For moms, dads, grandparents, aunts and anyone traveling with a child
Take the trip. Carry the right letter.
When a child travels without both parents, the airport can ask for paperwork you did not know you needed. That goes for a mom flying solo, a grandmother on spring break and an aunt taking her nieces to Paris. Wonderlive Travel explains what official sources actually require and gives you the documents to carry, so the only thing you think about at the gate is snacks.
The Child Travel Consent Kit
Available now
$14
Everything to carry when the parents are not both on the trip
- Fill-in consent letters for one parent traveling and for a grandparent, relative or friend traveling, plus editable Word versions
- Step by step notarization: where to go and what to bring
- Document checklists for sole custody, a deceased parent, different last names and traveling as a relative
- One-page notes for popular destinations, each linked to the official source
- Free updates when a rule changes
Buy the kit, $14
Travel information and templates, not legal advice. Terms.
Summer 2027
City planners from a month in Europe
Day by day plans for Lisbon, Porto, Mallorca, Nice and Paris built from a real trip with kids: where to stay, what to skip, the playground near the museum and how to get from the airport without a meltdown.
Tell me when they are ready
More printables for the trip
Instant download. Print at home as many times as your family needs.
$9
Step by step kit for a US passport for a child under 16: which forms fit your family, a document checklist, fees, photo rules and a timeline.
Buy, $9
$9
Unaccompanied minor rules compared for four airlines, drop-off and pickup checklists and the pages your child carries.
Buy, $9
$12
A fillable planner for the budget, every traveler's documents, day by day plans and packing lists for up to three kids.
Buy, $12
$5
Pocket cards that ask a helper to call you in 8 languages, plus wristband strips and an emergency info sheet.
Buy, $5
See everything in the shop
Free guides
Every rule checked against the official government source, by Tanika Hall.
Copy the free letter, then see the US and ten destinations in one place, for one parent or another adult.
Can grandparents travel abroad with grandchildren? Yes. Who signs, what goes in the letter and which countries require it.
What aunts and uncles need when the last names do not match.
Recommended, not required by law. What the parent authorization letter should say and Canada's own sample letter.
Notarized letter required with one parent, per the State Department. Also Dominican Republic, Portugal and the Bahamas.
The day German immigration asked for our letter, and why I never fly without it.
Notarization, sole custody, dual citizens, group trips and ten country guides.
Common questions
- Do I need a consent letter to fly out of the US alone with my child?
- The United States itself does not require one. The State Department says the US does not require evidence of both parents' permission for a minor to travel internationally, but some destinations do, and a parent traveling alone with a child may need a signed and notarized letter from the other parent or proof of sole custody.
- Who signs the consent letter?
- The parent who is not traveling. Official guidance from the US and Canada says the letter comes from the other parent, not from the parent on the trip. If you have sole custody, carry your custody order; the State Department lists proof of sole custody as the alternative to the letter, and Canada still recommends a letter, signed by you, alongside the order.
- I am a grandparent, aunt or family friend. What do I need?
- A letter signed by both parents, ideally notarized, with their contact details and copies of their signed IDs, plus the child's passport and birth certificate. The State Department says some countries require a notarized permission letter when a child travels with someone who is not a parent. The State Department says Portugal requires a notarized parental consent letter for children traveling with other adults, the Bahamas requires a notarized letter that also lets you seek medical attention for the child, and Canada checks these children more closely and can refuse entry without proof of the parents' permission.
- Does the letter have to be notarized?
- It depends on the destination. Jamaica requires a notarized letter according to the State Department, and the Bahamas says one may be required. Canada does not require notarization but strongly recommends it. Because officials anywhere may ask and notarizing is quick, it is the safe choice.
- Do I need an apostille on the letter?
- Not for a US child traveling as a tourist with one parent to the destinations we cover. We found no official source that requires one in that situation. Apostilles come up in other cases; for example, Mexico's consulate in Montreal requires one when a parent living in Canada authorizes a Mexican child's travel.
- What else should I carry besides the letter?
- Your child's passport, a copy of the birth certificate or other proof that you are the parent, and a copy of the other parent's signed passport or ID, which Canada asks for and which helps anywhere. If your last name is different from your child's, UK Border Force suggests bringing a marriage or divorce certificate that links the names.
- Is my child's second citizenship a problem?
- It can be. Mexico and Costa Rica have permission or exit rules that apply to dual US citizens, and the Dominican Republic's departure certification may apply to children who are Dominican citizens. Spain's rule only applies when a Spanish child travels with neither parent. Check the destination's own rules if your child holds that country's nationality.
Get updates when rules change
Occasional notes when an entry rule changes or a new guide comes out. Nothing else, and you can leave any time.
About
Wonderlive Travel is made by Tanika Hall, a mom and aunt who travels with the kids in her family. Every guide is checked against the official government source for that country, and each one shows the link so you can check it too.
