How To Properly Use A Travel Consent Letter
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- If a child is travelling internationally alone or without both parents, a Consent to Travel Letter helps them avoid issues with border officials by confirming they have permission from non-accompanying guardians or parents.
- A Consent to Travel Letter isn’t legally required for minors, but is highly recommended by the Canadian government.
- Everyone with legal decision-making rights over the child travelling abroad should sign the Consent to Travel Letter.
- While not mandatory, a commissioned travel consent letter is more likely to be recognized and accepted by immigration officials in foreign countries and Canada.
- Secure your completed Consent to Travel Letter in 15 minutes by using NotaryPro’s online notary services.
Tickets? Check. Passports? Check. Toothbrushes? Check. You’ve got everything you need to make sure that your vacation goes off without a hitch. Well, almost–
If you’re travelling alone with your child, consider packing a Consent to Travel Letter. This document shows that Canadian children have permission to travel abroad from parents or guardians who are not with them.
A commissioned consent to travel letter can help you breeze through immigration when entering or leaving foreign countries together, or when re-entering Canada.
Free Travel Consent Letter
Why Should You Draft a Travel Consent Letter?
While it’s not a mandatory legal requirement, the Canadian Government strongly recommends that Canadian minors carry a consent to travel letter if they are travelling abroad:
- alone
- with only one parent or guardian
- with friends or relatives
- with a group, like when they’re on a school trip
A consent to travel letter is recommended for all cross-border travel, even if they’re only gone for the day.
The Government of Canada also recommends that the letter be signed by every non-accompanying person or organisation with the legal right to make major decisions for the child. This includes anyone with custody rights, guardianship rights, and parents who have access to the child.
Without a consent to travel letter, children and the people travelling with them may be refused entry into another country, or have difficulties returning to Canada.
How Do I Create a Travel Consent Letter?
The Government of Canada has prepared a recommended consent letter for children travelling internationally that can be downloaded for free. When you’re filling out the letter, make sure to provide as much detail as possible. Once complete, the person not accompanying the child on the trip should sign the letter in front of a notary public.
Does a Travel Consent Letter Need to be Commissioned?
While commissioning is not a legal requirement for this letter, it is highly recommended by the Canadian government.
Since notaries have the legal power to verify that signatures are true and genuine, your consent to travel letter is more likely to be accepted as authentic by immigration authorities.
Can Consent to Travel Letters be Commissioned Online?
Yes! Travel consent letters can be commissioned online with NotaryPro. In 15 minutes, our expert notaries will help you complete your consent to travel letter so you can get travelling.
- Download and complete your consent to travel letter (make sure not to sign or date it before you meet with your notary!)
- Book your appointment
- Meet with your notary by video call
- Digitally sign your travel consent letter and download your commissioned document
- Print the completed document and keep a copy with your child while they are travelling
Get Your Child’s Consent to Travel Letter Commissioned Today
NotaryPro’s mission is to make commissioning easy, convenient, and secure. Our seamless online notary platform is easy to use, so you can get a document commissioned from home your home or office in minutes. Use our free a Travel Consent Letter template to draft your letter, then get it commissioned in less time than a coffee break.