Travel Within North America When you travel throughout the continental U.S., your kids don't need a passport. If you plan to include stops to other countries during your trip, such as the Virgin Islands or Mexico, a passport is required.

In 2026, a child can only travel without a passport for domestic flights within their home country, where a birth certificate or a school ID is typically sufficient for identity verification. However, for international travel, all children—including newborns and infants—are strictly required to have their own individual government-issued passport. A child cannot "piggyback" on a parent's passport. For Indian citizens traveling to Nepal or Bhutan, children under 15 can travel without a passport if they have an original government-certified birth certificate in English. For any other international destination, the "no passport, no travel" rule is absolute. Additionally, if a child is traveling with only one parent or a guardian in 2026, many countries require a notarized parental consent letter to prevent international child abduction. Even for babies who don't have a "signature," the passport remains the only document that border officials will accept to verify their citizenship and right to enter a foreign nation.