By making sure you have the right documents, you’ll spend less time worrying and more time enjoying your vacation with your kids. A Child Travel Consent form (sometimes called a letter of permission to travel) provides proof that a child has permission to travel without both (or either) legal guardians present. Many countries require that the consent document be witnessed and notarized. 15 Jan, 2020 ; Franki Napolitano; 5 Comments ; The half term breaks are some of the most anticipated of the year, but did you know you could end up in hot water when travelling with a child with a different surname to you if you don’t carry the correct documentation? If you have a child arrangement order which states that the child should live with one parent (you), you are free to take them abroad for a maximum of 28 days without needing to gain permission, unless there is a court order to the contrary. Anyone with Parental Responsibility for a child can apply for a passport for him. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recommends if a child is traveling with one (1) parent, especially if the parents are divorced, to carry a note from the other parent stating their consent to the trip. The situation is different where one parent has a Child Arrangements Order. Often immigration authorities will ask for the consent letter when entering or leaving a country. Whether you’re flying, driving, or sailing, traveling internationally can be stressful—especially with kids. After submitting the required documents, passports usually take about four to six weeks to arrive so it’s important to plan ahead. Recommended consent letter for children travelling abroad We strongly recommend that Canadian children carry a consent letter if they are travelling abroad alone, with only one parent/guardian, with friends or relatives or with a group. View our Privacy Policy. Without the proper documents, officers or attendants may not allow you or your child to travel in or out of the country. Should both the custodial and non-custodial parent agree to extended travel, the court would have no reason for intervention. No, you do NOT need … By having this letter included to the travel documents, it will be more easy to proof that permission was given to travel abroad by the parents or guardians. Reply. The decision will then be down to a court to decide whether the holiday is in the best interest of the child. One parent wants to take the child out of the country, and the question presents itself whether that parent needs permission of the other parent to go. Documentation requirements become more complicated when one parent or guardian is traveling alone with a minor. These restrictions were created to reduce of out-of-country parental kidnapping. In some situations a child under 18 may travel with only one parent: If you share parental responsibility and are travelling alone with your child. 3.2 Where only one parent is travelling with a child, (or children), each child has to produce a valid passport, a BC or Equivalent Document for each travelling child and the Parental Consent Affidavit from the non-travelling parent whose details are recorded on the BC or Equivalent Document. From my experience as Aviation Security, if the child shares the same surename with either of the parent he/she is travelling with, many country will not demand consent letter. ), Keep all documents in a safe, accessible place where they won’t be easily damaged or stolen, Always check with your travel agent, airline company, or government official to find out if there are any specific documents required for your trip, If you are flying internationally, try to arrive at the airport three hours early to allow for adequate travel time, Make sure your child has your personal information on them at all times, along with copies of their travel consent forms, travel itinerary, and passport, More valuable documents like passports should stay with a parent or guardian, if possible, Read over all documents ahead of time to ensure information is complete and accurate. In order to be granted a passport, the US State Department requires all children under the age of 16 to have permission from both parents. The country you are traveling to and the airline you are using will affect the signing details. Child Travel Consent forms reduce the risk of abduction or child trafficking. 4 thoughts on “ Consent Letters: One Parent Travelling Abroad with Children ” You are very right not all countries require consent letters from lone parent travelling with children. This measure is to help prevent international child abductions. The above depends upon what custody agreement is already in place, or the permission granted to each parent by the other parent. is traveling out of the country with … Children traveling within the US with only one parent or without either parent have few requirements. ... And will the father then be allowed to take the child abroad? Be aware that taking your children abroad without permission from the other parent … Whether you’re in a loving, committed marriage or dealing with the fallout of a separation or divorce and a resulting custody battle, if you want to take your child(ren) on a trip outside of Canada without your kid’s other parent, you are strongly advised to take a child travel consent form — essentially, it’s a formal or informal letter that’s been signed by both parents. A copy of the court order would also be needed when traveling to Canada or Mexico without a passport. Threat of abduction. In the case where parents were never married but both parents’ particulars appear on the U or equivalent document, the consent of the non-travelling parent is required; In the case of same sex parents appearing on the UBC, it may be accepted (e.g. 2 mothers or 2 fathers). An immigration officer, airline, or travel company may ask for a letter of consent if the child is traveling internationally with only one parent or with another adult, such as a relative, friend, … Conversely, if one parent has unilaterally booked a holiday to take their child(ren) away without securing the consent of the other parent, and that parent is not in agreement to the said holiday then an application can be made into court to stop that parent from being able to take their children away. In this case you do not need permission, but you will need other documents. In other words, every person who has a legal right to make decision on behalf of the child has to sign the travel consent, if that person will not be traveling with the child. If you are not the parent of the child. If you are escorting a minor child without the parents, have a letter from both parents indicating that you have permission to travel with the minor. It isn't an offence when consent is unreasonably refused. There’s usually an uptick in custody modification requests during the summer months when children are out of school and parents want to take them for an extended summer vacation. Here are the three documents you need to reach your destination without any hassle. Sometimes court-approved custody agreements address travel. Vacation with family friends 2. A letter of consent to travel with one parent can save separated parents a great deal of trouble at the border. What if the parent's name is different than the child's name? In the past, it was an official requirement of the Mexican government that any child entering or exiting the country carry a letter of permission from their parents, or from the absent parent in the case of a child traveling with only one parent. There is no guarantee that your passport will be ready in time, so try to plan ahead of time. Otherwise they may be considered to be removing the child from parental authority and engaging in international child abduction. If you have sole parental