Child Travel Consent Letter

About the Child Travel Consent Letter

When a child crosses a border without both parents — with one parent, with grandparents, alone or on a school trip — immigration officers and airline staff may ask for proof that the parents agree. A consent letter gives it: who the child is, who they travel with, where and when, and how to reach the parents. The Government of Canada recommends one for any child under 19 travelling abroad without both parents; it is not legally required there, but without one a child can be delayed or refused at entry or exit.

This tool writes the letter in the shape of Canada’s recommended sample: the children with their passport details, the consent of the parent or guardian who stays behind, the accompanying adult and their passport, the countries and dates, where the child stays, the parents’ contacts, the copies to attach, and a block for a notary or witness to sign. For groups it also writes the leader’s letter that U.S. Customs and Border Protection asks a school or sports group to carry, listing every child with a parent. The free preview shows every page with your details and the first part of the wording; a Pro pass unlocks the letter to download, copy or print.

Common uses

• A divorced or separated parent taking the children on holiday abroad.
• Grandparents, an aunt or a family friend travelling with a child while the parents stay at home.
• A teenager flying alone to stay with relatives in another country.
• A teacher or coach taking a school or sports group across a border.

When a child needs a consent letter

The Government of Canada recommends that any child under 19 travelling abroad without both parents or legal guardians carry a signed consent letter: alone, with one parent, with friends or relatives, or with a school, sports, musical or religious group — including when a court order lets one parent decide on travel alone. Foreign immigration officers, airline staff and Canada’s own officials may ask for it, and a child without one can be delayed or refused at entry or exit (travel.gc.ca). Other countries’ officers ask for the same proof, so the letter helps wherever the child travels.

What the letter says

• The children: full name, date and place of birth, passport number, date of issue and issuing country. Brothers and sisters travelling together can be on one letter.
• The persons giving consent: the parents or others with decision-making responsibility who are not travelling, with their address, telephone and e-mail for officials who want to check.
• The accompanying adult: name, relationship to the child and passport details — officials compare them with the passport in front of them.
• The trip: every country, the departure and return dates, the flights, and who the child stays with, at what address.
• Optional: day-to-day care decisions and emergency medical treatment by the adult, a court order or the death of a parent, and the list of copies attached.

Signing: a notary or a witness

Any adult can witness the signing, but the Government of Canada strongly recommends a notary public (or another official who can administer oaths). A parent who lives abroad should ideally sign the letter themselves, before a witness or notary where they live. Carry the original: border officials may not accept photocopies or digital versions. The letter ends with a block where the notary or witness records the date, the place and their name and title.

Separated parents, court orders and a parent who has died

Married, separated and divorced parents alike are asked for a letter. Carry a copy of any court order or parenting arrangement about the child, and a copy of the death certificate if a parent has died. If getting the other parent’s consent is not possible or could be unsafe, get legal advice before travelling — and if you fear the child will not be brought back, see a lawyer before signing anything.

School, sports and other groups

U.S. citizen children under 19 travelling with a school, religious, social or cultural group or a sports team and arriving by land or sea from Canada or Mexico may show a birth certificate (original or copy), a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a Naturalization Certificate. The group should carry a letter on the organisation’s letterhead naming the group and the supervising adults, listing each child’s name, home address, telephone, date and place of birth and a parent or legal guardian, with the supervising adult’s signed statement that every child has a parent’s or guardian’s consent (CBP). Choose Group leader’s letter to write it; families still give their own consent to the leader.

Other countries and airlines

Some countries have their own entry and exit requirements for children and may not accept a consent letter like this one, and airlines may ask for one when the child leaves. Check the rules of every country on the trip with its embassy, and the airline’s own forms — especially for a child flying alone — before you book.

Official sources

• Government of Canada: recommended consent letter for children travelling abroad
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Know Before You Go — traveling with children

Limitations

• A letter is not a visa, a passport or a legal guarantee: border officers decide, and some countries require their own forms instead.
• It does not replace a court’s permission where a custody order requires one, or the other parent’s consent where the law requires it.
• Written in English. Where the destination needs a translation or an apostille, arrange it separately.
• A notary’s own certificate may differ from the block at the end: the notary may add or attach their own wording and seal.

Privacy

On this device; its files download once

Everything happens in your browser. Children’s names, dates of birth and passport numbers are not uploaded or stored by MySmartCoPilot. If you tick Keep a draft in this browser, the form is saved in this browser’s local storage until you untick it — leave it off on a shared computer.