For a standard U.S. baby passport (the kind that gets you into Disney World Paris), you’re looking at about $165 total. That’s the application fee, the execution fee, and a dash of existential dread. It’s surprisingly close to the cost of a decent baby carrier, or two dozen organic onesies that the baby will spit up on immediately.
But here’s the sneaky part: the hidden costs. You’ll need a professional passport photo of a baby who refuses to keep their eyes open. That’s $15, two meltdowns, and a photographer who now drinks at lunch. Then there’s the expedited fee—another $60—if you, like me, forgot you can’t just “wing it” for international travel.
So the real total for a rush job? Roughly $225. That’s the price of a good dinner for two, or one hour of a babysitter who specializes in colicky infants (yes, that’s a thing, and they charge like psychiatrists).
The Photo: The Actual Horror Story
Getting a passport photo of an adult is annoying. Getting one of a baby is like trying to photograph a greased eel during a lightning storm. The rules are absurd: no hands, no pacifiers, no smiling (apparently, the government fears joy). The poor photographer will ask you to lay the baby on a white blanket, only for the baby to roll over like a drunk turtle.
Pro tip: bring a white sheet and take the photo yourself at home. The State Department accepts them if your baby’s face is centered and they look vaguely alive. Save yourself the $15 and the side-eye from the CVS employee who just had their last shred of patience eviscerated.
How Long Does It Take To Get An Infant Passport? – BPLH
