Passport Signature

[Husker Mike]

Silly question. My son signed his passport with his shortened nickname instead of his full formal name that's on his passport. Is this something I should get fixed before our cruise this summer, or am I just being overly worried.

 

[Tatebeck]

Most places just check that it IS signed. Lots of people have signatures that don't look like their full names. I signed mine with a shortened version of my name way back when, and no one has ever batted an eye at it.

 

[Alicatt]

My actual signature looks like it's missing part of my full name. It's never been an issue

 

[soniam]

The only place that has ever said anything about a passport was Germany. They were angry that our son’s passport wasn’t signed, but he didn’t know how to write yet

 

[dwg]

From State Department website.

• You must sign your full name in blue or black ink inside your passport.

• On a passport for a child under 16, a parent should print the child's full name on the signature line. The parent should also sign their name next to the printed name of their child, and note their relation to their child (example: mother, father, or guardian).

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/passport-help/after-getting-passport.html

Assuming your son is under 16 the passport is valid for 5 years. If it is not correct do you really want to let that go and take a chance? You should really contact the State Department and get your answer directly from them. You shouldn't be guessing with an official document like a passport.

• Representatives are available Mondays through Fridays 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. We are closed on federal holidays.
• Our primary number is 1-877-487-2778.

 

[cmph]

I think the above rules are going to be hilarious in the very near future, considering we're now squarely in the teen years for kids who were never taught cursive and will often have to print their names or scribble some nonsense. And before anyone says "oh but my kid/s learned" - I totally get that some districts likely still teach it. Somewhere. We moved from the east coast to the west coast in the elementary years, and it was long gone from both my now-teens' curricula in both places. (My eldest only learned b/c she was amenable to my teaching. DS15 - um, nope. And making him write it like once a year when needed has not produced a repeatable version.)

OP - My son would *absolutely* put his nickname and need to be told to add the rest on, so I feel your pain. Personally, I'd just have my son add on to his name as best as he can. There is almost no way that whatever my son puts on his passport will look like his next signature attempt anyway.

 

[Alicatt]

Both my kids are under 16 and signed their own names.

 

[xiphoid76]

No worries. I just sign mine with a letter and a squiggly line. My nephews weren’t signed at all. One was asked to sign his when we were going thru customs, the other wasn’t asked to sign his.

 

[bighuskermav]

I think the above rules are going to be hilarious in the very near future, considering we're now squarely in the teen years for kids who were never taught cursive and will often have to print their names or scribble some nonsense. And before anyone says "oh but my kid/s learned" - I totally get that some districts likely still teach it. Somewhere. We moved from the east coast to the west coast in the elementary years, and it was long gone from both my now-teens' curricula in both places. (My eldest only learned b/c she was amenable to my teaching. DS15 - um, nope. And making him write it like once a year when needed has not produced a repeatable version.)

OP - My son would *absolutely* put his nickname and need to be told to add the rest on, so I feel your pain. Personally, I'd just have my son add on to his name as best as he can. There is almost no way that whatever my son puts on his passport will look like his next signature attempt anyway.

None of it matters as they are all electronically scanned these days anyway. As long as there is something resembling a signed name on the line - nobody will care.

 

[msmama]

One of my son's passports just had his first name, printed, only because that's all he knew how to write.

For his first passport, I signed it because he was just a baby when he got it. After that, it was left blank until he was made to "sign" it by a customs agent somewhere. And has been signing his own ever since (just got passport #4 - last one as a child).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think the above rules are going to be hilarious in the very near future, considering we're now squarely in the teen years for kids who were never taught cursive and will often have to print their names or scribble some nonsense.

A "signature" is whatever form a person uses all the time to "sign" off on things, be it cursive, printed, or squiggled.

 

[cmph]

A "signature" is whatever form a person uses all the time to "sign" off on things, be it cursive, printed, or squiggled.

I would agree with that, but the above rules my post referenced does not seem to. "... a parent should print the child's full name on the signature line. The parent should also sign their name next to the printed name of their child..." (emphasis added)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I would agree with that, but the above rules my post referenced does not seem to. "... a parent should print the child's full name on the signature line. The parent should also sign their name next to the printed name of their child..." (emphasis added)

Ah, but nothing says a signature has to be in cursive. Just has to be the same one you use every time.

 

[TXDCLfan]

I would agree with that, but the above rules my post referenced does not seem to. "... a parent should print the child's full name on the signature line. The parent should also sign their name next to the printed name of their child..." (emphasis added)

I would follow this than what websters says the definition of a signature is .

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I would follow this than what websters says the definition of a signature is .

https://isalegal.info/what-constitu...#Does_a_legal_signature_have_to_be_in_cursive

Scroll down to #5


https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/do-i-need-to-write-in-cursive-or-can-i-do-normal-p-2635211.html

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

A "signature" is whatever form a person uses all the time to "sign" off on things, be it cursive, printed, or squiggled.

exactly . I was taught cursive writing in elementary school but could never really do it properly. My signature ends up being a mixture of the two of them. Also as someone pointed out most countries now have the signature stored digitally and not on the passport anymore, well there is a page where you need to sign it as well there is nothing that say they have to be a 100% match as most peoples signature can very a bit.

 

[LAX]

Not sure how old OP's child is, but my kids' passports were never signed when they were younger and we never had any issue. I suspect even a squggly line will be fine as the minor probably won't have other forms of ID for "verification."

LAX

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Not sure how old OP's child is, but my kids' passports were never signed when they were younger and we never had any issue. I suspect even a squggly line will be fine as the minor probably won't have other forms of ID for "verification."

LAX

When we traveled to Europe with our one year old, the passport was "signed" by me, the mother.

 

[pjacobi]

This is a "teachable moment" to instruct you child on how to sign official documents. It's a little different than putting your name on homework.


-Paul

 

[lanejudy]

This is a "teachable moment" to instruct you child on how to sign official documents. It's a little different than putting your name on homework.

True. When I hand my DD something that needs her to sign, I say "in your best writing -- first name, middle initial, last name. This is the name you need to use on all official documents." She prints (and even that is hardly legible). It's more a lesson about what name to use vs print or cursive.

But to the OP's question... I'd let it go.