

Hosta

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:20 am

Got my kids passports ASAP.
Renew when it comes due.
My oldest was 15 the first time her passport was used.

Would rather have and not need than need and not have.

fleetwood

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:22 am

From birth. It's important to always be prepared. Plus this way they don't all renew at once costing a fortune

amother

Junglegreen

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:22 am

amother Oatmeal wrote:

None of my kids have passports. We've never traveled out of the country with kids.

Same. My oldest just got one because he wants to learn in EY. Otherwise I don’t see the need.

shabbatiscoming

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:28 am

We did it right away as we were going to be traveling. But now she is 14 and we havent renewed her american one in almost a decade because we arent going to the us any time doon. Her israeli one was renewed when needed.

amother

DarkGreen

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:32 am

When we need or want to travel. One of my daughters got a passport at a couple of months, because my mother was critically ill in another country. I had to go to her, and couldn't leave a two month old baby who was nursing exclusively. Another child didn't get until they were four or five, because we happened not to fly those years.

Chayalle

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 10:59 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

I probably would feel differently about keeping a passport current if I lived in EY like you do.

essie14

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 11:08 am

We live in Israel. DD got her passports at 3 weeks old. I needed to make sure I could bring her with me if I was nursing and there was an emergency in the US that I needed to travel for (no family here, they're all in the US)
We always keep the entire family's passports current. We travel often and I don't want to deal with expired passports.

I always had a current passport my entire adult life.

amother

Lightyellow

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 11:27 am

amother Melon wrote:

Birth. It’s good for 5 years. Pre covid BH we travelled overseas about every year. My now 2 year old hasn’t left the country yet but he still has a passport since birth.

Yes this exactly.

amother

Apple

Tue, Oct 25 2022, 11:30 am

Right away as babies… my grandparents ran away from Germany/Poland in just enough time, so I grew up with the mentality that everyone needs a current passport at all times.. I always make sure everyone’s is up to date..
happens to be, I live in the US but I grew up in the UK, so this is especially important for me, if there is ever an emergency I need to know we can all pickup and go as needed..