Form DS-3053 carries a parent's sworn consent when they cannot attend a child's U.S. passport appointment. Who signs, what to attach, and the video oath.
Last updated: October 15, 2026
DS-3053 Statement of Consent: How to Get It Notarized From Canada
Quick answer: Form DS-3053, the "Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child", carries the sworn consent of a parent who cannot attend a child's U.S. passport appointment. For a child under 16, that consent must be "signed and sworn under oath before a passport authorizing officer or notary." Sign it only in front of the notary. Consent is valid for 90 days. Some countries require a U.S. embassy or consulate instead, so check first. Minute Notary commissions it by video from anywhere in Canada for $24.95 plus HST; both parents on one form is $49.90 plus HST.
Two parents, one passport appointment, and only one of them can make it. For a child's U.S. passport, the absent parent's consent goes on Form DS-3053.
This guide is for parents in Canada: a U.S. citizen raising a family here, a Canadian parent of a child who also holds U.S. citizenship, or two parents sending a grandparent in their place. Minute Notary commissions the oath as an Ontario notary public through our affidavit service.
Key Takeaways
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When is it needed? | Under 16, when a legal parent cannot appear in person with the child |
| Who signs? | The absent parent, or both parents to authorize a third party |
| What is attached? | A front-and-back photocopy of the ID shown |
| How long is it valid? | 90 days from the notary's signed date |
| Can a notary in Canada do it? | Yes, unless the country requires a U.S. embassy or consulate |
| What does it cost? | $24.95 per stamp plus HST; $49.90 plus HST for both parents on one form |
What a Notary Can and Cannot Do
What a notary can and cannot do: A notary public confirms each parent's identity, administers the oath or affirmation, watches Section 4 being signed, and completes and seals the certificate. A notary does not fill in the form, decide whether your child needs it, or give legal or immigration advice. The U.S. Department of State and the passport agency or acceptance facility decide whether to accept the form.
What Form DS-3053 Is and When You Need It
The form "is used with a U.S. passport application (Form DS-11) when one or both legal parents and/or legal guardians cannot appear in person with their minor child to apply for their child's U.S. passport." Both parents can also use it "to authorize a third party to apply for a child's passport on the parents/guardians' behalf."
The child's age decides what is needed:
- Under 16. "Both legal parents/legal guardians must appear in person with their minor child to apply for a U.S. passport." A parent who cannot must submit this form or a separate statement, "signed and sworn under oath before a passport authorizing officer or notary."
- 16 and 17. "Parental awareness is required by one legal parent/legal guardian," and the passport authorizing officer "retains discretion to request" a parent's written consent. Section 1 has a box to tick for this age.
The form also notes that consent may not be required with evidence of sole authority, such as a "court order granting sole legal custody."
Section 3 calls the consent "unconditional regarding passport validity and travel." It is consent to a passport, not to a trip: a DS-3053 is not a travel consent letter, which our travel consent letter guide covers.
Who Signs: One Parent, or Both Parents for a Third Party
"Sections 1, 2, and 3 are completed by the child's non-applying legal parent(s)/legal guardian(s) also known as the 'affiant(s)'." The affiant is the parent who is not going to the appointment; the adult who is going is named in Section 2.
One parent cannot attend. The other parent goes in Section 2 as "Legal Parent", and you are the only name in Section 3. One affiant, one signature, one stamp.
Neither parent can attend. Both parents authorize a third party, such as a grandparent, who goes in Section 2 as "Third Party". Section 3 names both parents, and Section 4 has two signature lines and two ID blocks: two people signing one form. Because the signed dates must match, both swear on the same video call, each with their own ID, from the same room or two different homes.
One form per child. Section 1 holds one child's name and birthdate, so two children means two forms.
It works much like the Brazilian visa authorization for a minor: another government's child form, sworn by both parents on one call.
Before You Book: Check Whether Your Country Needs a U.S. Embassy
The form warns:
"Notaries Outside the United States: In certain countries, this form or statement must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate and cannot be notarized by a local notary public. Go to the U.S. embassy or consulate webpage for more information."
The form does not name those countries, and neither does this guide: that answer belongs to the U.S. Department of State. For parents in Canada, the webpage the form points to is the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada site. The form lists the National Passport Information Center (1-877-487-2778, NPIC@state.gov) for questions.
For a parent outside Canada, the webpage that applies is that of the U.S. embassy or consulate in that country. If your consent must be sworn at a U.S. embassy or consulate, book there instead.
How to Swear DS-3053 Online From Canada — Step by Step
Section 4 is an oath: "I solemnly swear (or affirm) that the above information given by me is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief." O. Reg. 431/20 lets an Ontario notary administer an oath or affirmation by video.
- Fill in Sections 1 to 3 of the current form: "Print legibly or type using black ink only." Print your child's name "as it appears on the passport application (Form DS-11)."
- Stop at Section 4. "STOP HERE! Do not sign this form until requested to do so by a Passport Authorizing Officer or Notary." Leave every Section 4 line blank.
- Copy your ID, front and back: the valid government-issued photo ID you will show on the call.
- Book and upload. Choose General affidavit - subject to notary review and upload a clear scan or photo of the form and the ID copy. The notary reviews it before the call and tells you if anything on the form or the ID will not work.
- Join the call with that same ID, show it on camera, swear or affirm, then sign Section 4 while the notary watches. Two parents each do this in turn.
- The notary completes the certificate, which verifies identity "by personally viewing the above-notated identification document(s) and matching photocopy(ies)." The notary dates it the same day you sign (every date on the form is the signing day), writes the notary's city and province in the location line, and seals it.
- You receive the signed form and the ID photocopy together as a PDF. A mailed paper copy, by regular or express mail, is optional and priced in the booking.
