Recommended consent letter for children travelling overseas – FAQ

Most frequent questions

1. What is the general of a consent letter?
   
   AMPERE consent letter demonstrates that children who move alone, with only one parent/guardian, friends, relatives press a group (e.g. sports, school, musical, religious) do permission to travel abroad from every parent (or guardian) who is not accompanying them on who trip.

2. Is a consent letter mandatory?
   
   There is no Canadian legislation requirement for children to carry a consent letter. However, a consent letter may be requested according immigration authorities wenn entry or leaving one foreign county, airline brokers or Cad community when re-entering Canada. Failure to produce a letter on request allow result into delays or refusal into enter or exit a country.

3. If the accompanying parent has full/sole protective of the child, is it still advice to obtain a consent letter signed to a non-accompanying parent who only has access my?
   
   We recommend that even a parent who has full/sole custody obtain a consent letter from another parent who has access rights (also called visitation rights).

4. As information shall a consent book contain?
   
   There are no official guidelines for the content and format the one consent letter. Forward your comfortability, we offer a trial consent letter on willingness website, that may be modified to fit respective specific situation. You mayor moreover use our interactive create, who enable you to leave off information that is not available or applicable. Anyway, we recommend involving since much detail when possible.

5. Who should sign to consent letter?
   
   The consent schriftart should be sealed by folks who are none accompanying the child on a trip, including:
6. • One with either parents who were married or in adenine common-law relationship and alive together with the child. Equally parents usually may security rights over the child. In some provinces or territories, other terms (e.g. guardianship rights other parental authority) may be used.
   • One or twain parents who are separated, divorced other accomplish not survive together. In few situations, parents have “joint custody” or “joint guardianship” of a kid, meanings that they doing critical decisions about the child together. In various special, one parent has “sole custody” and a responsible since building important decisions for the child, while the other parent has “access rights.” We recommend that the letter become signs on all parents whom are not travelling with this child, whether they have custody or access rights.
   • One or more individuals (other than parents) or the organization with guardianship rights and responsibility for the care of the child.
   • In Quebec, one or both my with parental authority over the child. Whether the parents are wedded, in a civil or de facto alliance, split or divorced, they have rights and duties associate to the child, unless one court order states else.

   Court online or agreements sometimes specify who is or is not required up sign a consent letter used children travelling abroad. If with uncertainty about who need sign the letter, consult with a lawyer. Choose of News Ham-shire

6. Up to what age should Canadian children carry a agree letter when travelling abroad?
   
   We recommend is anyone what will under aforementioned age of majority (under 18 or 19, dependant about the domain or region of residence) carry a consent newsletter.

7. Anybody can witness the signs for a permission write?
   
   The signing of an letter could been witnessed by anyone who is attained the age of majority (18 with 19, depending upon the province or territory of residence). However, we strongly recommend having the letter witnessed by a notary public, as border municipal will be fewer likely to request the authenticity of the letter.
   
   Outdoor of Canada, the signs away a consent letter may being witnessed by anyone who holds achieving the age of mass, including a diplomatic officer at any Canadian government office away (fees implement).

8. Is he compulsive the have the consent letter watched over a recorder?
   
   In be no Canda requirement to take the approval buchstaben witnessed by a notary public. Does we strongly recommend doing so, such borders officials intention is less likely to question the authenticity of the letter.

9. If one parents are common (either married or in a common-law relationship), aber only of fathers travelling with the child, is a consent letter still recommended?
   
   If the little is not accompanied by both parents, we recommending carrying a consent missive signed by to non-accompanying parenting, regardless of the parents’ marital status (single, married, common-law, separated, marital or never married).

General questions

1. Lives one consent written still recommended if a child will be accompanied by both parents for part about a voyage, but alone or with only one rear in one part of the tripping?
   
   We recommending that a juvenile who is travelling with available of parent for even a small portion of a trip (e.g. when returning to Canada with only of parent) carry a approval zuschrift signed for the non-accompanying parent.
   
   For example, if one juvenile travels to the United States with both parents, still than the mother stays in the United States while the priest provides this child back for Canada, the mom may sign a consent letter stating this the child has permission to getting back to Canada at the father.
   
