If a person wants to get a passport for their child, but the father is no where to be found to sign permission

Question

for the child to leave the country, can she still get the passport for the child. The parents were never married.

Answer 1

It's not as cut and dried.  If the mother has full legal custody, the father's consent is not required.  This does not mean the father has vanished, this is a necessary legal declaration.  A lawyer should be able to help you determine the procedures in your locality.

If custody is shared, both parents must consent before the child can leave the country,  Whether the lack of a marriage affects custody varies from state to state, so check your local regulations.

Answer 2

Ask at your local American consulate,passports division. You should be able to put your child on YOUR passport. Is the child's fathers name on her birth certificate? if not then you should not have any problem. many single parents travel with their child on their passport or they have their own passport.

Answer 3

YOU have a PROBLEM.  Check with the U.S. Passport Agency and see what they say.  Generally, you MUST have the WRITTEN PERMISSION from an absent parent for a minor child to LEAVE THE COUNTRY.  You will need it for BOTH the Passport AND to BUY THE AIRLINE TICKET.

I seem to remember there is even a mention of it ON THE APPLICATION FORMS for the PASSPORTS... look on those... it should give you some idea of how to continue.