California DS-3053 Notarization: What Parents Should Expect

If you are completing a Form DS-3053 in California, leave the signature section unsigned until you meet with the notary. Bring the current form, your original valid government-issued photo ID, and a clear photocopy of the front and back of that ID.

There are two sets of requirements to satisfy: the U.S. Department of State’s instructions for the passport consent and California’s requirements for the notarization. A mobile appointment can make the signing easier to arrange, but it does not replace the child’s passport application appointment or guarantee acceptance of the application.

What DS-3053 is used for

Form DS-3053 is a U.S. Department of State form used in certain child passport applications when a parent or legal guardian cannot appear at the passport application appointment.

This article focuses on the notarization of DS-3053 in California, not on determining whether the form is appropriate for a particular family or custody situation. Questions about whether DS-3053 is required should be directed to the U.S. Department of State or the passport acceptance facility.

Use the current form and prepare it carefully

Download the form from the State Department’s official DS-3053 page rather than using an old saved copy.

The current form directs the parent or guardian to complete the information in Sections 1 through 3 and wait to sign Section 4 before the notary or passport authorizing officer. It calls for black ink and instructs applicants to use a new form if they make an error.

Check the child’s name against the passport application and review the identity of the adult who will appear with the child. Questions about what a field means should go to the issuing agency. Printing the form or checking that sections are complete is different from advising you how to answer legal questions.

On Form DS-3053, the non-applying legal parent or legal guardian identified on the form signs the oath/affirmation in front of the notary. The child and applying parent do not ordinarily need to attend that separate notary appointment solely for the consenting adult’s signature. The passport appointment has its own attendance requirements.

Expect an oath or affirmation

DS-3053 asks the signer to swear or affirm that the information provided is true and correct. California’s jurat procedure includes an oath or affirmation and signing in the notary’s presence.

This is why “I already signed it—can you just stamp it?” may require a fresh form and signing procedure. Tell the notary in advance if the form has already been signed.

The notary verifies identity and carries out the required notarial act. The oath is the signer’s statement; the notary is not independently verifying the family history, custody facts, or truth of every answer.

California’s procedure is described in Government Code section 8202.

Why a California certificate may be attached

In California, the notarial wording printed on Form DS-3053 does not contain the complete wording required for a California jurat. When notarizing the form in California, a separate California-compliant jurat certificate may therefore be attached to the DS-3053.

The parent or guardian still signs the DS-3053 in the notary’s presence, and the identification information required by the federal form should still be completed. The date of the signer’s oath and signature should match the date of the notary’s certificate.

Hill Sign also notes the attached certificate in the form’s notary area so it is clear that the notarization continues on the attached California certificate.

Using a separate California certificate does not replace the federal form’s identification fields or other U.S. Department of State requirements. The form itself should still be completed as required, including the identification information for the non-applying parent or guardian and the required identification copy.

California Secretary of State guidance calls for a separate notarial certificate to be permanently attached to the document. Hill Sign staples the California jurat certificate to the DS-3053 so the certificate and form remain together as one notarized document.

If a passport acceptance facility has questions about an attached California certificate, it may be helpful to confirm its handling procedures in advance. A California notary still must follow California requirements when completing the notarization.