Child Travel Consent Form Generator
Make a consent letter for a child who is traveling with one parent, with another adult, or alone. The letter names the child, the trip, and how to reach the parents or guardians who stay home, and it can add an emergency medical clause and space for a notary. It is free, works in English or Spanish, and runs in your browser.
A self-help template, not legal advice.
A consent letter does not replace a passport, visa, or any form a destination country requires, and no country is bound to accept it. If a court order controls travel or custody, follow the order. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
Still blank (these print as blanks you can fill in by hand):
- Child’s name
- Child’s date of birth
- Name of the parent or guardian giving consent
- Phone number for the parent or guardian giving consent
- Destination
- Departure date
- Return date
- Accompanying adult’s name
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to or stored on our server.
Consent Letter for a Minor Child to Travel
Date: [DATE]
I, [FULL NAME], am the [RELATIONSHIP] of the child named below.
Child
1. [CHILD’S FULL NAME], date of birth: [DATE OF BIRTH]
Consent to travel
I consent to [CHILD’S NAME] traveling with [FULL NAME] ([RELATIONSHIP]) to [DESTINATION], departing on [DATE] and returning on [DATE].
Accompanying adult
Name: [FULL NAME]
Relationship to the child: [RELATIONSHIP]
Contact information
I can be reached during the trip at:
[FULL NAME], phone: [PHONE], address: [ADDRESS]
This consent covers only the trip described above. I do not intend this letter to change any custody or parenting arrangement.
Signature: ______________________________ Date: ____________
Printed name: ______________________________
Notary (the notary completes and attaches their own certificate of acknowledgment)
Before you sign
The U.S. State Department says the United States does not require evidence of both parents’ permission for a minor to travel internationally, but some countries do. Check the entry and exit rules of every country on the trip, and the airline’s own policy, before you travel.
Some countries ask for a signed and notarized letter from the parent who is not traveling, or proof of sole legal custody. When a child travels alone or with someone who is not a parent or guardian, some countries require a notarized letter from the parents or guardians (U.S. State Department).
The State Department also warns that in some places a minor cannot depart without a legal parent or guardian at all, and some require formal consent from the parent who is not traveling. Confirm this before the child travels without a parent or guardian.
If a child may have a second nationality through a parent, the State Department suggests contacting that country’s embassy or consulate about its passport requirements and its entry and exit rules for minors.
Canada’s government recommends that children traveling without one or both parents carry a signed consent letter. It is not legally required in Canada but may be requested by immigration officials, airline agents, or Canadian officials. Any adult may witness the signing, and a notary is strongly recommended. Border officials may not accept photocopies or digital versions (travel.gc.ca).
For a school, sports, religious, or other group of U.S. citizen children arriving by land or sea from Canada or Mexico, CBP asks for a letter on organization letterhead that includes a signed statement from the supervising adult that they have parental or guardian consent for each child.
Bring the original signed letter and each child’s travel documents. A consent letter does not replace a passport, visa, or any form a destination country requires.
If a court order controls travel or custody, carry a copy. This letter does not change a court order.
When a Consent Letter Helps
The U.S. State Department's guidance on traveling with minors says the United States does not require evidence of both parents' permission for a minor to travel internationally, but some countries do. In some countries a parent traveling alone with a child may need a signed and notarized letter from the other parent, or proof of sole legal custody.
When a child travels alone or with someone who is not a parent or guardian, the State Department notes that some countries require a notarized, written permission letter from the parents or guardians. It also advises bringing a copy of each child's birth certificate or other evidence of your relationship to the child.
Canada publishes the most detailed official guidance. Its consent letter page recommends that children traveling outside Canada without one or both parents carry a signed consent letter. It says a letter is not legally required in Canada but may be requested by immigration authorities, airline agents, or Canadian officials, and that failing to produce one can cause delays or a refusal to enter or exit a country.
For groups, CBP's Know Before You Go page says U.S. citizen children under 19 arriving by land or sea from Canada or Mexico with a school, religious, cultural, or sports group should have a letter on the organization's letterhead that includes a signed statement from the supervising adult that they have parental or guardian consent for each child.
What the Letter Contains
Canada notes that there are no official guidelines for the content and format of a consent letter, but that one usually includes the child's name, the names and contact details of the parents or guardians, the accompanying adult's name, address, contact details and relationship to the child, and where the child is going and for how long. This generator builds all of those in, plus:
- each child's date of birth and, if you add it, passport number;
- the departure and return dates and any flight or lodging details you enter;
- an optional clause letting the accompanying adult seek emergency medical treatment if you cannot be reached;
- an optional line noting an attached custody order or death certificate;
- a signature line for each consenting parent, and optional witness and notary space.
Canada's guidance says any adult may witness the signing but strongly recommends a notary, and that border officials may not accept photocopies or digital versions. Sign the original and bring it with you.
What This Letter Does Not Do
- It does not satisfy any particular country's entry or exit rules. Check each country on the trip, and the airline.
- It does not replace a passport, visa, or a destination country's own form for departing minors.
- It does not change custody or override a court order.
- It does not include a notary's certificate. If you use a notary, the notary completes and attaches their own.
Worried the other parent may take a child abroad without consent? Our child custody laws by state page covers custody orders, and the State Department page linked above describes its abduction-prevention resources.
Disclaimer: General legal information, not legal advice. Border and airline officials decide what they will accept.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the United States require a consent letter for a child traveling with one parent?
The U.S. State Department says the United States does not require evidence of both parents’ permission for a minor to travel internationally, but some countries do. Airlines and destination countries set their own rules, so check each country on the trip before you go.
Does the letter have to be notarized?
It depends on where the child is going. The State Department notes that some countries ask for a signed and notarized letter from the parent who is not traveling, or proof of sole custody. Canada’s government says any adult may witness the signing but strongly recommends a notary. The generator leaves space for a notary, who completes and attaches their own certificate.
Who should sign the letter?
Each parent or guardian who is not traveling with the child. If both parents are staying home, both can sign one letter. Canada’s guidance also suggests separate letters for children who will travel separately for part of the trip.
Can I make the letter in Spanish?
Yes. Choose Spanish as the document language and the letter, signature lines, and notes are produced in Spanish. You can generate an English copy too and carry both.
Is anything I type saved?
No. The letter is built in your browser and the PDF is created on your device. Nothing you type is sent to or stored on our server.
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