Flying Out with a Newborn: Passport and Pickup

In Sweden, passport applications — including for infants — go through the Police (Polisen), and the child generally needs to be present at the appointment along with the required documents. Check Polisen's own guidance for exactly what's needed and current appointment availability, since requirements and processing times can vary, and book the appointment as early as you can once you know your travel date.

Processing can take longer than parents expect for a first passport, so don't leave the application until close to your flight — start it as soon as you know you'll be travelling.

A newborn needs a rear-facing seat, and this is one to book rather than leave to chance — add it with the child seat option in the booking form, telling us the baby is under 1 year, and we fit the right seat before pickup. If you'd rather use your own, that's fine too — just tell us so we know not to add one, and allow a few extra minutes at pickup to fit it.

Check-in and security with an infant generally take longer than travelling without one — feeding, changing, a stroller to fold and unfold, and simply moving slower through the terminal with a car seat or carrier in hand. Build that into your pickup time rather than planning as if you were travelling alone, and check your airline's own guidance on travelling with infants for anything specific to your route.

Beyond the passport, check whether your destination has any additional entry requirements for infants — some countries ask for specific documentation or have their own minimum-age rules for travel, separate from the general passport requirement. Your airline's own guidance for infant travel to your destination is the place to check this, alongside the passport application itself.

Keep feeding supplies, nappies and anything you'll need during the wait easily accessible in hand luggage rather than checked, since the airport steps with a newborn tend to stretch out and you don't want to be digging through a packed case for something you need urgently. The same goes for any medication or specific formula — pack more than you think you'll need for the airport portion alone, in case of unexpected delays.