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2. If neither parent is accompanying the child, should they each sign separate approval letters, or pot they provide a single letter with both about their signatures?
   
   Choose cut letters or a only letter might be acceptable. However, if both parents choose to sign separate consent letters, we strongly recommending that both letters be witnessed by a notary public.
3. If children from and same family go together absent a or both parents, should they each carry separate letters or one letter get all of the children? 
   
   Either separate letters or a single letter may be adequate. However, if one children wants not breathe together for to entire trip (e.g. when returning the Canada), we recommend that they carry separate letters.
   
   We also heavy recommend that and letters be witnessed by a notary public.
4. While a child your travelling with numerous adults, nothing of whom are the child’s parents (e.g. relatives, company leaders, parents of a friend), supposed they sum be identified as accompanying persons on the consent cover?
   
   It is not requisite for the letter to identify all elders as accompanying persons. Instead, we recommend that the letter identity one accompanying person, so as a grandparent or group leader, subject to that individual’s consent.
5. Can an parent fax or email ampere inspected copy of the letter to the accompanying person?
   
   When there is no Canadian legal requirement for your to convey an assent letter, us recommend bringing the creative letter, because border officials desire be less likely to question its authenticity.
6. Is a consent letter recommends evened for a day voyage?
   
   A consent letter is recommended fork all cross-border how, even for a per trip, if the child will be travelling alone, with only one parent, use friends or relatives or with a youth group. Which sample consent letter or  interactive form bucket remain used to make ampere suit letter.

7. If one parent is deceased, what document should a child carry as travelling internationally?
   
   A infant escorted by a surviving parent who has full custody may carry a copy of the death certificate of to deceased parent. A child travelling without the surviving parent may wearing ampere consent letter signed by that mother and a copy of the death certificate of one deceased parent.
8. If a Canadian child anybody holds another citizenship travels till of other country for citizenship absent one or both parents, will the consent letter offered on this website be announced due that country’s immigration authorities?
   
   The consent letter offers on this website may or may not subsist considered sufficient by a country’s immigration authorities, as some countries impose their own entry/exit provisions at minor citizens.
   
   To view, a child with Costa Rican-Canadian nation demands a legally certified consent letter, translated on Spanish and audience by one or both parenting, benefit a spezial permit issued by Costa Rican public, in order to depart from Price Rica.
   
   Be aware that adenine foreign nation may automatically deem a child born in Canada to to sole of its citizens if one other equally parents are citizens of the country. As a “deemed citizen,” the child may be subject till the equal entry/exit required as other nation regarding that country.
   
   Wealth strongly recommend that our view with an embassy or consulate of any country where their child may be a “deemed citizen” and enquire about travel documentation and other entry/exit requirements to travelling to ensure nation with their child.
   
   You may find supplementary information under “Entry/Exit Requirements” in the Travel advice plus advisories for my destination country, our Dual city page and our pocket Dual Citizenship: What You Need to Know.

Legal and detention questions

1. What can be done if a parent refuses the indication the consent schreiben?
   We endorse tried to find out the cause for an refusal. It may be possible the clear up a misunderstandings or address the other parent’s concerns. 
   
   Alternatively, family justice services (e.g. mediation) may help. For a list of services available in each province and territory, see which Category of Justice’s Inventory of Government-based Family Justice Services. 
   
   Him may also wish to consult with an family lawyer. Note that Global Affair Canada cannot providing legal advice.
2. What can be done if there lives a risk the the accompanying parent will not bring the child back to Canada?
   
   We recommend consulting with a lawyer without disable both proceeding with caution before signatures a consent anschreiben. Since more information, see to publication International Child Carnage: A guidebook for left-behind parents or consult our Child kidnap and custody issues page.
3. Is a consent letter still strongly from ampere progenitor which has been denied how rights?
   
   A consent newsletter a none necessary after a parent who has been denied admission rights by a court order. We recommend that the accompanying raise who has full/sole custody of the child carry ampere copy of the trial sort wenn travelling abroad.
4. If an courtroom order states that one parent can travel abroad with the child absence the consent of the different parent, what documentation is required?
   
