How to write a notarized letter for travel with child
How to Get a Notarized Minor Travel Consent Form
You and your family are preparing for a trip abroad, and everything is planned down to the very last second. Your itinerary is color-coded with sights to see, places to go, and restaurants to try.
There’s only one problem: you assumed traveling with your 3-year old wouldn’t be a big deal.
You packed their birth certificate and penciled in an extra half-hour to clear customs at the airport. Traveling with children under the age of 18 is not so simple, however, and there are varying rules and requirements depending on the age of the child, their reason for traveling, and who they are traveling with.
Fortunately, Notarize exists to get your documents, like a minor travel consent form, squared away. Notarize your minor travel consent form now, or keep reading to learn about the notarization process and signer requirements for this document.
The Importance of a Notarized Minor Travel Consent Form
The United States, like many countries around the world, has rigid requirements for traveling with children. The minor travel consent form has become increasingly necessary because of the rise in instances of child abduction in custody cases, and a growing number of children who are the victims of trafficking.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), all U.S. citizens must show a valid passport if re-entering the country by air. This includes children of any age.
When flying within the U.S., or traveling internationally by land or sea, a child’s birth certificate will suffice most of the time. A notarized letter of consent will be required for children who travel without one or both of their parents or legal guardians. The letter of consent ensures the legitimacy of the travel consent offered by the accompanying adult.
With travel consent, children five years or older may fly without a parent or guardian so long as it is a direct fly with no connections. Children older than eight may travel alone on flights with connections.
Notarize Your Minor Travel Consent Form
By notarizing your document with Notarize, there is an added level of assurance that is especially valuable to globetrotters.
Our notarizations are digitally signed and linked to a digital record, which ensures any travel company or foreign agency that your document is authentic. Because the notarization is digital, you don’t have to worry about losing a slip of paper. The letter of consent can be pulled up through the Notarize Verification Portal at any time, saving you from a difficult search for an overseas notary and putting your focus back on your vacation.
Signer requirements
There is no standard-issue minor travel consent form. As you’ll see, you must capture the who, what, where, when, and why, with respect to the child’s travel, as well as contact information for the absentee parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Our minor travel consent document template covers common requirements and allows two legal guardians to sign, one child, and two witnesses. There are a wide range of scenarios that may apply to you and your family. Be sure to verify the documents you will need to travel through the CBP’s “Find and Answer” page, including your notarized minor consent to travel form.
Can I get a minor travel consent form notarized online?
Notarize works with your schedule, not the other way around. On average, getting your minor travel consent form notarized online takes less than eight minutes to complete. To get your minor travel consent form notarized, follow these steps:
- Upload your document (not signed) or use our minor travel consent document template. You must sign before the notary public.
- Fill out the document using Notarize’s digital helper tools.
- Validate your identity.
- When ready, you’ll be prompted to connect in a live video call with a commissioned electronic notary public.
- Sign using your computer, iPhone, or Android device as the notary public watches over live video.
- Wait as the notary public notarizes your document online. The average wait time is about 60 seconds.
- You’re done! Download your notarized minor consent to travel form.
Notarize your minor travel consent form now.
Why Use Notarize?
Notarize is the first platform where you can get something notarized online using your iPhone, Android device, or personal computer. We can connect you to a notary public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No matter the time or place, we always have notaries that are ready to notarize your minor travel consent form.
Whether your trip is a few months out or the night before, we’ve got your back on travel consent forms.
Recommended consent letter for children travelling abroad
A consent letter demonstrates that a child has permission to travel outside Canada from every parent or guardian who is not accompanying them on the trip.
On this page
- When to use a consent letter
- How to write a consent letter
- Signatures
When to use a consent letter
A consent letter should be used for all cross-border travel when a child is travelling:
- alone
- with only 1 parent or guardian
- in the care of friends or relatives
- with a group, such as a sports, school, musical or religious group
This includes day trips and travel where a child will be with only 1 parent for part of a trip.
For example, a child will leave Canada with both parents but will return with only 1 parent.
A consent letter is not a legal requirement in Canada, but it can simplify travel for Canadian children as it may be requested by immigration authorities when entering or leaving a foreign country or by Canadian officials or airline agents when re-entering Canada.
The person who is accompanying the child should bring the original signed letter rather than a copy. Officials may be less likely to question the authenticity of an original document.
If you are travelling with a child for whom you have always been the sole parent or guardian, you can bring a document that shows you are the child’s only parent or guardian, such as a copy of a long form birth certificate that identifies you as the only parent.
If the other parent is deceased and you have full custody of your child, you should bring a copy of the death certificate of the deceased parent when accompanying the child on a trip.
The definition of a child varies from country to country, so any child under 19 years old should carry a consent letter.
Using a letter of consent outside Canada
Countries have their own entry and exit requirements for children. The consent letter may not be considered sufficient by a country’s immigration authorities and there is no guarantee that they will recognize it. In some countries, your child may be deemed to be one of its citizens if you or the other parent is a citizen of that country. As a “deemed citizen,” your child may be subject to the same entry and exit requirements as other citizens of that country.
