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Child travel authorization

When a child travels without one parent, or without both, border authorities and carriers may ask for a consent letter. The notary prepares it and attests the signatures, which carries more weight than a letter written at home.

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The consent letter for a child who travels

When a child travels without one parent, or without both, border authorities and carriers may ask for a consent letter. The notary prepares it and attests the signatures, which carries more weight than a letter written at home.

No Canadian law requires you to produce a consent letter. The Government of Canada strongly RECOMMENDS one for any child under 19 travelling abroad without both parents or guardians: alone, with one parent, with relatives, or in a group.

That distinction is not as reassuring as it sounds, because the decision is not yours. Border services officers, airlines and foreign immigration authorities may ask for it, and not being able to produce it may result in delays, or in refusal of entry to or exit from a country.

Put another way: it is not required, until it is. And that moment arrives at the check-in desk or the border post, when it is too late to obtain one.

What it does not do needs saying too. The Government of Canada states it plainly: the letter does not guarantee that a child will not be taken abroad without authorisation, or that they will be returned to Canada. It is an important precaution, not complete protection.

What you should know

  • In which situations

    The child is travelling with one parent only. The child is travelling with a grandparent or another accompanying adult. The parents are separated and one of them is travelling with the child.

  • The notary’s role

    Drafting the letter from the model recommended by the Government of Canada. Verifying the parents' identity and attesting the signatures. Setting out the dates, the destination and the accompanying adult. Providing a version you can present to the authorities.

  • Recommended, not mandatory

    A consent letter is not required by Canadian law, but the Government of Canada strongly recommends one and many foreign authorities ask for it. A notarised signature makes it easier to have accepted.

Useful questions

The answers that matter before you start

Is this document mandatory?

No, no Canadian law requires it. The Government of Canada strongly recommends one for any child under 19 travelling without both parents or guardians. The distinction is thin in practice: border officers, airlines and foreign authorities may ask for it, and not being able to produce it may result in delays, or refusal of entry or exit.

I have sole custody. Do I really need the other parent’s signature?

Yes, so far as possible, and this is what surprises people most. The Government of Canada recommends a consent letter even where an order or agreement allows one parent to make travel decisions alone, and Éducaloi confirms it for separated parents, including where the travelling parent has exclusive custody. Bring copies of the relevant court orders as well.

Is a notary really needed?

Any adult may witness the signature, but the Government of Canada strongly recommends that it be a notary, for a specific reason: it reduces the likelihood that border authorities will question the document’s authenticity. The notary verifies the signatories' identity, keeps the original and can issue certified copies.

Is a photo of the letter on my phone enough?

No. The Government of Canada is explicit: original signed letters are best, officials may not accept photocopies or digital versions, and are more likely to question their authenticity. Travel with the original.

What must the letter contain?

The child’s name, the names and contact details of the parents or of the people who make important decisions about the child, the accompanying adult’s full name, address and contact details along with their relationship to the child, and the destination and duration of the trip with specific dates. A letter with no dates reads as an open-ended authorisation and invites scrutiny.

How long is it valid?

No period is fixed by law: what counts are the dates written into the letter. So it is drawn up for the period of the trip, or for a defined period where several trips are planned. The destination country’s requirements are checked separately, since they are not Canada’s to set.

What if the other parent refuses to sign?

According to Éducaloi, the parent refused a signature may apply to the court for authorisation to travel alone with the child. The reverse holds too: a parent who fears the child will not be returned may withhold consent, and it is then for the court to decide after hearing them both. Allow time for that process.

The other parent has died. What should I bring?

There is no signature to obtain. The Government of Canada recommends bringing a copy of the deceased parent’s death certificate when you accompany the child on a trip.

Is a letter needed if the child travels with school or with grandparents?

It is recommended in both cases, and more broadly whenever a child travels alone or with a group: sports, school, musical or religious. That is in fact the commonest situation: no family conflict at all, simply a document nobody had planned for.

Does the letter prevent an abduction?

No, and the Government of Canada says so without hedging: the letter does not guarantee that a child will not be taken abroad without authorisation, or that they will be returned to Canada. It is an important precaution, not complete protection. Where obtaining a signature is impossible or unsafe, seeking legal advice is recommended.

See all questions
A meeting at a desk, with an open file and a laptop.

Who has to sign: the rule that surprises people most

The letter must be signed by everyone with authority to make important decisions for the child who is not travelling with them: parents, a tutor, anyone with custody, access rights or parental authority.

The Government of Canada recommends it whatever the custody arrangement, even when an order lets one parent decide on travel alone, and Éducaloi says the same for separated parents. If the other parent has died, bring a copy of the death certificate; if decision-making authority is exclusive, still obtain the letter when it is possible and safe, with copies of the relevant orders.

Why before a notary, when nothing requires it

Any adult can witness the signature, but the Government of Canada strongly recommends a notary: it reduces the chance that border authorities question the document’s authenticity, since the notary has checked the signatories' identity.

The signed original is preferable: officers may refuse photocopies and digital versions. The notary keeps the original and issues certified copies if the trip is repeated.

Understanding more

The key aspects of your file

What the letter must contain

An incomplete letter can be challenged. The Government of Canada publishes a template and the list of what it must contain; without precise dates, it reads as a permanent authorisation.

  • The child’s name, as it appears on their passport.
  • The names and contact details of the parents or of the people who make important decisions about the child.
  • The accompanying adult’s full name, address and contact details, and their relationship to the child.
  • The destination and the duration of the trip, with specific dates.
  • The signature of every parent or guardian not travelling with the child.

What happens if you do not have one

Often no one asks for it. But if it is requested and you do not have it, the Government of Canada mentions delays, or even being refused entry or exit: a missed flight, a stranded child, tickets to buy again, with no way to fix it from the airport.

The typical case is not a conflict: it is a grandparent, a school trip or one parent travelling alone with the child.

When a parent refuses to sign

According to Éducaloi, a parent who is refused a signature can ask the court for permission to travel alone with the child; conversely, a parent who fears the child will not return can refuse, and the court decides after hearing both.

Being heard takes time: hence the value of preparing the authorisation well before departure. If obtaining a signature is impossible or dangerous, the Government of Canada recommends consulting a legal adviser.

How long it lasts, and when to prepare it

The law sets no period of validity: the letter carries its own dates, those of the trip or a defined period. The destination country’s requirements (birth certificate, visa, vaccination) must be checked separately.

Every minor travelling abroad needs a valid passport, which the letter does not replace. Prepare it when you book: it takes a few days, longer if the other parent is abroad.

General process

  1. Details

    You send us the details of the trip and of the people involved.

  2. Drafting

    The letter is prepared according to the recommended model.

  3. Signing

    The parents sign before the notary.

  4. Travel

    You keep the document with the travel papers.

Before the meeting

Documents to prepare

Depending on the destination and your family situation, other items may be required. Check the requirements of the country being visited as well. This list is indicative.

What to bring to a first meeting
  1. Valid identification for each signing parent.
  2. The child’s birth certificate.
  3. The dates, destination and contact details of the accompanying adult.
  4. The custody judgment, if there is one.

Official sources

This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Each situation must be assessed individually.

Next step

A question about your file?

Write to us or call the office. We will tell you which steps to follow and which documents to prepare.

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