What to Bring
| Bring | Why |
|---|---|
| The form, Sections 1 to 3 complete, Section 4 blank | You sign Section 4 on the call |
| Valid government-issued photo ID | Checked on camera |
| A front-and-back photocopy of that same ID | The form says it must be attached |
| The second parent and their ID, if both sign | Their date must match yours |
Common Mistakes
- Corrections, white-out or blue ink. The form says "black ink only" and "If you make an error, complete a new form. Do not correct."
- Signing early. Section 4 is signed in front of the notary; if you already signed, start a new form.
- Mismatched dates. "The signed date of the affiant(s) and passport authorizing officer or notary must match."
- A different ID. Show the same ID that is notated on the form and copied.
- Letting 90 days lapse. If consent expires before the application is submitted, "new consent is required."
- No ID photocopy. The affiant "must attach" one, front and back.
- A related notary. The notary "must not be related to the affiant(s)."
Pricing and Booking
Minute Notary charges $24.95 per stamp plus HST, and one DS-3053 is one stamp.
| Your situation | What is charged | Fee before HST |
|---|---|---|
| One parent, one child | 1 stamp | $24.95 |
| Both parents on one form (third party), one child | 1 stamp plus a second signer | $49.90 |
| One parent, two children | 2 forms, 2 stamps | $49.90 |
| Both parents, two children | 2 forms, 4 stamps | $99.80 |
Paying online adds a small card processing fee, shown in full before you pay.
To book, choose General affidavit - subject to notary review, one stamp per form; if both parents sign, answer 2 when asked how many people will sign. Questions? Contact us or call (613) 434-5555.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Form DS-3053?
Form DS-3053 is the sworn consent a legal parent gives when they cannot appear in person with their child for a U.S. passport application on Form DS-11. The U.S. Department of State titles it "Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child." The parent swears it before a passport authorizing officer or notary. Both parents can also use it to authorize a third party to apply.
How do I fill out Form DS-3053?
Form DS-3053 is filled out by the absent parent: Sections 1 to 3 in black ink, then stop at Section 4 until the notary asks you to sign. Section 1 is the child, Section 2 the adult applying in person, and Section 3 the parent or parents giving consent. An error means a new form, not a correction. Attach a front-and-back photocopy of the photo ID you show the notary.
Where do I get Form DS-3053, and can I print it at home?
Form DS-3053, edition 10-2024, is a PDF that the U.S. Department of State posts at eforms.state.gov, so you download it and print it yourself. The form says to "print legibly or type using black ink only," so you can type Sections 1 to 3 before printing or write them by hand. For an online appointment, upload a clear scan or photo of the form and the ID copy.
Can a notary in Canada notarize Form DS-3053?
Form DS-3053 can be notarized by a local notary unless the affiant is in a country where, in the form's own words, it "must be notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate"; the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada website says which rule applies. The form itself does not list those countries, and neither does this guide.
Can I swear DS-3053 online by video?
A parent anywhere in Canada can swear Form DS-3053 by video, because Section 4 is an oath and O. Reg. 431/20 lets an Ontario notary administer an oath or affirmation by video. You show the same photo ID that is copied and attached, swear or affirm on camera, and sign Section 4 while the notary watches. The passport agency decides whether it accepts a consent sworn by video.
Do both parents sign the same DS-3053?
Both parents sign the same Form DS-3053 only when both are giving consent, usually so a third party such as a grandparent can apply; then both swear on the same video call, each with their own ID, because the signed dates must match. When one parent goes to the appointment, only the absent parent signs. Each child needs their own form.
Does DS-3053 have to be the original signed form?
Form DS-3053 does not say whether the passport agency needs the original signed paper or accepts a copy of it; what the form does require is a front-and-back photocopy of your photo ID, attached. Minute Notary returns the sworn form and that ID copy as a PDF the same day, and a mailed paper copy is optional and priced in the booking. The passport agency decides whether it needs paper.
How long is a DS-3053 valid?
A DS-3053 consent is valid for 90 days from the date the notary signs, which is also the date the parent signs, because the form requires the two dates to match. If the consent expires before the child's passport application is submitted, the form says "new consent is required." Book the notary close to the passport appointment.
Does a 16- or 17-year-old need DS-3053?
Form DS-3053 is needed for a 16- or 17-year-old when the passport authorizing officer asks for a parent's written consent, which the form says the officer "retains discretion to request." For those ages, "parental awareness is required by one legal parent/legal guardian," and in many cases the officer "may be able to ascertain parental awareness" without the form. Section 1 has a box to tick for ages 16 and 17.
How much does it cost to have DS-3053 notarized?
Having Form DS-3053 notarized at Minute Notary costs $24.95 plus HST for one parent on one form, because one DS-3053 is one stamp. Both parents on one form is $49.90 plus HST. Two children means two forms: $49.90 plus HST for one parent, or $99.80 plus HST when both parents sign both. Paying online adds a small card processing fee, shown before you pay.
Final Recommendation
Unless your country requires a U.S. embassy or consulate, fill in Sections 1 to 3 in black ink and book close to the passport appointment. The notary's part is the oath, the certificate and the seal.
Book Your Appointment
Need Form DS-3053 sworn? Minute Notary commissions it by secure video from anywhere in Canada for $24.95 per stamp plus HST.
- Contact us: Ask a question or request an appointment
- Call: (613) 434-5555
- Service page: Affidavits
Sources
This article was written using AI.
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About the author
Kai Mai
Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer, Minute Notary
Kai Mai writes and edits the Minute Notary guides, working from the published federal and Ontario guidance each article links, and from what Ottawa clients actually run into with certified copies, affidavits, statutory declarations, travel consent letters, and immigration paperwork. These guides are general information written by our editorial team — not legal advice, and not a professional opinion on your document. The receiving authority always has the final say.