Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Virginia

I am a dependent 18-year old whose permanent address is in Maryland, but is residing in Virginia for university. I want to know what my rights are in consideration of a situation regarding my previously issued US passport.

In a nutshell, I want to be able to travel to the United Kingdom in a few weeks to visit my significant other at his own university. My current passport is expired and was issued when I was 14, but I need it to prove my US citizenship in order to get a new passport. My parents (despite a previous verbal agreement that traveling to visit my significant other was okay) have refused to help me apply for a new passport - probably under the suspicion that I will elope.

I'm okay getting the passport on my own and everything; my parents don't necessarily need to help me with that. But they are refusing to hand my expired one over on the premise that 1 - they own it because they paid for it and 2 - the government owns it too.

Do they have the right to withhold my passport from me in this manner? It may seem rudimentary, but am I also entitled to my previous passport even though it was issued when I was a minor? What can I do about this situation given my status as a dependent?


Asked on 10/10/09, 10:39 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

If you're age 18 or over, you're considered an adult in the Commonwealth despite what you term your dependent status and would therefore likely be considered responsible for obtaining your new passport on your own and without the aid of your parents, if they choose not to assist you.

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Answered on 10/15/09, 2:37 pm


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