Child Travel Consent Letter Canada
A child travel consent letter is a signed statement from a parent or guardian giving a child permission to travel — alone, with one parent, or with another adult. Canadian border officers routinely ask for it when a child travels without both parents, and airlines and foreign authorities may too. This guide explains what the letter must contain and how to create one that border officers will accept.
When you need a travel consent letter
Global Affairs Canada recommends a consent letter any time a child under 18 travels abroad without both parents or legal guardians. The most common situations: travelling with one parent after a separation, travelling with grandparents or relatives, school trips, and unaccompanied-minor flights.
It is not technically a legal requirement in every case — but border officers have wide discretion, and a missing letter is one of the most common reasons families get pulled into secondary inspection. A signed letter takes minutes to make and can save hours at the border.
What border officers expect to see
A consent letter that gets waved through contains:
- The child's full name, date of birth, and passport number.
- The full names, addresses, and contact details of the consenting parent(s) or guardian(s).
- The accompanying adult's name and relationship to the child — or a clear statement the child is travelling alone.
- Travel dates, destination, and purpose of the trip.
- A clear statement of consent and the signature(s) of the non-travelling parent(s).
- The date the letter was signed.
Who must sign?
Ideally, every parent or legal guardian who is not travelling signs the letter. In shared-custody situations, the non-travelling parent's signature is the one officers look for. If one parent has sole custody, bring a copy of the custody order along with the letter. If a parent is deceased, a death certificate answers the question before it's asked.
Having the letter witnessed or notarized is not required by Canadian authorities, but it adds credibility — especially for travel to countries with stricter entry rules for minors.
Common mistakes
The biggest mistake is vagueness: 'travelling with my mother' without her full name, or 'this summer' instead of exact dates. Border officers want specifics they can verify. Second: only one parent signs when two have custody — get both signatures whenever possible. Third: forgetting to update the letter for each trip — a letter with last year's dates invites questions, not confidence.
Travelling alone vs. with an adult
If the child travels alone, say so explicitly and name the adult who will meet them at the destination, with contact details. Airlines' unaccompanied-minor programs have their own forms, but the consent letter complements them — the airline handles the flight, the letter handles the border.
Create yours in 3 steps
Enter child and trip details
Child's information, travel dates, destination, and who's accompanying — guided steps, about five minutes.
Add signatures
Non-travelling parent details and signature blocks, in English or French.
Download and print
Download when ready. Print a copy for the child and keep one yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Is a travel consent letter legally required in Canada?+
Not in every case, but Global Affairs Canada strongly recommends one whenever a child travels without both parents, and border officers routinely ask for it.
Does the letter need to be notarized?+
No, Canadian authorities don't require notarization. But a witnessed or notarized signature adds credibility, especially for international travel.
Can one parent sign if we share custody?+
Both non-travelling parents should sign whenever possible. If you have sole custody, carry the custody order with the letter.
How long is the letter valid?+
Write a new letter for each trip with exact dates. An old or undated letter raises questions at the border.
What if the child is travelling alone?+
State explicitly that the child is travelling alone, and name the adult meeting them at the destination with contact details.
Do I need it for travel within Canada?+
Domestic flights rarely require it, but airlines and the other parent's custody terms might. For any international trip, bring one.
Create your travel consent letter
Border-ready letter in about five minutes, in English or French.
Start my letterReview your draft and download it in Word or PDF when you're ready.
Related documents
This page is general information about Canadian law, not legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different — have a licensed lawyer in your province review your document before you rely on it.