Travelling with Children

Necessary travel documents include:

• the child’s passport (read our Passports for Children FAQs to learn more)
• the child’s long-form birth certificate
• letter of consent from the parents or guardians who are not travelling
• death certificate, if the other parent or guardian is deceased
• adoption order, if the child is adopted
• court order allowing travel, if other parents or guardians do not consent to the travel and a judge allows you to travel with the child

Learn more about travel documents for children on the Government of Canada’s website.

Last Reviewed: January 2023

Yes, if you have a consent letter from the absent parent.

Customs officials are always on the lookout for missing or abducted children. If a child is travelling with one parent or guardian, a consent letter from the absent parent must accompany the child. This is true even if the guardians are happily married parents. Many countries will not allow entry or exit without such document.

Last Reviewed: January 2023

Sometimes.

If you are the sole guardian of your children, you do not need a letter from the other parent (as they are not a guardian). However, you must travel with a notarized copy of the court order appointing you sole guardian.

If your ex is also a guardian of your children and consents to you travelling with the children, you must get a consent letter from them. If your ex is also a guardian but does not consent to the travel, you can only travel if you have a court order from a judge allowing you to travel with the children.

NOTE: The parents of a child are the child’s legal guardians unless a court order says otherwise.

Last Reviewed: January 2023

Yes, if they have a consent letter from all the child’s guardians.

For example, grandparents may want to take their grandchildren on a vacation. Or maybe a high school class is planning a trip abroad.

Customs officials are always on the lookout for missing or abducted children. If someone is travelling with children for whom they are not a guardian, they must have a consent letter signed by all the children’s guardians. Many countries will not allow entry or exit without such document.

Last Reviewed: January 2023

A consent letter is a letter allowing a named person to travel with the named child or children and is signed by the guardians.

For example, one guardian travelling without the other will need a consent letter signed by the non-travelling guardian. Or a non-guardian travelling with a child will need a consent letter signed by all the child’s guardians.

Learn more about consent letters, including how to write one, on the Government of Canada’s website.

Last Reviewed: January 2023

A travel consent letter should include the following information:

• the names, dates of birth, residence information and passport numbers of the children who are traveling
• the names, dates of birth, contact information and passport numbers of the people who are traveling with the children
• the names, dates of birth, residence and contact information of the children’s guardian(s)
• travel details such as dates, flight numbers, countries to be visited
• a statement from the guardian(s) allowing the travel

The consent letter must be signed and dated by the guardian(s) giving consent. It is best to complete this signing process with a Notary Public who can act as a witness and certify the authenticity of the document.

Learn more about consent letters, including a template for writing one, on the Government of Canada’s website.

Last Reviewed: January 2023

Yes. You cannot sign one consent letter to allow all future travel. A consent letter should include specific travel details of the trip, including dates, locations, transportation, etc.

Last Reviewed: January 2023

You can find a sample consent letter as well as an interactive tool for writing a consent letter on the Government of Canada’s website (under the heading “How to write a consent letter”).

Last Reviewed: January 2023