Do I need a child travel consent letter and how do I get one notarized?
You need a child travel consent letter when a child under 18 travels abroad without both parents. Get it signed in front of a notary public before you fly.
Updated
When you need a consent letter
A consent letter is a border control document, not a booking one. trip1 does not need one to book a family hotel room, and hotels do not ask for it. The people who ask are airline staff at the departure gate and immigration officers on arrival.
- A child travels with one parent while the other stays at home. The parent who is not travelling signs.
- A child travels with a grandparent, another relative, a family friend or a group leader. Both parents sign.
- A child travels alone or as an unaccompanied minor. Both parents sign.
- The parents are separated or divorced, or the child has a different surname from the adult travelling.
If one parent has sole legal custody, or the other parent has died, carry the court order or the death certificate instead of a letter. That is the document an officer will want to see.
What the letter should contain
- The child's full name, date of birth and passport number.
- The full name, passport number and contact details of the adult travelling with them.
- The destination, the travel dates and where the child will be staying.
- A clear sentence of consent, such as a statement that the child is travelling outside the country with that named adult with your permission.
- The full name, signature, passport number and contact phone number of each consenting parent.
- The date the letter was signed.
Write it in English where possible and add a translation if the destination's officials work in another language. Keep it to one page so it can be read at a glance.
How to get it notarized
A notarized letter is one you sign in front of a notary public, who checks your identity and adds a stamp and signature. That stamp is what turns a printed page into something an official will trust.
Book an appointment, bring photo ID, and do not sign the letter in advance. The notary has to witness the signature itself, so an already-signed page has to be redone.
Banks, law offices, print and shipping shops and some public libraries offer notary services, and remote online notarization is now accepted in many places. Fees are usually small. In the United Kingdom the equivalent is a notary public or, for some purposes, a solicitor.
A few countries also want an apostille, an extra certification confirming the notary is genuine. Check the destination's embassy site if you are told an apostille is needed, because it adds days to the process.
Countries that check this strictly
South Africa used to be the strictest example, but since December 2018 children from visa-exempt countries such as the US, UK and EU travelling with both parents need no extra documents. When one parent is not travelling, South Africa strongly advises a birth certificate and a consent letter from the absent parent; copies are accepted and the letter does not have to be a sworn affidavit. Airlines now check these documents only for children travelling alone.
Canada publishes a recommended consent letter template and its border officers may ask for it. United States authorities advise a notarized letter for children crossing into Canada or Mexico.
Many other countries have no formal published rule but their officers can still ask, particularly when a child's surname does not match the adult's. Carrying the letter costs nothing and removes the question.
Important: An airline can deny boarding when child travel paperwork is missing, and that decision happens at the gate where there is no time to fix it.
Child travel consent letters - FAQ
Include the child's full name, date of birth and passport number; the travelling adult's name, passport number and contact details; the destination, dates and where the child will stay; and a clear sentence giving permission. Each consenting parent adds their name, signature, passport number and phone number, plus the date. Keep it to one page.
Yes. There is no official US form, so a letter you write yourself is fine as long as it has the right details and is signed by each parent who is not travelling. Canada publishes a template you can fill in on screen or entirely by hand. Signing in front of a notary makes any version far more convincing to officials.
It is not always legally required, but it is strongly recommended. US Customs and Border Protection suggests the letter be notarized, and Canada strongly recommends a notary witness the signature. Do not sign in advance: bring photo ID and sign in front of the notary, because the stamp is what makes officers trust the signature.
It is strongly recommended. US Customs and Border Protection advises that a child travelling with one parent carry a note from the other parent giving permission, ideally notarized. If you have sole custody, or the other parent has died, carry the court order or death certificate instead, because that is what an officer will want to see.
Yes. When a child travels with a grandparent, another relative, a family friend, a group leader or alone, both parents should sign the consent letter. Name the adult in charge with their passport number and contact details, and list the destination, travel dates and where the child will stay. Airline staff can refuse boarding if it is missing.