Consent Letter to Travel to Mexico With a Child
The short answer: We found no current Mexican rule requiring a letter for a US-citizen child traveling with one parent, but carry one anyway. With a grandparent, relative or friend, carry a notarized letter from both parents, because US citizen children have sometimes been stopped leaving Mexico without one. If your child is a Mexican citizen, including a dual US citizen, they need notarized permission from a parent to travel without that parent.
At a glance: with one parent, carry one anyway. With a grandparent, relative or friend, carry one anyway.
Traveling to Mexico with one parent
We found no current official Mexican rule requiring a letter for a US-citizen child traveling with one parent. Mexico's SAM exit form is for children who live in Mexico and leave alone or with a non-parent, and is not needed when a child travels with one parent.
If your child is a Mexican citizen, including a dual US citizen, the State Department says Mexican minors must have notarized written permission from a parent to travel without that parent.
Traveling to Mexico with a grandparent, aunt, uncle or friend
Mexican consular guidance says the SAM exit form does not apply to a child visiting Mexico as a tourist. The State Department warns that Mexican authorities have sometimes stopped US citizen children from leaving Mexico without a parent when they had no notarized travel authorization, so carry a notarized letter from both parents. If the child is a Mexican citizen, including a dual US citizen, leaving with an adult who is not a parent needs a notarized permission from the parents, or the SAM form if the family lives in Mexico, and the accompanying adult must show their passport.
Does it need to be notarized?
The State Department warns that US children leaving Mexico without a parent have sometimes been stopped without a notarized authorization. If the child is a Mexican citizen, including a dual US citizen, the State Department says the permission to travel without a parent must be notarized.
What to carry to Mexico
- each child's passport and a copy of their birth certificate
- the original consent letter, signed by the parent or parents who are not traveling, and a spare
- copies of each signer's signed passport or ID, attached to the letter
- the parents' phone numbers saved in your phone
Sources: US State Department: Mexico · Consulate of Mexico in Montreal: SAM form · Consulate of Mexico in Frankfurt: departure of minors (older notice)
Common questions
- Do I need a consent letter to take my child to Mexico?
- We found no current official Mexican rule requiring a letter for a US-citizen child traveling with one parent. Mexico's SAM exit form is for children who live in Mexico and leave alone or with a non-parent, and is not needed when a child travels with one parent.
- What does a grandparent or aunt need to travel to Mexico with a child?
- Mexican consular guidance says the SAM exit form does not apply to a child visiting Mexico as a tourist. The State Department warns that Mexican authorities have sometimes stopped US citizen children from leaving Mexico without a parent when they had no notarized travel authorization, so carry a notarized letter from both parents. If the child is a Mexican citizen, including a dual US citizen, leaving with an adult who is not a parent needs a notarized permission from the parents, or the SAM form if the family lives in Mexico, and the accompanying adult must show their passport.
- Does the letter for Mexico need to be notarized?
- The State Department warns that US children leaving Mexico without a parent have sometimes been stopped without a notarized authorization. If the child is a Mexican citizen, including a dual US citizen, the State Department says the permission to travel without a parent must be notarized.
Want the letters ready to fill in? The Child Travel Consent Kit has Letter A for one parent traveling, Letter B for a grandparent, relative or friend, a notarization checklist and notes for ten destinations. Get the kit for $14.
Related guides
- Do You Need a Consent Letter to Travel With a Child?
- Does a Child Travel Consent Letter Need to Be Notarized?
- Dual Citizen Kids: Exit Permits and Permission Rules Abroad
- Traveling Abroad With Your Grandchildren: The Letter You Need
- Consent Letter to Travel to Canada With a Child
This guide explains what official sources say. It is not legal advice, and border officers apply the rules on the day. Check the linked source and your airline's own rules before you fly, and talk to a family law attorney if there is a custody order or a dispute.