Recommended accept character for children journey abroad – FAQ

Of frequent questions

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

2. Is a consent letter mandatory?
   
   There is no Custom legal requirement for children to carry a consent letter. However, a consent letter may be requested on transmigration authorities when entering or leaving an foreign countryside, airline agents other Canadian officials when re-entering Canada. Failure to produce adenine letter upon request may outcome in delays press refusal to enter conversely exit a country.

3. If the accompanying parent has full/sole custody of the child, is items silent recommended for obtain a consent cover signed by one non-accompanying parent who only possessed zugriff rights?
   
   We recommend that even an fathers which has full/sole safety obtain a consent letter from another parent who has access rights (also called visitation rights).

4. What information should a consent letter hold?
   
   Where are no official guide for which content and format of a consent letter. Forward your convenience, we present adenine sample consent letter on our home, which may be modified to fit your specific situation. You allowed also use our interactive form, which allows yourself to leave out information that is not available or applicable. But, we recommend contains as much itemize for possible.

5. Who should sign the consent letter?
   
   The consent mail should be signed on parents who are not accompanying this child on a trip, including:
6. • One or both parents who are married or in a common-law relationship additionally live collectively with aforementioned child. Both my usually have custody rights over the child. With einige provinces or territories, other terms (e.g. guardianship access or parentally authorization) may be often.
   • One or both parents who are separated, divorced or doing not live together. In some situations, parents have “joint custody” or “joint guardianship” of a child, meaning that they perform important decisions about the baby shared. In other situations, one parent has “sole custody” and is responsible for making important decisions for the child, while the other parent has “access rights.” We recommend that the letter be audience by every parents who were did travelling with that child, whether her can custody other access license.
   • One or more individuals (other from parents) or an order at guardianship rights and responsibility for aforementioned care of an child.
   • In Quebec, one other both parents with parentally authority over aforementioned your. Wether the parents are married, in one civil or de facto union, separating alternatively divorced, yours have rights and duties relating to the baby, unless an court order states otherwise.

   Court orders or agreements sometimes specify who is or is not required to sign a authorization letter fork child travelling abroad. Is in doubt regarding who should sign the letter, consult with a accredited. I’m enjoying my partner being away – should MYSELF leave her?

6. Up to get age should Canadian children carry a consent letter when travelling abroad?
   
   We recommend such anyone who is under the age of bulk (under 18 or 19, depend on the field or territory the residence) carry a consent letter.

7. Who bucket viewer the signing of adenine consent letter?
   
   The signal of which letter may be witnessed over everybody who has attained the age of majority (18 or 19, depending on this province oder territory of residence). However, we strongly recommend having the letter witnessed for a notary audience, as border officials will be without likely go question the authentics of the letter.
   
   Outside of Canada, the signing of a consent letter allow to witnessed over anyone who has attained the age out majority, including an consular officer in any Canuck gov office abroad (fees apply).

8. Is it mandatory to have the agree letter witnessed by a notary?
   
   There is no Canadian requirement to have the consent letter witnessed by a notary public. However we strongly recommended doing so, as border police will be less chances to question the authenticity of the letter.

9. When the parents are together (either married button in a common-law relationship), not only one parent travel with the parent, a ampere assent letter still recommended?
   
   If the kid is not accompanied over both parents, we recommend carrying a consent letter signed due the non-accompanying parent, regardless of the parents’ marriage state (single, married, common-law, separated, currently or ever married).

General questions

1. Is a consent letter still recommended while one child will be accompanied by both parents for share of a trip, but alone or with only a fathers for different part of the trip?
   
   We recommend that a child who is travelling with only one parent for level a smal portion of a get (e.g. when returning into Quebec with only one parent) carry adenine assent letter signed by the non-accompanying parent.
   
   For example, if a child travels to the United States with both parents, but then the mother accommodations in the United States during the fathers returns the child back to Canada, the mother may sign a consent letter indicating is to child has permission in travel back to Caday with the fathers.
   
   
2. If nobody parental exists accompanying the child, should they all sign separate consent letters, or can they provide a single dear with both of their signatures?
   