For more information, check the entry and exit requirements in the Travel Advice and Advisories for your destination country or contact the nearest embassy or consulate of the destination country before travelling.
Travel Advice and Advisories
Foreign representatives in Canada
Risk of abduction
If there is a risk that the accompanying parent will not bring your child back to Canada, consult a lawyer and proceed with caution before signing a consent letter.
International child abduction
How to write a consent letter
There are no official guidelines for the content and format of a consent letter, but they usually include:
- the name of the child
- the names and contact information of parents or guardians
- the name and relationship of the person who is accompanying the child
- information on where the child is travelling and the duration of the trip
You may use 1 letter or multiple letters depending on the situation:
- If neither parent is accompanying the child, they can both sign 1 letter or they can each sign a separate letter
- Children from the same family who are travelling together may be listed on 1 letter
- Separate letters are recommended for children who will be travelling separately for part of the trip
- Consult a lawyer when writing a letter without specific dates or for frequent cross-border trips
A sample letter and interactive form are available to guide you in writing a consent letter:
- Sample consent letter
- Interactive form for writing a consent letter
You can change the letter to fit your specific situation, but you should try to include as much detail as possible.
The consent letter should be signed by:
- Parents who are married or in a common law relationship who are not accompanying the child travelling outside Canada
- Separated or divorced parents who are not accompanying the child travelling outside Canada and who have 1 of the following:
- custody of the child
- decision-making responsibility for the child
- guardianship of the child (in Alberta and British Columbia
A court order or agreement may also specify who does or does not need to sign a consent letter for a child travelling abroad.
If the child is in temporary care: The consent letter should be signed by the appropriate child welfare agency representative granting consent for the child to travel with the accompanying person. If in doubt about who should sign the letter, consult a lawyer.
If one of the parents is deceased: If the child is travelling alone or without the surviving parent, the child should carry a consent letter signed by the surviving parent and a copy of the death certificate of the deceased parent.
Signature of a witness
Any adult may witness the signing of a consent letter. It is strongly recommended that a notary public witness and sign the letter as border officials may be less likely to question its authenticity.
If you are outside of Canada, a consular officer at a Canadian government office may witness the signing of a consent letter (fees apply).
Related links
Other resources
- Children travelling to Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)
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How to properly issue consent for a child to travel abroad
According to statistics, only 32% of families can go on vacation together. Often only mother or father accompanies children on vacation, sometimes grandmother, grandfather or other relatives. Sometimes a child travels with accompanying people: to sports camps, to a children's camp, etc. In order to avoid problems when crossing the border, it is important to know the rules for leaving a child abroad, which have changed somewhat in recent years.
According to the laws of the Russian Federation, if a minor citizen (a person under the age of 18 - ed.) leaves the country together with at least one of the parents, adoptive parents, guardians or trustees - consent to the child's departure abroad from the second parent is not required. Each country has its own rules and laws regarding children. In most countries of the Schengen Agreement, without the consent of the second parent, the child's parents will not be allowed in, even if he travels with the other parent. In some countries, such as France, consent is required from both parents in any case, even if the child travels abroad with one of them. Most often, the question of consent is asked by divorced parents, one of whom is going to travel abroad with the child, or if the child is traveling alone. According to the Border Guard Service of the FSB of Russia, when a child travels abroad unaccompanied by his parents, according to Russian law, in order to leave, he must have, in addition to his passport, a notarized consent from one of the parents or guardians to leave, indicating the date of departure and the state that he intends visit. The wording in agreement “before the expiration of the passport” is undesirable, and without specifying the passport data is completely unacceptable, since it makes it impossible to check compliance with the deadline for departure at the border. It is best to specify a specific calendar date. For example, if the child's foreign passport expires on January 1, 2016, indicate in the consent "until January 1, two thousand and sixteen." The consent must also indicate the specific countries to which the child can travel. If the other parent does not agree that his child can leave Russia, he can declare his disagreement to the migration service. The data of the minor will be received by the border guards, and his departure from Russia will be temporarily restricted. In this case, the issue of the possibility of leaving is decided only in court. Many countries require the consent of both parents if a child is going to cross the border unaccompanied by their parents, with third parties. Basically, these are European countries. In the absence of such, your son or daughter will simply be deployed at the border. nine0003 However, there are a number of countries where a birth certificate is sufficient for a child to enter, as well as the consent of one parent if he is traveling with an escort. So, children under 14 years old can enter Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Ukraine on the basis of a birth certificate with an insert or a mark of Russian citizenship. When obtaining consent to travel in your hands, make sure that all the data: yours, the second parent and the minor are correct, check the dates and the list of countries are correct. The period specified in the consent must correspond to your will and, of course, first of all, to the interests of the child. nine0003 Another question that often worries citizens and is asked to border guards: can a child leave if information about him is entered in the parents' biometric passports. Such a mark does not give the child the right to travel outside of Russia without his passport. On the other hand, if a child travels with a parent whose child is entered in an old-style passport, then he does not need his own separate passport. a person under eighteen years of age. person under the age of eighteen. a document that gives a person the