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How to stop a child from leaving Canada

Canada does not run routine exit checks at its borders, so there is no single "stop list" a parent can simply join. What actually helps is a combination of measures a court and the passport program can put in place: a court order that prohibits removal, passport controls, and — where there is a real, imminent risk — police involvement. Act early; these take time to arrange.

1. A court order prohibiting removal

The most important tool is a court order — often called a non-removal order — that bars either parent from taking the child out of Canada (or a province) without the other's written consent or the court's permission. Terms about international travel can also be built into a parenting order. A lawyer can seek an urgent order where risk is high. Because Canada has no exit screening, the order's real force comes from the legal consequences of breaching it and from the tools below.

2. Passport measures

Canada's Passport Program applies safeguards for children's passports. In practice, applications for a child's passport generally require the consent of both parents or all guardians, and a parent with concerns can ask about the Passport Program's system lookout, which can flag a child's file. A court can also order that a child's passport be surrendered or that no passport be issued. Remember that a dual-national child may be entitled to another country's passport — raise this with your lawyer.

3. Police, where the risk is real and imminent

If you believe removal is about to happen, police can be involved and, through Interpol, can help internationally. A court order in hand makes police action far more effective. Police cannot act on a hunch alone — evidence and, ideally, an order matter.

What a consent letter does — and doesn't

A travel consent letter documents permission for a specific trip. It is useful, but the Government of Canada is clear that it does not guarantee a child's return. Treat it as one layer, not the whole plan.

Warning signs are not proof

Concrete steps like a sudden job abroad, selling property, obtaining the child's travel documents without discussion, or statements that the child "belongs" in another country can be risk indicators — but they are indicators, not evidence of intent, and most parents who show one are not planning anything. If several appear alongside escalating conflict, that is the moment to talk to a lawyer about lawful safeguards. Do not respond with surveillance or by breaching the other parent's contact rights.