[Essential Travel Document]How to apply for a baby’s passport for overseas travel?! How to take an ID photo at home for your baby?!

I’ve been sharing travel stories about taking my bunny-girl out, so many moms have asked me how to apply for a passport.

Since Bunny Girl was born in Singapore (but this isn’t a birthright citizenship situation, okay!! A lot of people ask me this—so yes, we’re 100% Taiwanese babies!)

On the very day she was born, this mom-on-her-knees and daddy were frantically brainstorming Bunny Girl’s name—it’s super tricky, considering everything from timing to the zodiac sign… rabbits should have grass… blah… blah… blah… so much to think about!

Because we had to first get the birth certificate in Singapore and then apply for a temporary passport to bring Bunny Girl back to Taiwan, we went to the Taiwanese office in Singapore to get the temporary passport.

Back in Taiwan, the temporary passport needed to be exchanged for a real one, so we had to apply for the passport again in Taiwan!! Phew~ it was really super troublesome!!

Let this mom-on-her-knees take you and your baby through the passport application process~!!

Haha~!!

Plain white paper works best—it’s less likely to cast shadows!!

Taking a baby’s ID photo is truly a huge project!! This mom-on-her-knees kept waiting for Bunny Girl to open her eyes.

Look!! This is on the third day—her eyes are just like this~ how can we use this!!

It took a whole week for her eyes to get a little bigger and to have some cheeks!!

Passport application successful~!! But the officer kept saying your child’s head is so big!! (A baby’s head is round—you need from the top of the head to the chin to be 3.2 cm, so of course the head looks huge~!!)

Wow~ the birthplace on the passport is Singapore!! How special!! But yeah, giving birth in Singapore really is insanely expensive too!!

A plain white wall (have the baby sit in front of the white wall)

Use toys your baby hasn’t seen before!! Don’t use familiar ones, because babies might not even want to look at them!!

You definitely need to take tons of burst shots, because you never know where the baby will look—the perfect shot picked from many!!

And the chosen one is this one!!

Two prints, 8 photos taken plus edited for 450 NT$

2 prints, 4 photos for 50 NT$

(Then trim the 8 photos afterward!!)

(But it depends on whether the shop is willing to print them for you—some charge extra for ID photos, so you have to find a good shop)

I heard Costco and 7-11 are the cheapest for printing and won’t mess with your photos either!!

Trim the photos afterward, 10 prints

Ministry of Foreign Affairs official website: http://www.boca.gov.tw/mp.asp

．Passport application fee is 900 NT$ in total
．Passport processing time is 4 working days (excluding the day of application and weekends)
．You can collect the passport in person or have it mailed
．You cannot leave Taiwan within six months before your passport’s expiration date—you’ll need to renew it first!!

※ Download the passport application form

Schedule a passport appointment: https://www.boca.gov.tw/ap?apName=applyDesc&mp=1

Apply for a passport overseas: http://www.boca.gov.tw/lp.asp?ctNode=730&CtUnit=187&BaseDSD=7&mp=1

Check visa-free or visa-on-arrival information: http://www.boca.gov.tw/content?CuItem=1335&mp=1

Regardless of the type of document, the general procedure in case of loss involves reporting the loss, invalidating the document, and reapplying.

Before departure, you should separately record your passport number, date of issue, and the contact number of the relevant overseas embassy or renewal office, and prepare a photocopy of your passport and two 2-inch personal photos for emergencies. Applying for a replacement passport at a Taiwanese embassy or overseas office usually takes 1 to 2 working days. For those who need to return urgently, a temporary entry permit can be applied for, which takes about 2 to 3 working days, but it only allows direct return to Taiwan and does not permit entry into other countries.

Remember, do not leave important documents unattended—even when using the restroom or dining, keep them with you to avoid losing your passport.

PS. If the above seems too troublesome, just spend some money and let a photographer take the photos and have a travel agency handle it—that’s the easiest way!! No choice~ I’m just the type of mom who can’t help but be hands-on!! Haha~!!

So happy to find others like me, moms with babies under 2, wanting to travel—so I’ve taken on the task of editing baby photos for everyone!! Hope you all have a fun and unforgettable trip!!

I’ll edit one photo first for the quickest mom!! I’ve received the photo you sent—Up!!

You sent three photos to me, and I picked this one to edit—it was a bit blurry!! I did my best with the photo editing, so let me know if it’s okay?? Hope you have a joyful time taking your baby abroad!! (Right is original, left is edited)

This is a lovely mom who took the photos and managed everything herself!! Just like me, she really wanted her girl to wear pink—ended up with the orange-clothed big head looking great!! But not in pink~
Never thought my fashion design skills could help change clothes in photos!! Haha~!!
Kneeling Mommy~!! Also super happy that more little ones are going out with their parents now……!!