The Donald Trump administration in the United States is proposing stricter requirements for obtaining passports for children, with parents and legal guardians potentially required to provide evidence of their own U.S. citizenship or immigration status.
According to draft guidance reviewed by Reuters, parents applying for passports for minors could be required to submit documents such as a valid U.S. passport, birth certificate, I-94 form or permanent resident card.
The U.S. State Department said the additional documentation would be used to determine whether a child qualifies for American citizenship under President Trump’s August 6 executive order.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott defended the proposed changes, saying the administration was committed to ensuring that the passport issuance process reflects its interpretation of U.S. citizenship requirements.
“President Trump has been unequivocal that this administration will protect the meaning and value of American citizenship, full stop, and that includes making sure our passport adjudication process fully reflects that standard,” Pigott said.
The proposed guidance represents the first detailed implementation plan linked to Trump’s executive order targeting what his administration describes as birth tourism — a practice in which foreign nationals travel to the United States to give birth, with their children potentially obtaining U.S. citizenship under existing birthright citizenship rules.
Trump previously attempted to restrict birthright citizenship, but the move faced legal challenges and was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-3 ruling, with the justices citing the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment.
His August 6 executive order is narrower and reportedly excludes certain categories, including children of foreign government workers in the United States, individuals who commit fraud to obtain citizenship and people classified as alien enemies.
Under the current passport application process, parents generally need to establish their relationship to the child and provide identification, while citizenship status is declared on the application without necessarily requiring parents to submit documentation proving their own immigration status.
The proposed changes would therefore introduce additional documentation requirements for parents seeking passports for their children.
The policy is already facing legal opposition, with lawyers representing affected children asking federal courts to block implementation of the executive order.
If implemented, the proposed rules could significantly alter the process for obtaining U.S. passports for children and add another layer of scrutiny to the Trump administration’s broader immigration and citizenship policies.