Consent Letter: 5 Things It Should Contain For Travelling With Children

Consent Letter For Children

If you are travelling with children, one of the documents that you will need is a consent letter. A consent letter shows that a child has permission to travel outside a certain region from a parent or guardian that is not travelling with them. You can click here to read more about relocating with children. 

A consent letter will be used during all cross-border travelling

when a child is either travelling with only one parent or guardian, a group like a school, religious, sports or musical group, a consent letter can also be used when a child is travelling with only one parent or guardian or in the care of friends or relatives to learn. 

Returning With One Parent Instead Of Two

Whether it’s a day trip or a journey where the child will only be returning with one parent instead of two then you will need a consent letter because a consent letter is usually a requirement by immigration officials when you are leaving or entering a foreign country with minors. As the guardian accompanying the child, you should have the original consent letter instead of a photocopy, This will save you the headache of the authorities in charge questioning how authentic the document is.

As a divorcee, widowed or single parent

that has been the sole guardian and parent of a child, you will need the documents that back this up and that show that you are the child’s only parent or guardian. Examples of this document include a separation or divorce paper, and the death certificate of the other parent. You should have any of the necessary documents that you might need to show for this at hand with you when you are travelling with the child.

What Does A Consent Letter Contain? 

A consent letter does not have a specific guiding tenet as to how it is written but it must include; 

The contact information and names of the parent or guardian,

The name of the child,

It must also contain necessary information about how long the trip will take and the location of where the child is travelling to, 

It should also contain the relationship and also the name of the person that is going to be on the trip with the child.

How Many Consent Letter Do You Need?

Depending on what the situation calls for, you may need to have multiple consent letters or just one depending on the situation that it is needed. For example, if the children will be travelling separately for a certain duration of the trip, then it is advised that you have separate consent letters for them. If none of the parents of the child is coming along on the trip, they can have separate consent letters signed or both parents sign just one consent letter. If they are children from the same family that are going on the trip together, they may be listed on just one consent letter.

Which signatures are needed on the consent letter?

These signatures are very important and should be present on the consent letter that the children will be travelling with;

Divorced Parent

In the case of a divorce or separation, the parent who is not going to be with the child during the trip outside the country and who has the decision-making responsibility for the child, Is the child’s guardian and has custody of the child will need to sign. For specifications on who needs to sign and who doesn’t, you might need an agreement or court order

Common Law Or Married Parent

If the parent not with the child during the trip is in a common law relationship or married, they will need to sign the consent form.

Deceased Parent

In the case of one deceased parent, if the child is taking the trip without the surviving parents or travelling alone, they should carry with them a consent letter that is signed by the surviving parent and also have with them a copy of the death certificate of the dead parent.

Witness signature 

As long as the witness is over 18, it is strongly advised that there should be a public witness who will sign the letter to give it more authenticity and also prevent immigration officials from having doubts concerning the letter.

Temporary care 

If the child is in temporary care, there should be a content letter that will be signed by the representative of the appropriate child welfare agency that will be granting consent for the child to travel.

You have to realise that different countries have different immigration laws and processes when it comes to travelling with children. This is why you need to conduct your research for the country you’re moving or travelling to with children, to be sure of their immigration laws when it comes to children coming and going from that particular country as sometimes a consent letter might not be considered enough proof for the safety of the child.

Doing your research will help you know what other documents you will need to be able to travel in and out of a particular country, what processes you will need to go through and all the other necessary cogent information that you might need. It is important to remember that countries have stringent laws like these concerning travelling with children in order to protect them and also prevent kidnapping, abduction, child trafficking or worse, all covered under the Child’s Right Act.