Dreaming of international travel with your family in tow? First thing's first – you need to get your child a passport. While it may seem like an arduous task, crossing it off sooner rather than later means its one less thing to think about when it comes time to actually planning your trip away. Luckily, parents can begin the process as soon as your child has a birth certificate, and we outline the next steps below.
American Passports
If you are a US citizen who recently had a child in the Cayman Islands, you need to apply for a 'Consular Report of Birth Abroad' as well as a passport for your child. You will need to make an appointment (via consularagency.simplybook.me/v2/) with the US Consular Agency and then complete the application forms which can be found on www.travel.state.gov. Both the parents and child must attend the appointment and bring any necessary documentation. They do not accept walk-ins.
US Consular Agency: Suite 202B, Smith Road Centre, 150 Smith Road, George Town. Email: USconsularagency@gmail.com or CaymanACS@state.gov. Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-2pm (closed on all Cayman and US holidays).
Australian Passports
Obtaining an Australian passport for a child born in the Cayman Islands to at least one Australian national is complicated. For a passport application form visit www.passports.gov.au.
British Passports
Visit www.gov.uk/overseas-passports to fill out an online passport application form and pay the prescribed fee. The passport office will then email you a personalised declaration pack. You need to sign this and send it by courier along with the supporting documents and photos to His Majesty’s Passport Office, OVS-D, Millburngate House, Millburngate, Durham DH97 1PA, England. The cost of a child’s passport is £75.86, inclusive of the courier fee. Processing time takes up to 11 weeks.
Canadian Passports
The Canadian Consulate offers assistance with obtaining Canadian citizenship for children born in the Cayman Islands to Canadian parents, passports and any emergency assistance. Application forms for Canadian passports can be collected from the Consulate or downloaded online from www.cic.gc.ca. The Consulate can review your application before you send it to the High Commission of Canada in Kingston, Jamaica. The estimated processing time is 15-20 business days.
Canadian Consulate: 1st Floor, Landmark Square, 64 Earth Close, West Bay Road. Email: cdncon.cayman@candw.ky. Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 10am-1pm.
Caymanian Passports
Caymanian passports (also called a British Overseas Territories Citizen passport) are processed at the Passport & Corporate Services office in George Town and then sent to the UK passport office to be printed. The processing time is six to eight weeks. Application forms, and a list of required documentation for a BOTC passport can be downloaded from www.immigration.gov.ky (see the yellow passports tab). Passports cost CI$75 for children, CI$100 for adults and the fee is waived for those over 65. Emergency passports, issued in the event of a medical air evacuation, are produced in Grand Cayman and can be turned around within a day.
Passport & Corporate Services Office: 2nd floor of Sussex House, 128 Elgin Avenue. Email: passport&corporate@gov.ky. Opening hours: Monday-Friday 9am-3pm.
For any other nationalities visit www.gov.ky and select Consular Agents for contact details of the consular representatives.
Helpful Tip
Try to ensure you child has a valid passport during hurricane season, just in case you and your child need to leave the Island quickly.
