A child travel consent form is a signed letter from a parent or guardian giving a minor permission to travel, whether with one parent, a relative or friend, a group, or alone. Border officials and airlines use it to confirm the trip is authorized, which is why it matters most for international travel.
Free to download and use.Updated July 2026 by Document eSign
For international travel this form is usually notarized. You can sign it for domestic use, but download it and have it notarized if your airline or destination requires it.
A child travel consent form, also called a minor travel consent form or a parental consent to travel letter, is a written statement in which a parent or legal guardian gives a minor permission to travel without both parents present. It is used in three main situations: a child traveling with only one parent, a child traveling with a relative, friend, group, or other adult, and a child traveling alone. Its main job is to show border officials, airline staff, and foreign authorities that the trip is authorized, which helps prevent international child abduction. US law does not strictly require the form for every trip, but federal guidance recommends carrying one for international travel and prefers that it be in English and notarized. For domestic travel it is rarely required, though it can still smooth things over if anyone asks.
Who uses it
A child flying to visit grandparents or relativesOne parent taking the children abroad while the other stays homeA child on a school, sports, or summer-camp tripA child traveling with a nanny, coach, or family friendSeparated or divorced co-parents documenting permission for a trip
What's inside
The child's full legal name, date of birth, and passport or ID details
The accompanying adult's name and relationship to the child
The trip details: destinations, exact dates, purpose, and where the child will stay
A clear statement of the parent or guardian's consent
The other parent or guardian's name and contact information
An emergency contact and authorization for emergency medical care
How long the consent lasts and how to revoke it
A signature line and an optional notary acknowledgment
HOW IT WORKS
From template to signed in three steps.
Heads up: this document usually needs a wet-ink signature, and notarization or witnesses, to be valid. Use these steps to prepare and download it, then sign it the way your state requires.
01
Start from the template
Open it in the editor with the fields already mapped, or download the DOCX to edit offline.
02
Add signers and send
Drop signature and date fields, then route each party in order or in parallel.
03
Get a sealed copy
Everyone signs, and you get a tamper-evident PDF plus an audit certificate.
Free forever. No credit card. Your recipients sign with no account.
The details
Everything to know before you send it.
1
How to fill it in
Fill every field in fully, and match the child's name to the passport exactly. Vague details are what get a form questioned at a border.
Child: full legal name as printed on the passport, date of birth, and passport or ID number. A name that does not match the passport is a common reason for trouble.
Accompanying adult: name and relationship to the child, or write 'unaccompanied' if the child travels alone.
Trip: list the destinations, the exact departure and return dates, and where the child will be staying. Do not leave the dates open-ended.
Medical: name an emergency contact and note any allergies, conditions, or medications, plus insurance details.
Sign it, and complete the notary section if your trip needs it (see below).
2
When you actually need one
The need depends on who the child travels with and whether the trip crosses a border. US federal guidance is specific about who should sign: if a child travels internationally with only one parent, the letter should come from the other parent; if the child travels with a guardian, another adult, or alone, both parents should sign. The reason is straightforward, if unsettling: ports of entry around the world use these checks to catch international child abduction and trafficking. For domestic US travel there is generally no legal requirement, but a signed letter can still help if a gate agent or the other parent's family asks questions.
3
Do you need to notarize it?
In the US, notarizing a child travel consent form is not strictly required by law, but it is strongly recommended and often required in practice. Federal guidance says the letter is preferred notarized and in English. Canada strongly recommends that a notary witness the signature, even for a day trip across the land border. Some countries go further and require the form to be notarized, and a few also want an apostille or consular legalization on top. The safe rule: for any international trip, notarize it, and check the entry requirements of your specific destination before you go. For a purely domestic trip you can usually skip it. One practical note: notarizing means signing in person in front of a notary, so if your trip needs a notarized form, print it and sign it there rather than relying on an electronic signature alone.
