Travel consent for a minor document pack

Border officials and airline gate agents have one job when a child is traveling without both parents: don't be the person who lets a child get trafficked. A travel consent letter is how you say 'this isn't that' in writing.

Who this pack is for

You're a parent or legal guardian, and your child is traveling without you — with the other parent, a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, a summer-camp leader, a school field trip chaperone, a friend's family. Your child is under 18. The trip may cross state lines, may cross national borders, or may simply be long enough that an emergency could come up. You want a written authorization that lets the accompanying adult board flights, get past border officials, and consent to medical care if your child needs it during the trip.

When to use it

Sign the letter before the trip — at least a few days before for international travel, more if a notarization is involved. Notarization is strongly recommended for any trip crossing a national border (especially Canada and Mexico, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection routinely asks for notarized consent for children traveling with one parent or with non-parents). For domestic trips, an unnotarized signed letter is usually fine. Make extra copies — give one to the accompanying adult, one to the school or camp, and keep one yourself. Some destination countries (Brazil, Costa Rica, South Africa) have specific consent requirements that go beyond what U.S. authorities request; check the destination's embassy website before traveling.

What it doesn't cover

This is a temporary travel consent, not a guardianship or power of attorney. It does not transfer legal custody to the accompanying adult. It does not authorize the accompanying adult to enroll the child in school, change the child's residence, or make non-emergency medical decisions like elective surgery. It does not address custody disputes — if there's an active custody case or a non-consenting parent, do not use this pack; talk to a family-law attorney first, because traveling with a child against the other parent's wishes can be a kidnapping issue. It does not replace a passport or visa; the child still needs all required travel documents.

Common questions

Do both parents need to sign?

If both parents have legal custody, yes — best practice is for both to sign, especially for international travel. If only one parent has legal custody (sole custody by court order, sole legal guardianship), that parent's signature is enough, but bring a copy of the custody order to substantiate it. If one parent is deceased, bring a copy of the death certificate. Border officials are trained to look for the second parent's consent specifically.

Should I notarize it?

For international travel: yes, almost always. The U.S. Department of State, Canadian and Mexican border authorities, and most other countries' immigration officials prefer notarized consent letters and may turn back travel without one. For domestic trips: optional. For trips with a non-relative (camp counselor, friend's parent), notarization adds credibility regardless of whether it's required. Most banks, UPS Stores, and AAA offices notarize for $5–$15.

What about emergency medical care?

The pack's letter authorizes the accompanying adult to consent to urgent medical treatment for the child. For non-urgent or elective treatment, the parents should be reached. If your child has chronic conditions, allergies, or takes medication, attach a separate medical authorization with that information — Pike has a separate medical-authorization pack for caregivers that pairs naturally with this travel consent.

What if I'm a single parent and the other parent is unreachable or absent?

If you have sole legal custody, your signature is enough — but bring documentation: custody order, divorce decree, birth certificate showing only your name, or death certificate of the other parent. If you don't have sole custody and the other parent is unreachable, this is more complicated; you may need to seek a court order before international travel, particularly to Hague Convention countries where the other parent could file an abduction claim.

Does the letter expire?

The pack's letter expires automatically on the return date you specify. For ongoing arrangements (a child who lives with grandparents during the school year, a child who visits a non-custodial parent regularly), you'd want a longer-term consent — but those usually need to be done through a power-of-attorney for guardianship, which has more formality requirements than a travel consent letter. Talk to a family-law attorney for ongoing arrangements.

What about flying domestically?

For US domestic flights, airlines have their own unaccompanied-minor and accompanied-minor policies that vary by carrier. The TSA does not require ID for kids under 18 on domestic flights. The travel consent letter is not technically required for domestic flights but is wise to carry — agents have discretion to ask questions about who the child is traveling with and whether the parent consents.

What if the trip is being chaperoned by a school or camp?

Schools and camps typically have their own permission and emergency-medical authorization forms — fill those out as the camp requires, but also carry the pack's travel consent letter. The camp's form is for the camp's records; your letter is for border officials, airline staff, and emergency room intake. Two documents covering different audiences are more durable than one trying to do both.

Pike provides plain-language legal information, not legal advice. State and local rules change. If money, custody, or your housing is on the line, talk to a licensed attorney or your local legal aid office.