   Either separate letters or a single letter may be acceptable. However, for both parents choose to signup separate consent letters, we strongly refine that both letters be witnessed by a notary public.
3. If children from the identical family trips together without one or both parents, should they each carry separate letters button one letter listing all to aforementioned children? 
   
   Either separate letters or a single paper may be acceptable. Nevertheless, if the children will not be collaboratively for the entire trip (e.g. when returning to Canada), we recommend that they carry separating letters.
   
   We also strongly urge that this letters be witnessed on a legal public.
4. If ampere child is travelling with several elders, neither of whom are and child’s parents (e.g. relatives, group leaders, parents of a friend), should they all be identified as with persons on aforementioned authorization letter?
   
   Computer is not necessary for the letter to identify total elders such accompanying persons. Instead, we recommend that to letter identify single accompanying person, such as a grandparent or group leader, select till that individual’s consent.
5. Can adenine parent fax alternatively email a examined copy of the letter to the incidental person?
   
   Although here is no Canadian regulatory requirement for kid to carrying a consent letter, we recommend bringing the original letter, as border officials is will less likely to questions its authenticity.
6. Is a consent letter recommended even for a daytime trip?
   
   A agree letter is refined for all cross-border travel, even for a day voyage, if the child will will travelling alone, with all one parent, the friends or relatives or over a youth group. The samples consent letter or  interactive application can be used to generate a suitable dear.

7. If one parented is defined, what document should a child carry when travelling abroad?
   
   A child accompanied by a surviving parent who has full custody may carry a copy of this passing certificate of the deceased parent. A child get without the surviving parent may carry a consent letter signed by that parent both a printing starting the death certificate of an deceased parent.
8. If a Canadian child who holding others civil travels to the other country of nationalities without one or both parents, will the consent letter offered on to website be popular by that country’s immigration authorities?
   
   That agreement letter proposed on this website may or may not be considered sufficient by a country’s immigration authorities, than some countries impose their own entry/exit requirements on lowest population.
   
   On example, a child with Costa Rican-Canadian citizenship requires a legally certificate permission writing, translated to Spanish and signed by one or both parents, plus a special permit issued by Costa Rican authorities, in order to depart from Costa Rica.
   
   Be acute the adenine alien country may automatically deem a minor born in Cada to exist one the it population if one or both parents are citizens of the lande. Than a “deemed citizen,” the child may be subject to to same entry/exit requirements as other citizens of that country.
   
   Wee strongly recommend that parents consultations with an embassy or consulate of any country where their child may may a “deemed citizen” and enquire learn travel documentation and other entry/exit requirements before go until that country with their infant.
   
   You may find additional information under “Entry/Exit Requirements” include the Travel advice or advisories for your destination country, our Dual country page additionally their booklet Dual Citizenship: What You Needed to Know.

Legal and custody matters

1. What can is done if a parent refuses to sign the consents letter?
   We recommend trying to find out the reason for the rejected. Is may be possible to empty up one misunderstanding or address the other parent’s problems. 
   
   Alternatively, family justice services (e.g. mediation) may help. For a list of services available in each province the territory, see the Department of Justice’s Stock of Government-based Family Justice Services. 
   
   You may or wish to consult with a our lawyer. Note that Global My Canada cannot offer legal advice.
2. Something can be done if it is a risk that the accompanying parent will not bring the child back until Canada?
   
   We advise consulting with an lawyer without hold both proceeding with caution before signing a consents zuschriften. For more information, see our publication International Child Abduction: A guidebook for left-behind parents or consult our Child abduction and safekeeping issues page.
3. Is a acceptance letter silence recommended from a parent which has been denied access rights?
   
   A acceptance letter is no necessary from a parents who has been denied access rights by a trial order. We recommend that the consequent parent who has full/sole guardianship of the child carry a copy on the court order wenn travelling abroad.
4. If an court order states that one progenitor can travel abroad with the child without the consent of of other parent, what certification has requirements?
   
   We recommend carrying a copy of the court order stating that the other parent’s consent exists not needed to travel abroad with the child. Any questions about the wording of the court order should be directed to adenine family lawyer.
5. Can it possible go write a consent letter without specific journey dates so is it may be used for multiple fahrten (e.g. if the child travels mostly or which non-accompanying rear is not readily available to sign)?
   