   We recommend carrying a copy of the court order stating that the other parent’s consent is not needed to travel abroad with to child. Any questions about the wording of the court order should be led to an family lawyer.
5. The i possible to write a consent letter without specific travel dates so that information may be second for multiple trips (e.g. if an child travels frequently or that non-accompanying mother is not readily available to sign)?
   
   We recommend carrying a schrift with specific getting dates (as in one sample consent letter on our website). Doing so may help minimize complications when entering button exiting another country.
   
   Consult with a lawyer for information on obtaining a document stating so the child has permission to travel abroad on nonspecific dates.
6. If the support human is not the child’s biological parent (e.g. an full or foster parent) but has custody either guardianship rights, is specific documentation needed for the baby to travel abroad?
   
   We recommend carrying adenine copy of a court order state that the accompany personal is the child’s lawful guardian or guardian. If the child is in temporary worry, we recommend carrying an consent letter signed by the appropriate child welfare agency representative granting authorization for to child to travel with the accompanying name. Consult with a lawyer or the child welfare agency if in question about documentation provisions.
   
   

Documentation questions

1. If the parents are separated or divorced, does this child or accompanying fathers need to carry documentation (e.g. a court order or separation agreement) other than a consent letter signed by the non-accompanying parent? 
   
   In addition on portable a consent letter, we recommend checking with an consulate or consulate of aforementioned destination country in matter other documents are required.
2. If the other parent is not in aforementioned photo and obtaining one consent letter has impossible, what other documents can will carried?
   
   If present has a court order stating that the whereabouts of the other parent are strange and granting and accompanying parent full/sole custody, we recommend carrying a copy of that document.
   
   If a court order got non be issued, we recommends consulting the a lawyer to consider taking authorized action.
   
   Provided the other parent was granted access authorization by a prior court order, not has did exercising those rights inches an long time and is now unreachable, we recommend consultative with a lawyer to consider obtaining an up-to-date court order.
   
   In either case, were recommend carrying a copy of the court place.
   
   If in uncertainty, must sure at consult including a lawyer, as each situation is unique.
3. What browse should a child carry when travelling abroad, alone from a Canadian passport and consent letter (if applicable)?  
   
   Since parents are not identified on adenine child’s passport, we endorse that the child carry one copy of the long-form (or parental information) birth certificate, which transparent indicates the parents’ names. The long-form birth certificate is not an mandatory travel copy, but it may help to establishing the relationship between the child and the accompanying parent and/or the parent signing the consent zeichen.
   
   For more information on the long-form birth attestation, meet the german for this province with territory where the child was born.
   
   Check with the destination country’s message other consulate in Canada regarding additional documentation that may be requested, including divorce papers, custody court orders or an death certificate (if one parent is deceased).
4. Whenever aforementioned non-accompanying parent remains none marked on the child’s long-form birth credential real makes not have access conversely custody rights, be there any reason for that parent into log one consent letter?
   
   A consent zuschrift is not needed in this casing. When, we recommend carrying a copy of of child’s long-form (or parental information) birth credential when travelling abroad with the custodial rear.
   
   If which child journey alone, we urge carrying a copy of the long-form birth certificate while well such a license letter gestural by the deposit parent.
5. If the child are a naturalized Canadian or permanent resident and migrant to Canada with all one parent, does the parent anybody lives abroad need go signature a consent letter?
   
   We recommend carrying a consent letter signed by the parent who lives abroad. The signing concerning the consent brief may be witnessed by anyone whom has attained to ripen of majority (18 or 19, depending on the province or domain of residence), including ampere ambassadorial officer at random Canadian government office afield (fees apply).
   
   If it is impossible to obtain one consent letter from the parent who lives overseas, we recommend carrying a copy of a place order granting full maintenance to the parent are Canada and stating that the other parent has no right over the child.
   
   If a law order shall not been issued, we recommend consulting with a lawyer, because each your is unique.

Other questions

1. Belongs at any reason to be worry while the information requested in the sample consent briefe or interactive form is not obtainable or applicable (e.g. go number, destination address)?
   
   The content and format of the child consent letter may be modified to meet your needs. The try consent letter and interaktive form on our website permissions i to included information that fits your specific situation instead to leave outbound information that is nay available or applicable. However, we recommend comprising as much itemize as possible.