responsibility. The US Customs and Border Patrol recommends that a child traveling with only one parent carry a written letter of permission from the other parent. One of the most important things you need to do is to ensure your documents are in order. If you fail to do so, a child may be prevented from leaving irrespective of who they are travelling with. Since 2001, LawDepot has empowered millions of users like you by helping to create custom legal forms and documents. Separated parents should carry guardianship forms, like a Child Travel Consent form, stating that both parents agree to the child traveling in the care of one parent. Minor Travel: Preparing Your Child for a Solo Trip, 3 Situations to Use a Child Travel Consent Form, How to End a Seasonal Contract on a Good Note. to take child abroad - Some friends of ours took their family to Italy last year. There are no EU rules on this matter, each EU country decides if it requires the child to have an official authorisation from their parent (s) or guardian. The above depends upon what custody agreement is already in place, or the permission granted to each parent by the other parent. Disclaimer: Information provided from this site is not legal advice. Fill out the form on the INM website with information about the child, the parent giving permission and, in the case of the child traveling with a third party, that person's name, birthdate and passport information. *Note that no aspect of Super Lawyer’s and Avvo advertisement have been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Click here to view the awards and methodology of Super Lawyer’s and Avvo. Recommended consent letter for children travelling abroad . Even when not required, it will make sure the traveling for children become more easy. Does my child travel consent form need to be notarized? Related documents: Child Medical Consent Form. © 2002 - 2021 LawDepot®, All Rights Reserved. For instance, if a parent has custody of a child during the weekends, an out-of-state vacation would need to occur within that 48 hour time duration. If a child (under the age of 18) is traveling with only one parent or with someone who is not a parent or legal guardian, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that the accompanying adult have a note from the non-traveling parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with neither parent, a note signed by both parents) stating “I acknowledge that my wife/husband/etc. am / are the parent(s), legal guardian(s) or other authorized person(s) or organization with custody rights, access rights or parental authority over the following child: Child Information: Name: child’s full name Date and place of birth: dd/mm/yyyy city, province Number and date of issue of passport (if available): Please use this form to prove that the persons with parental authority over the child have given you permission to travel abroad with the child. When a child travels with only one parent. Read more: Minor Travel: Preparing Your Child for a Solo Trip. Exiting the United States with your child is rather easy but entering another Country will usually require permission. Consider how you can take action and review our Prevention Tips.. We strongly encourage parents to consult with an attorney regarding what actions are appropriate for their particular circumstances, which may include, among other things, obtaining a court order that prohibits a child from traveling outside of the United States. If your child is under the age of 16, their passport will be valid for five years. In most cases, when a parent has concerns about the other parent traveling with the child and not returning, there is a court order addressing vacationing and travel. Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer. If a child has a deceased parent, you should present a copy of the death certificate alongside the travel consent letter. In cases where one parent has taken the children away from the other parent, it is unlikely you will need to obtain a certificate before asking the Court to make orders for the children to be returned to your care. Special requirements exist for children traveling abroad. If one person has a Child Arrangements Order naming them as the person with whom a child is to live, they can take the child abroad without the other parent’s consent provided the holiday is for no more than 28 days. The child’s travel arrangement (one parent, no parents, chaperone, group travel etc. If you are traveling throughout North America by car you’ll need to show both your child’s birth certificate and a written statement verifying your child has permission from his or her other parent before crossing out of the United States and into Canada or Mexico. According to Article 5 of the PRC Nationality Law, a child born abroad to at least one Chinese-citizen parent will automatically have Chinese nationality at birth, unless at least one parent was a Chinese citizen who has "settled abroad", and the child has a foreign nationality at birth. It’s therefore not surprising if all sorts of emotions are raised when you hear your ex wants to take your child abroad. If the Papers Require Permission. The LawDepot Team consists of professional writers and editors with years of experience researching and writing about a variety of legal topics. One parent wants to take the child out of the country, and the question presents itself whether that parent needs permission of the other parent to go. with only one parent may need an extra (official) document signed by their parents, second parent or legal guardian (s) authorising them to travel. • Regulation 6(12)(b) (One parent travelling with a minor); • Regulation 6(12)(c) (Person is travelling with a minor who is not his or her biological child); • Regulation 6(12)(d): (Unaccompanied minors). If you are a father applying for a passport for your child, however, you are likely to be challenged. Traveling alone because one parent has passed away 4. A consent letter for children traveling abroad can help prevent any issue from taking place. If there is no divorce agreement or prior Order of the Court, the problems become greater and either written permission is needed, or a court proceeding must be imitated to allow that travel. A passport provides official proof of citizenship and helps avoid delays when passing over borders. This is recognised as a criminal offence. Having your Child Travel Consent witnessed or notarized decreases the chance of travel authorities questioning its validity. Travel consent letters demonstrate that the child in question has permission to travel abroad from parents who aren't accompanying them. This keeps children safe and prevents missing children from leaving the country. As far as taking children on holiday from the UK a parent with a residence order in their favour can take children abroad on holiday for up to one month without consent from the other parent. Essentially, showing that both of the child’s parents have agreed to the travel arrangements. Because passports are the primary form of identification when traveling, it is worth obtaining one just in case. NOTE - If you consent to a child travelling out of Australia in the future or wish to take a child out of Australia yourself, you must apply to the Court (before you travel) to have the child’s name removed from the Airport Watch List. This could include a birth certificate, a court order, or an adoption decree. Separated parents should carry guardianship forms, like a Child Travel Consent form, stating that both parents agree to the child traveling in the care of one parent. There are very few instances in which a parent can legally leave the country with his or her child without the consent of the child’s other parent, even when the traveling parent is the custodial parent.