Solo Parents, Grandparents and Guardians can satisfy legal requirements before crossing international borders with minor children by using these Permission to Travel And Children's Consent forms.

The Family Travel Forum community has learned the hard way that parents planning family getaways must obtain travel consent letters and other documents that minor children need on foreign trips.

In the special FTF report “Permission To Travel Letters And Why You Need Them,” we interview consular officers, immigration agents and tourism officials to understand current border entry and exit procedures, permission to travel letters, and other paperwork required if minors under 18 years of age leave the United States without both birth parents or legal guardians.

•  Permission to Travel or Consent to Travel Letter

Whether you’re married and leaving a spouse behind to work; grandparents taking grandchildren on vacation; same sex couples with adopted children; a divorced parent on a road trip to Canada -– even a military family trying to reunite for a holiday -- you should be carrying notarized copies of the proper Consent to Travel, Children's Consent Forms or Permission to Travel documentation (this is the form used by friends and family traveling with a minor).

•  Minor Consent to Travel Form

The same regulations apply to minors under 18 who are leaving the United States with school groups, teen tours, or friends on a vacation. If the supervisors of your child's tour have not provided their own, you can use the email request form below to obtain a sample Minor Consent to Travel Letter (this is the form used for school / tour groups traveling with a minor).

•  Medical Treatment Authorization Letter

Additionally, FTF recommends that travelers vacationing with children other than their own carry a Medical Treatment Authorization Letter assigning them responsibility for a child’s care in case of medical emergency. This affidavit for children may convince a hospital to admit an injured child.

A sample of each of these forms may be requested via the email form below. We suggest your child carries two copies of every notarized document (even a photocopy may work) in case an immigration or border official decides they need to keep one for their files. Better safe than sorry!

•  Additional Travel Documentation and ID

Regardless of where you travel outside the United States, when you are crossing a border by land, sea or air you will need to have proper identification documents for each traveler in addition to the above letters.  Please see the Department of Homeland Security Site if you are unsure about the type of ID documents you and your family need.

If you have any questions or would like to read more about these requirements and how they are enforced, read “Permission To Travel Letters And Why You Need Them."

Get Blank Consent Forms & Required Documents Now

Crossing borders with children is serious business, and Permission to Travel, Medical Treatment Authorization and Consent for Minor Travel Letters could save your next vacation.  To obtain them, please complete the following request, then check your email inbox and/or spam filter. After you confirm your email address, you will be sent instructions to download the three forms that you can fill out and use.  Remember that Permission to Travel and Consent Forms for Minor Travel should be signed and notarized. Keep blank copies to use on future trips.

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And most importantly, safe there and safe home!

Any questions? Please read “Permission To Travel Letters And Why You Need Them" before calling our office; we're busy helping other families plan their next vacation. Thanks for your understanding!