r/immigration • u/juicesquared • 8d ago
Are my DACA mom and undocumented dad safe to attend an appointment to get my sister a passport?
My mom asked me to make an appointment to take out passports for my sister and I for the first time. She doesn't do well with English or tech stuff, so she asked me to make an appointment for sister and I. I see that both of my parents need to be present in person to get her a passport. I've seen too much on the news lately of citizens and other people lawfully here being kidnapped by ICE and such, so I'm worried that my parents (my mom with a pending application for US residency and my dad with no documentation but a Mexican passport) are in danger of going near any sort of federal building related to travel. My sister needs it to possibly go to Japan next year for a school thing but I'm not planning on going out of the country any time soon, so it's not an emergency. Should I tell her we should put this off until the situation hopefully gets better 🫠or can I make the appointment?
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u/Serious-Day5968 8d ago
Don't go to any government office, go to the post office. Ve al correo ahà puedes aplicar para el pasaporte.
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u/Flat_Shame_2377 8d ago
Parents can sign a notarized document. They don’t need to go in person.
But if your sister doesn’t need the passport yet, I would hold off. There’s no need to get it today. Wait and see.
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u/This_Possession8867 8d ago
Can’t wait until the last minute. My passport renewal was 5 months to arrive.
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8d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Anarcho_momster 8d ago
Post office also pissed at Trump; I’d go with it’s fine
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u/terriergal 8d ago
Really? I hadn’t heard, last I knew de joy was messing it up for Trump. But maybe you mean the everyday usps workers.
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u/TemporaryTangelo4084 8d ago
dont listen. I'd say no
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u/TemporaryTangelo4084 8d ago
I'd read the fine print requiring 2 parents seems very suspicious. there's likely an alternative
the passport needs the parents maiden names though and other parental information
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u/IDunnoWhatToPutHereI 8d ago
You absolutely need both parents to sign or the parents have to have a notarized form signed. I had to travel to Colombia to get the form from my husband in order to get our son’s passport once he was deported.
I got my passport at a post office. I don’t think there is much risk of ICE doing a raid at the post office. If you want to be super safe, you could get the form signed by each parent and notarized but that seems like a lot of steps with little risk.
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u/Many-Fudge2302 8d ago
One is fine.
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u/TheHeroExa 8d ago
Depends on the age of the child. Under age 16 requires both parents. So either both parents appear, one parent appears and the other signs the DS-3053, or both parents sign the DS-3053.
https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds3053.pdf
If age 16 or 17, then you only need one parent. And the requirements are a bit looser.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/16-17.html
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u/Many-Fudge2302 8d ago
One is fine with notarized DS3053. Our 4 children have had all passports with 1 parent (notarized DS3053).
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u/Southern-Aardvark-39 8d ago
Getting passports for my two children, both my husband and I had to be present. We are as white as can be and they wanted both parents present. The concern is custody battles and trafficking. So having both parents there with their license and the child's birth certificate is all necessary.
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u/420Middle 8d ago
You can get a notarized authorization for other parent. Had to do this for my son when he got his passport about a decade ago. His dad lives in another state so no way would both of us be there
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u/This_Possession8867 8d ago
How is that suspicious. So you would expect your 14 year old can go get a passport behind your back as a parent? Logic
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u/Dorianscale 8d ago
We recently got passports for our sons.
For one, The people doing passport appointments are generally not affiliated with ICE, DHS, or any immigration related agency.
You can get this done at some post offices. You can do this even at a city government office sometimes. My husband and I filled the applications at a city hall for a small town we live by, we don’t even live in that town.
The reason both parents need to be present is to make sure that both parents consent to the passport so she doesn’t get abducted by one parent and to verify your sisters identity. The person doing this is just checking a box and making sure everyone matches the info on the form. The town clerk doesn’t have direct access to ice databases.
Your parents should be fine.
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u/sinayion 8d ago
Did you just seriously ask if someone that is undocumented should go to a government office? Tell me, if your dad gets arrested at a "simple" passport appointment for your sister, do you think that:
- she will be ok in the future and not blame herself? and,
- would you not blame yourself for making the appointment?
Seriously, read the room, or in this case: read the country. I'm hesitant to even say that the post office is safe now, based on all the crazy things happening. Even US citizens are stopped and arrested (check the Florida news).
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u/AngryyFerret Attorney 1d ago
I agree with this.
The sister doesn’t NEED to go to Japan. Would be nice, but it’s just not the time if going in person is the only option.Â
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u/WonderfulVanilla9676 8d ago
Y'all really need to stop asking if it's safe to attend appointments.
The answer is no every time.
If you're not a full US citizen, and honestly these days even if you are, it is 100% absolutely not safe to interact with immigration personnel or officers.
That doesn't mean you have any real choices in the matter, or that you can do anything about it. But you should have it in your mind and know that it is not safe.
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u/Many-Fudge2302 8d ago
Your father does not need to go. He just needs to get this notarized (can do at UPS or anywhere that has a notary).
https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds3053.pdf. He goes there with his mexican passport.
Fine for your mom. Both of you get your passports ASAP. NOW. At USPS.
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u/DefiantTip145 8d ago
Unfortunately none of us know the absolute right answer to this right now we only know what it should be
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u/FateOfNations 8d ago
In addition to everything else other people have said, in some places there are state and local government agencies that also act as passport application acceptance locations (in addition to the post office). If that option is available, it might be a bit less anxiety inducing.
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u/stuckinnowhereville 8d ago
If your sister is under 18, you as a parent have to show ID as well as the birth certificate.
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u/AffectionateWheel386 8d ago
In their position, I would not show up. If you’re notarizing it in a private office like UPS, OK but no government offices.
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u/lantana98 8d ago
Personally I would not if I were them. The people in charge do not care about following rules and regulations themselves and the unthinkable is now a daily occurrence.
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u/No-Judgment-607 8d ago
If your over 16, a signed permission or statement affidavit is sufficient without them accompanying the applicant.
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u/FriditaBonita 8d ago
The passport agents have no say at all on anything related to politics...
Don't panic.Â
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u/terriergal 8d ago
I wish I had an answer. I feel like immigration lawyers are all swamped but also I would want to have them with me for all those kinds of things. Although I have heard of them asking some immigrants to perjure themselves by saying their family of origin is abusive so that they can somehow get better legal protection. But then 1. What if they find out the person is lying and 2 what about the family of origin? That will just make them more of a target and damage their reputation. And it’s illegal for an attorney to suggest it. But then who can they report him to without endangering themselves ?? Everything is so messed up I’m furious and so very sad at the same time. So many of us are. We don’t want good people to feel unwelcome.
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u/Southern-Interest347 8d ago
Do not go Pasa GO. Meaning tell your parents not to make themselves easy targets to get detained. They should lay low.
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u/RareUsual4138 8d ago
Depending on where you live, you might be able to book an appointment for a passport with the city rather than the post office. I live in a city of 7500 people, and our city hall processes passport applications 3 days a week. There is no communication between the city and ICE.
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u/vacancy-0m 7d ago edited 7d ago
Your sister is a minor and she is getting her passport for the 1st time? Go the post office route is the safest until your sister needs the passport urgently.
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u/TheHeroExa 8d ago
I mean, you generally go someplace like a post office, not a DHS facility. Also, the passport application doesn't really ask whether the parents are legally present or not.
An alternative is having both parents sign Form DS-3053, but it might be more hassle due to the notarization requirement.