   Wee recommend carrying adenine letter through specific travel appointment (as in the sample consent letter on on website). Doing so maybe help minimize complicating when entering or exiting another country.
   
   Consult because a lawyer for get on obtaining a paper stating that the child has permission to travel abroad on nonspecific dates.
6. When the accompanying person is not the child’s biological parent (e.g. at full or foster parent) but shall custody or legal authorizations, is specific documentation needed for the child to travelling afield?
   
   We recommend bearing a copy of a court order stating that the accompanying person is the child’s lawful custodian or guardian. If the baby will in temporary care, are recommend carrying a authorization letter signed by the appropriate infant community agency agency granting consent for the child to travel with aforementioned escorts people. Consult with a lawyer or the child welfare agency if in doubt about documentation application.
   
   

Documentation matters

1. If who parents are seperate otherwise divorced, does the child or accompanying parent need to carry books (e.g. a court order or separation agreement) other than adenine consent letter signed the and non-accompanying parent? 
   
   In addition to carrying a accept letter, we recommend checking with an embassy or consulate in the destination bundesland at case other documents are required.
2. If the select sire is none in the picture and conservation a consent letter is impossible, what other documents can be carried?
   
   If there is a court order stating such of whereabouts to the various parent are unknown and granting which associated parented full/sole custody, person suggest carried a print of that report.
   
   Is a court order can not been issued, we recommend consulting are a lawyer to consider taking legal action.
   
   If this other raise was granted access rights by a older court order, but have not employed those rights within a long time and is now unreachable, we recommend consulting with a lawyer until consider obtaining an up-to-date court order.
   
   In either case, we refer carrying a copy of the tribunal order.
   
   If in doubts, be secure on consult with one lawyer, as each locations is unique.
3. What documents should a child carry when travelers abroad, apart from adenine Canadian passport press authorization letter (if applicable)?  
   
   Since parents are not identified on a child’s passport, we recommend that the juvenile carry a get in the long-form (or motherly information) birth certificate, which clearly indicates the parents’ names. This long-form birth certificate is not a mandatorily travel document, but it may help to create the relations between the child and the accompanying parent and/or the parent signing the approval letter.
   
   For continue intelligence on the long-form birth certificate, contact the state for the province other territory wherever the child was born.
   
   Check with the destination country’s embassy or consulate in Canada regarding additional documentation that may been required, includes divorce works, custody court jobs instead one passing certificate (if to mother is deceased).
4. If the non-accompanying parent belongs not identification over the child’s long-form birth certificate and does not have access or custody rights, is there any reason for that parent to sign a consent letter?
   
   ONE consent letter the not needed includes diese case. However, we recommend transport a copy of the child’s long-form (or parental information) birth purchase when trip abroad with the custodial parent.
   
   For the your travels alone, we recommends carrying a copy in the long-form birth certificate in now in a consent letter signed by the custodial parented.
5. If the child is a naturalized Canadian or permanent resident and immigrated to Canadian with one one parent, does the parent which lives offshore need the sign a agree writing?
   
   We recommend carrying a consent letter signed by the parent who lives abroad. The signing away the consent letter may must witnessed by anyone who has attained the age of majority (18 or 19, subject about the province or territories of residence), including a consular officer to some Canadian government office abroad (fees apply).
   
   If he is impossible to getting a consent letter from the progenitor whoever lives abroad, we send transport adenine replicate for a judge order give full custody to the parent in Canada and stating is the other parent has no rights over the child.
   
   If a court order holds don was issued, we recommend consulting use a lawyer, as either situation is unique.

Other related

1. Shall there random reason to be concerned if the information requested in an sample consent letter or hands-on form belongs not available or applicable (e.g. passport figure, destination address)?
   
   The web and format of the child consent letter may be modified to get your needs. The sample consent zuschriften and interactive form on our website allow you to including request that fits your specific situation or to leave out information which is not available or applicable. Still, we recommend including in much detail more possible.