Free tool · Travelling with children

Child travel consent letter

Taking your child out of Canada without the other parent? A signed consent letter can save questions at the border. Fill in the details, check the preview, then print and sign it in front of a witness, ideally a notary.

General information, not legal advice. This tool runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere unless you choose to email yourself a link.

Fill in

The details for the letter

Leave anything blank to get a line you can fill in by hand. Nothing here is saved or sent: if you reload the page, the form is cleared.

Person or people giving consent

Name of first person giving consent

Name of second person giving consent (optional)

Usually any parent or person with decision-making responsibility who is not travelling with the child.

Child 1

Name of child

Date of birth

Place of birth

Passport number

Date of issue of passport

Issuing country of passport

How the child is travelling Alone With the accompanying adult listed below

Name of accompanying person

Relationship to the child

Passport number

Date of issue of passport

Issuing country of passport

Where the child is going

Country 1

Country 2 (optional)

Staying with (name of person, if any)

Their telephone number

Their email address

Date of departure

Date of return

Address or addresses where the child will stay

Contact details of the person or people giving consent

Telephone number

Email address

Address

Preview

Signing

Witness or notary

The Government of Canada says any adult may witness the signature, but strongly recommends a notary public or another official who can administer oaths. Sign the printed letter in front of them. Border officials may not accept photocopies or digital copies, so travel with the original.

Who signs

Usually the parent who is not travelling

The letter is usually signed by every parent or person with decision-making responsibility who is not travelling with the child. Check your separation agreement, parenting plan or court order too: many include their own travel and notice rules, and some say who keeps the passports.

United States

Entering or leaving the US

The US Department of Homeland Security, which includes Customs and Border Protection (CBP), advises that a parent travelling alone with a child carry a note from the other parent, and that a court custody document can stand in where one parent has sole custody. The US State Department says the US does not itself require both parents' permission for a child to travel abroad, but other countries may, so check the rules for each country on the trip.

What this is and isn't

General information, not advice for your situation

This tool is

A fill-in version of the sample consent letter that the Government of Canada recommends, using the same fields.
A way to print a clean letter for signing.
Private: what you type stays in this page and is cleared when you leave.

This tool isn't

Permission to travel. If the other parent does not agree, or a court order limits travel, get legal advice before you book.
A guarantee that a border officer or airline will accept the letter. Each country sets its own entry rules.
A replacement for passports, visas or a court order about travel.

Rules differ between provinces, territories and states, and they change. Before you rely on anything here, check it with a family lawyer, mediator or other qualified professional in your province or state.

Sources

Where this comes from

Official sources we checked on October 22, 2026.

Government of Canada: Recommended consent letter for children travelling abroad Includes the fillable and printable letter. Page modified September 2, 2026.
Government of Canada: Travelling with children
US Department of Homeland Security: Travel overseas Advice on documents for travelling with minor children. Last updated May 5, 2023.
US Department of State: Travelling with minors Last updated August 11, 2025.

Related on FairWell

Keep going on FairWell

Travelling with your child after separationConsent letters, passports and notice, explained.Put travel rules in your parenting planNotice periods, passports and consent, agreed in advance.Separating across bordersWhen parents live in different countries.The Hague ConventionWhat it covers for children taken across borders.Find a professionalLawyers and mediators whose credentials we check.

Optional

Email me a copy

We'll email you a link back to this tool. What you typed stays in this browser and is not sent, so use Print or save as PDF if you want to keep your answers.