right to perform a certain action by a person whose consent is required for the completion of a particular transaction in accordance with the law. November 24, 2022 what documents are needed and what conditions to comply with. Learn how to find your child's whereabouts with the My Find app. This is especially important when you travel to an unfamiliar place. Contents Expand Let's start with this, as the coronavirus continues to affect the situation with the opening of borders. When planning a vacation, make sure that the destination country is ready to receive travelers. Egypt, Turkey, Thailand, Maldives, Dominican Republic are among the most popular beach destinations abroad among Russians. At the end of 2022, tourists, as a rule, no longer require a certificate of vaccination against COVID-19or PCR test. Among such countries are Turkey, Egypt, Thailand. A list of eligible countries can be found on the website of the Federal Tourism Agency. In addition, tour operators publish up-to-date information. Please note: from October 1, 2022, unvaccinated Russian citizens who return from abroad will no longer need to take a coronavirus test. If a child travels abroad with mom and dad, only passports are needed. But at the border they may require papers confirming kinship or guardianship. Just in case, take with you a birth or guardianship certificate, a marriage certificate or a change of surname if it is different with your child. nine0003 A notarized consent from the second parent is not required for the child to travel abroad, it does not matter if the spouses are married or divorced. Consent may be required to apply for a visa, mainly for Schengen. You can check this point on the website of the consulate of the country of destination. To travel with a child, the following documents are required: Material on the topic How to set up a smartphone for a child Each parent has the right to issue a ban on taking a child abroad by submitting an application to the FMS. Together with the application, a passport, a birth certificate of the child and a document of his citizenship are provided. Consideration of such applications takes two business days. After that, the information is transferred to the database of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the border service. You can set a single border crossing ban or specify specific countries. In addition, the period of validity of the ban is indicated. Only the person who gave it can lift the travel ban, and it can only be challenged through the courts. Therefore, if you are divorced, be sure to check before the trip if there is a ban on leaving the child, otherwise they will not let him through at the border. You can find out if your child has a valid travel ban at the department of the Federal Migration Service at the place of residence or through a written request to the department. nine0003 A child can go on vacation with a grandparent, aunt or uncle, older brother or sister, coach or other accompanying person. This trip requires consent from one parent. This document specifies with whom, where and for how long the child is traveling. They issue consent for a specific trip or a certain period and notarize it. But even if you have all the necessary documents, the border guards may ask the child with whom and where he is going, the names of his father, mother, grandmother, etc. Warn the child about this so that he does not get confused and does not refuse to answer. nine0003 In such a case, the rules of the Ministry of Transport apply: children under 2 years old, as well as disabled children under 12 years old, can travel abroad only accompanied by an adult; from 2 to 12 years old - accompanied by an adult or under the supervision of a carrier. The observation service is provided by airlines for a fee, for example, in Aeroflot it costs 85 EUR. Issue it when buying a ticket. You need to write an application and attach scans of documents - their list is indicated on the airline's website. The conditions for the provision of the service are also spelled out there, including age restrictions: some carriers do not provide an accompanying child under 5 years old; nine0003 from the age of 12 - the child can travel alone if there is no travel ban from parents or guardians.
It is important not to forget, however, that we are talking only on the departure of 90,006 children from the Russian Federation, and not on entry into another country. There are two types of consents: there is the consent of the parents to leave the child, which is intended to be presented to the border guards of the Russian Federation, it must be issued strictly in accordance with the federal law on the procedure for leaving the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation; the second type is consent, which is required by consular offices and embassies for issuing a child's visa. How the consent will be issued for obtaining a visa is regulated by the legislation of the country where it will be presented. nine0003 
However, sometimes you can get by with the consent of one of the parents if the other parent does not take part in the upbringing of the child and his whereabouts are unknown. In these cases, you must have documents confirming these facts with you. Therefore, when preparing to go on a trip, check with the consulate or embassy for the rules for obtaining a visa for the country where you are going to enter. After all, their ignorance can cause you and your child to be denied a visa. Moreover, the reasons for the refusal at the visa center are usually not reported, and you will not know that such a "trifle" disrupted the vacation. nine0003 
Consent from the other parent is not required. The validity period of a notarial consent is determined by a calendar date or the expiration of a period of time, which is calculated in years, months, days, etc. Also, in the consent, the period can be determined by indicating an event that must necessarily occur. For example, reaching the age of majority, expiration of a passport or visa, and so on. nine0003 
General, list language such as "Schengen countries", "Southeast Asian countries", etc. are not allowed. nine0003 
Notarized consents include: the consent of the spouse to the transaction (both for the acquisition and for the alienation of property), the consent to refuse privatization, the consent to travel abroad for a minor child, the consent of the owners (tenants) of housing for temporary registration. nine0003 How to issue consent for a child to travel abroad in 2022: permission, consent, paperwork
COVID-19 requirements for travelers to and from other countries.
Traveling abroad with a child with both parents
Traveling with a child abroad with one of the parents
Ban on travel abroad for a child by one of the parents
nine0003 Traveling with a child abroad with an adult, but not with a parent (guardian)
Child traveling abroad unaccompanied by adults
When traveling abroad without a mother or father, the child will need a notarized permission from only one of the parents. Required documents:
Summary: what you need to do to go on vacation with a child abroad