4
When both parents need to sign
One signature is enough in some cases and not in others. If the child is traveling with one parent, the non-traveling parent's consent is what officials look for. If the child travels with a third party or alone, both parents should sign. Custody matters too: a parent with sole legal custody can often sign alone but should carry a copy of the custody order, while parents who share custody usually both need to consent for international travel. This is not just paperwork. Taking a child across a border against a custody order can be treated as wrongful removal under the Hague Convention and as a crime under US law, so when custody is contested, get the other parent's signature or a court's permission.
5
Medical authorization and emergencies
Most travel consent forms, including this one, let the accompanying adult approve necessary or emergency medical care while the child is away, and list allergies, medications, insurance, and an emergency contact. That covers the trip. If you need someone to make broader or longer-term medical decisions for your child, use a separate medical treatment authorization instead, since a travel form is meant for the duration of the trip, not open-ended care.
6
Common mistakes
A few slip-ups cause most of the problems at check-in and the border.
Missing the other parent's consent when both parents share custody.
Not notarizing it when the airline or destination country expects it.
Leaving the travel dates or itinerary vague or open-ended.
Omitting the child's passport details, or a name that does not match the passport.
Forgetting the emergency contact and medical authorization.
Carrying only a photocopy where an original signed letter is expected.
7
When to talk to a lawyer
Most trips just need a filled-in, signed, and notarized form. Talk to a family-law attorney when the situation is contested: a custody dispute, a parent who will not consent, a planned international relocation, or any worry that a trip could become an abduction. In those cases the right document is not a template but a court order, and getting it wrong can carry serious legal consequences. Unaccompanied minors are a separate matter: airlines run their own unaccompanied-minor programs with their own paperwork and age rules (Delta, for example, requires it for ages 5 to 14 and offers it for 15 to 17), so book that service directly with the carrier.
This template and the guidance on this page are provided for general information only and are not legal advice. Laws differ by country and state, so review the final document against your own situation and have a qualified lawyer check anything high-value or regulated before you sign.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is a child travel consent form?
It is a signed letter in which a parent or guardian gives a minor permission to travel without both parents present, whether with one parent, another adult, or alone. It shows airlines and border officials that the trip is authorized, and it helps prevent international child abduction.
Does a child travel consent form need to be notarized?
US law does not strictly require it, but notarization is strongly recommended and often required in practice. Federal guidance prefers the letter notarized and in English, Canada recommends a notary even for a day trip, and some countries require notarization plus an apostille. For international travel, notarize it and check your destination's rules.
When does a child need a travel consent letter?
Mainly for international travel when the child is not with both parents: with one parent, with a relative or other adult, or alone. If the child travels with one parent, the other parent signs; if the child travels with a third party or alone, both parents should sign. Domestic US travel generally does not require one.
Do both parents have to sign?
It depends. If the child travels with one parent, the other parent's consent is what officials want. If the child travels with a third party or alone, both parents should sign. A parent with sole custody can often sign alone but should carry the custody order; parents who share custody usually both need to consent for international trips.
Does a child need a consent letter for domestic US travel?
Usually not. There is no general legal requirement for a consent letter on domestic flights or trips within the US. It can still be worth carrying one if you are separated from the other parent or the child is traveling with someone else, since it settles any question about permission quickly.
Can I use this form for a child flying alone?
You can use it to document your consent, but flying alone is handled separately by the airline's unaccompanied-minor program, which has its own booking, fee, and paperwork, and its own age rules. Arrange that service with the airline directly, and bring the signed consent form as well.
If I have sole custody, does the other parent still need to consent?
Often not, but carry proof. A parent with sole legal custody can usually authorize travel alone, but should bring a copy of the custody order in case an official asks. If custody is shared, the other parent generally needs to consent for international travel. When in doubt, get the signature or check your custody order.
What should a child travel consent letter include?
The child's full name (matching the passport), date of birth, and passport details; the accompanying adult's name and relationship; the destinations and exact dates; a clear consent statement; the other parent's contact information; an emergency contact and medical authorization; and a signature, notarized where required.
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