If you have any queries about a child's passport or about an application for a child's passport, you should first contact the Department of Foreign Affairs Passport Office.
The Courts Service can only provide information on situations where there is a court's involvement in a child passport issue. These issues often relate to who signs for the passport and who minds or looks after it.
You might want to get legal advice to better understand your particular situation.
Why apply to the court regarding a child's passport?
There are certain situations where you will need to get a judge's decision about a child passport issue. These include where:
1) One guardian refuses to sign
If there are two guardians, both need to sign the application form for a child's passport. If one guardian refuses to sign the application form, you can apply to the court to have the child's passport issued without their signature.
2) One guardian cannot be found
A guardian may have become uncontactable. In this situation you can apply to the court to have the child's passport issued without their signature.
3) Access a child's passport
A court may put in place conditions regarding where the child’s passport is held. For example, the passport may be held by the court. It could also be held by a named person appointed by the court and released under certain conditions. In this situation, a guardian will need to apply to the court to have the the passport released. At all times, the court will consider the best interests of the child.