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Travel consent letters for children (Canada): template, strategy, and the real limit

A travel consent letter is a signed statement that a child has permission to travel abroad from a parent or guardian who is not going with them. The Government of Canada recommends one for any child travelling without both parents — but it is a precaution, not a guarantee, and it is important to understand exactly what it does and does not do.

What the consent letter is

The consent letter demonstrates that the non-accompanying parent or guardian has agreed to the trip. Border officers — in Canada or in the destination country — may ask to see it, and not having one can cause delays. The Government of Canada publishes a recommended template and an interactive tool to build one, and suggests it be signed and, ideally, witnessed or notarized.

Official recommended consent letter — travel.gc.ca →

The limit the government itself warns about

This matters because Canada has no routine exit checks at its borders. If you genuinely fear the other parent will not bring your child home, the consent letter is not enough on its own — see how to actually stop a child leaving Canada, which covers court orders and passport measures.

If the other parent refuses to sign

First, try to resolve it directly, or through family justice services such as mediation where appropriate. If refusal is combined with a real fear that your child would not be returned to Canada, consult a family lawyer right away about protective orders. Do not respond by withholding the child from lawful contact — courts view that poorly.

Practical tips

• One letter per trip, with specific dates, destination, and who the child is travelling with.
• Include contact details for the non-accompanying parent so officials can verify.
• Carry the original (and a copy); some countries expect notarization — check the destination's rules.
• A consent letter for a holiday is not consent to move abroad. If the trip is really a relocation, that needs its own written agreement or a court order.

Questions parents ask