Jordanian civil administration works from the family book and the family passport file. The family book records the household and its relationships, and it is what a married woman produces for her own passport and what first-time applications are matched against.
Quick facts
Either parent — father or mother — may apply for a first passport for their minor children. Where the mother is divorced or widowed, she brings the temporary guardianship instrument issued by a Sharia court.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement family book | Charged in Jordan | Lost or damaged |
| Identity card | Charged in Jordan | From age 16 |
| First passport for a child | 25 JOD | Under 16 |
| U.S. certificate and legalisation | $15–$50 plus chain fees | Confirm the route |
| Arabic translation | Per page | Usually produced in Jordan |
Where no family file exists, the applicant proves nationality and residence under the nationality law instead, which is a heavier file and worth preparing carefully.
How to file
- Identify the office holding your family passport file.
- Order the child’s U.S. birth certificate and put it through the certification route the mission specifies.
- Arrange the Arabic translation.
- Bring the family book and the parents’ identity documents.
- Add the Sharia court guardianship instrument where the circumstances require it.
- Apply for the child’s identity card and national number as they approach 16.
Required documents
- Family book.
- Parents’ identity cards and national numbers.
- Child’s U.S. birth certificate, certified and translated.
- Marriage certificate.
- Guardianship instrument where applicable.
- Photographs and the completed forms.
Where to file
At the embassy or consular office covering your area, or at the Civil Status and Passports Department in Jordan.
Additional notes
Guard the family book
Replacing a lost or damaged one is a separate procedure handled in Jordan, and a great deal depends on it.
The national number at 16
Plan it ahead of a child’s sixteenth birthday rather than discovering the requirement when a passport is needed urgently.
Names in Arabic
Transliteration varies widely across documents. Fix the English spelling once and use it everywhere.
Keep copies
Every later procedure asks for the family book and the identity cards again.