Travel consent letter for a child – free and in two languages

When a child travels abroad with only one parent – or with grandparents or friends – a signed letter from the other parent can save a lot of questions at the airport and the border. Fill it in once: you get the letter in your own language and in the language of the destination, ready to print and sign.

Your letter

Print

Bring with you

• The signed consent letter (original), with a copy of the other parent's passport or ID card.
• The child's own passport or ID card – valid for the whole trip.
• A birth certificate, if your surname differs from the child's.
• A court decision or agreement about custody, if there is one that affects travel.
• The other parent's phone number, so officials can call if they want to.

Some airlines and border officers prefer a signature certified by a notary or the police – it is never wrong to have it done.

Rules change. Check the destination's embassy and your own country's travel advice before you go – some countries also have their own form for children leaving the country.

Questions and answers

Does a child need a consent letter to travel with one parent?

It is rarely a legal requirement, but many countries and airlines recommend it, and border officers may ask. A signed letter from the other parent makes the check quick.

Does the letter have to be notarised?

Usually not, but a certified signature is accepted more readily. Attach a copy of the other parent's passport or ID card either way.

What if the other parent will not sign?

Then you may need a decision from a court or the authority that handles custody where you live, depending on your country's rules and your custody arrangement.

Do I need a letter inside the EU?

There are often no passport checks inside the Schengen area, but airlines and police can still ask. The letter weighs nothing – bring it.

General information, not legal advice.